I. Bēowulf: an Anglo-Saxon poem. II. The fight at Finnsburh: a fragment.
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Title: I. Bēowulf: an Anglo-Saxon poem. II. The fight at Finnsburh: a fragment.
Editor: James A. Harrison
Robert Sharp
Release date: January 1, 2006 [eBook #9701]
Most recently updated: April 11, 2021
Language: English, Old English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9701
Credits: Karl Hagen and PG Distributed Proofreaders
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK I. BĒOWULF: AN ANGLO-SAXON POEM. II. THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURH: A FRAGMENT. ***
** 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
 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 wælmes, þē is wīde cūð,
"grimne gryrelīcne grund-hyrde fond.
"Þǣr unc hwīle wæs hand gemǣne;
"holm heolfre wēoll and ic hēafde becearf
2140 "in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor
"ēacnum ecgum, unsōfte þonan
"feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gȳt,
"ac mē eorla hlēo eft gesealde
"māðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.
2145 "Swā se þēod-kyning þēawum lyfde;
"nealles ic þām lēanum forloren hæfde,
"mægnes mēde, ac hē mē māðmas geaf,
"sunu Healfdenes, on sīnne sylfes dōm;
"þā ic þē, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
2150 "ēstum geȳwan. Gēn is eall æt þē
"lissa gelong: ic lȳt hafo
"hēafod-māga, nefne Hygelāc þec!"
Hēt þā in beran eafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm, hāre byrnan,
2155 gūð-sweord geatolīc, gyd æfter wræc:
"Mē þis hilde-sceorp Hrōðgār sealde,
"snotra fengel, sume worde hēt,
"þæt ic his ǣrest þē eft gesægde,
"cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogār cyning,
2160 "lēod Scyldunga lange hwīle:
"nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnum syllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde, þēah hē him hold wǣre,
"brēost-gewǣdu. Brūc ealles well!"
Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwum fēower mēaras
2165 lungre gelīce lāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe; hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma. Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-net ōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræfte dēað rēnian
2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum, nefa swȳðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrum hrōðra gemyndig.
Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah Hygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum, þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,
2175 þēodnes dōhtor, þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þege brēost geweorðod.
Swā bealdode bearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð, gōdum dǣdum,
2180 drēah æfter dōme, nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas; næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnes mǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife, þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor. Hēan wæs lange,
2185 swā hyne Gēata bearn gōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne
drihten wereda gedōn wolde;
swȳðe oft sægdon, þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom: edwenden cwōm
2190 tīr-ēadigum menn torna gehwylces.
Hēt þā eorla hlēo in gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning, Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede; næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlra on sweordes hād;
2195 þæt hē on Bīowulfes bearm ālegde,
and him gesealde seofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl. Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipe lond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht, ōðrum swīðor
2200 sīde rīce, þām þǣr sēlra wæs.
Eft þæt geīode ufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum, syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēde hilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðan tō bonan wurdon,
2205 þā hyne gesōhtan on sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces.
Syððan Bēowulfe brāde rīce
on hand gehwearf: hē gehēold tela
2210 fīftig wintru (wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard), oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtum draca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðe hord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne: stīg under læg,
2215 eldum uncūð. Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylces nēode gefēng
hǣðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fāhne, hē þæt syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g
2220 slǣpende be fȳre, fyrena hyrde
þēofes cræfte, þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn, þæt hē gebolgen wæs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd,
2225 ac for þrēa-nēdlan þēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearna hete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfe and þǣr inne fealh
secg syn-bysig. Sōna in þā tīde
þæt . . . . . þām gyste . . . . br . g . stōd,
2230 hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat,
sinc-fæt geseah: þǣr wæs swylcra fela
in þām eorð-scræfe ǣr-gestrēona,
swā hȳ on geār-dagum gumena nāt-hwylc
2235 eormen-lāfe æðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende þǣr gehȳdde,
dēore māðmas. Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum, and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe, sē þǣr lengest hwearf,
2240 weard wine-geōmor wīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē lȳtel fæc long-gestrēona
brūcan mōste. Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge wæter-ȳðum nēah,
nīwe be næsse nearo-cræftum fæst:
2245 þǣr on innan bær eorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dǣl
fǣttan goldes, fēa worda cwæð:
"Heald þū nū, hrūse, nū hæleð ne mōston,
"eorla ǣhte. Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē
2250 "gōde begeāton; gūð-dēað fornam,
"feorh-bealo frēcne fȳra gehwylcne,
"lēoda mīnra, þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
"gesāwon sele-drēam. Nāh hwā sweord wege
"oððe fetige fǣted wǣge,
2255 "drync-fæt dēore: duguð ellor scōc.
"Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde
"fǣtum befeallen: feormiend swefað,
"þā þe beado-grīman bȳwan sceoldon,
"gē swylce sēo here-pād, sīo æt hilde gebād
2260 "ofer borda gebræc bite īrena,
"brosnað æfter beorne. Ne mæg byrnan hring
"æfter wīg-fruman wīde fēran
"hæleðum be healfe; næs hearpan wyn,
"gomen glēo-bēames, nē gōd hafoc
2265 "geond sæl swingeð, nē se swifta mearh
"burh-stede bēateð. Bealo-cwealm hafað
"fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended!"
Swā giōmor-mōd giohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallum unblīðe hwēop,
2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaða opene standan,
sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð
nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð
2275 fȳre befangen; hyne fold-būend
wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall
hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold
warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl.
Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra
2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum
ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh
mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær
fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd
hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod,
2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad
fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode
fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe.
Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad;
stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand
2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp,
dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah.
Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte
2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode:
hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon
wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh,
2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf,
sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand,
þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm;
2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde,
wolde se lāða līge forgyldan
drinc-fæt dȳre. Þā wæs dæg sceacen
wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng
bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr,
2310 fȳre gefȳsed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc
lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod.
XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.
Þā se gæst ongan glēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan; bryne-lēoma stōd
2315 eldum on andan; nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-floga lǣfan wolde.
Wæs þæs wyrmes wīg wīde gesȳne,
nearo-fāges nīð nēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaða Gēata lēode
2320 hatode and hȳnde: hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnne ǣr dæges hwīle.
Hæfde land-wara līge befangen,
bǣle and bronde; beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles: him sēo wēn gelēah.
2325 Þā wæs Bīowulfe brōga gecȳðed
snūde tō sōðe, þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlest bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stōl Gēata. Þæt þām gōdan wæs
hrēow on hreðre, hyge-sorga mǣst:
2330 wēnde se wīsa, þæt hē wealdende,
ofer ealde riht, ēcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge: brēost innan wēoll
þēostrum geþoncum, swā him geþȳwe ne wæs.
Hæfde līg-draca lēoda fæsten,
2335 ēa-lond ūtan, eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden. Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden, wræce leornode.
Heht him þā gewyrcean wīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne, eorla dryhten
2340 wīg-bord wrǣtlīc; wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge. Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōd ende gebīdan
worulde līfes and se wyrm somod;
2345 þēah þe hord-welan hēolde lange.
Oferhogode þā hringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-flogan weorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge; nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīg for wiht dyde,
2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðende nīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma, syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg, sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāp Grendeles mǣgum,
2355 lāðan cynnes. Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota, þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyning gūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folces Frēslondum on,
Hrēðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt,
2360 bille gebēaten; þonan Bīowulf cōm
sylfes cræfte, sund-nytte drēah;
hæfde him on earme ... XXX
hilde-geatwa, þā hē tō holme stāg.
Nealles Hetware hrēmge þorfton
2365 fēðe-wīges, þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron: lȳt eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecan hāmes nīosan.
Oferswam þā sioleða bigong sunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-haga eft tō lēodum,
2370 þǣr him Hygd gebēad hord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl: bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcum ēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe, þā wæs Hygelāc dēad.
Nō þȳ ǣr fēa-sceafte findan meahton
2375 æt þām æðelinge ǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēde hlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōm cīosan wolde;
hwæðre hē him on folce frēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre, oð þæt hē yldra wearð,
2380 Weder-Gēatum wēold. Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan, suna Ōhteres:
hæfdon hȳ forhealden helm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestan sǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīce sinc brytnade,
2385 mǣrne þēoden. Him þæt tō mearce wearð;
hē þǣr orfeorme feorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelāces;
and him eft gewāt Ongenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan, syððan Heardrēd læg;
2390 lēt þone brego-stōl Bīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan: þæt wæs gōd cyning.
XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BĒOWULF.--STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.
Sē þæs lēod-hryres lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum, Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond. Folce gestepte
2395 ofer sǣ sīde sunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum: hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum, cyning ealdre binēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþīowes,
2400 ellen-weorca, oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa sum torne gebolgen
dryhten Gēata dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen, hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
2405 bealo-nīð biorna; him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣre þurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēate þreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orleges ōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor, sceolde hēan þonon
2410 wong wīsian: hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-sele ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan holm-wylme nēh,
ȳð-gewinne, sē wæs innan full
wrǣtta and wīra: weard unhīore,
2415 gearo gūð-freca, gold-māðmas hēold,
eald under eorðan; næs þæt ȳðe cēap,
tō gegangenne gumena ǣnigum.
Gesæt þā on næsse nīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēad heorð-genēatum
2420 gold-wine Gēata: him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs, Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelan grētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord, sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce: nō þon lange wæs
2425 feorh æðelinges flǣsce bewunden.
Bīowulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Fela ic on giogoðe guð-rǣsa genæs,
"orleg-hwīla: ic þæt eall gemon.
"Ic wæs syfan-wintre, þā mec sinca baldor,
2430 "frēa-wine folca æt mīnum fæder genam,
"hēold mec and hæfde Hrēðel cyning,
"geaf mē sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;
"næs ic him tō līfe lāðra ōwihte
"beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,
2435 "Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelāc mīn.
"Wæs þām yldestan ungedēfelīce
"mǣges dǣdum morðor-bed strēd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,
"his frēa-wine flāne geswencte,
2440 "miste mercelses and his mǣg ofscēt,
"brōðor ōðerne, blōdigan gāre:
"þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mēðe; sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
"æðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2445 "Swā bið geōmorlīc gomelum ceorle
"tō gebīdanne, þæt his byre rīde
"giong on galgan, þonne hē gyd wrece,
"sārigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tō hrōðre and hē him helpe ne mæg,
2450 "eald and in-frōd, ǣnige gefremman.
"Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sīð; ōðres ne gȳmeð
"tō gebīdanne burgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes, þonne se ān hafað
2455 "þurh dēaðes nȳd dǣda gefondad.
"Gesyhð sorh-cearig on his suna būre
"wīn-sele wēstne, wind-gereste,
"rēote berofene; rīdend swefað
"hæleð in hoðman; nis þǣr hearpan swēg,
2460 "gomen in geardum, swylce þǣr iū wǣron.
XXXV. MEMORIES OF PAST TIME.-THE FEUD WITH THE FIRE-DRAKE.
"Gewīteð þonne on sealman, sorh-lēoð gæleð
"ān æfter ānum: þūhte him eall tō rūm,
"wongas and wīc-stede. Swā Wedra helm
"æfter Herebealde heortan sorge
2465 "weallende wæg, wihte ne meahte
"on þām feorh-bonan fǣhðe gebētan:
"nō þȳ ǣr hē þone heaðo-rinc hatian ne meahte
"lāðum dǣdum, þēah him lēof ne wæs.
"Hē þā mid þǣre sorge, þē him sīo sār belamp,
2470 "gum-drēam ofgeaf, godes lēoht gecēas;
"eaferum lǣfde, swā dēð ēadig mon,
"lond and lēod-byrig, þā hē of līfe gewāt.
"Þā wæs synn and sacu Swēona and Gēata,
"ofer wīd wæter wrōht gemǣne,
2475 "here-nīð hearda, syððan Hrēðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþēowes eaferan wǣran
"frome fyrd-hwate, frēode ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hrēosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon.
2480 "Þæt mǣg-wine mīne gewrǣcan,
"fǣhðe and fyrene, swā hyt gefrǣge wæs,
"þēah þe ōðer hit ealdre gebohte,
"heardan cēape: Hæðcynne wearð,
"Gēata dryhtne, gūð onsǣge.
2485 "Þā ic on morgne gefrægn mǣg ōðerne
"billes ecgum on bonan stǣlan,
"þǣr Ongenþēow Eofores nīosade:
"gūð-helm tōglād, gomela Scylfing
"hrēas heoro-blāc; hond gemunde
2490 "fǣhðo genōge, feorh-sweng ne oftēah.
"Ic him þā māðmas, þē hē mē sealde,
"geald æt gūðe, swā mē gifeðe wæs,
"lēohtan sweorde: hē mē lond forgeaf,
"eard ēðel-wyn. Næs him ǣnig þearf,
2495 "þæt hē tō Gifðum oððe tō Gār-Denum
"oððe in Swīo-rīce sēcean þurfe
"wyrsan wīg-frecan, weorðe gecȳpan;
"symle ic him on fēðan beforan wolde,
"āna on orde, and swā tō aldre sceall
2500 "sæcce fremman, þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þæt mec ǣr and sīð oft gelǣste,
"syððan ic for dugeðum Dæghrefne wearð
"tō hand-bonan, Hūga cempan:
"nalles hē þā frætwe Frēs-cyninge,
2505 "brēost-weorðunge bringan mōste,
"ac in campe gecrong cumbles hyrde,
"æðeling on elne. Ne wæs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grāp heortan wylmas,
"bān-hūs gebræc. Nū sceall billes ecg,
2510 "hond and heard sweord ymb hord wīgan."
Bēowulf maðelode, bēot-wordum spræc
nīehstan sīðe: "Ic genēðde fela
"gūða on geogoðe; gȳt ic wylle,
"frōd folces weard, fǣhðe sēcan,
2515 "mǣrðum fremman, gif mec se mān-sceaða
"of eorð-sele ūt gesēceð!"
Gegrētte þā gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend hindeman sīðe,
swǣse gesīðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,
2520 "wǣpen tō wyrme, gif ic wiste hū
"wið þām āglǣcean elles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrīpan, swā ic giō wið Grendle dyde;
"ac ic þǣr heaðu-fȳres hātes wēne,
"rēðes and-hāttres: forþon ic mē on hafu
2525 "bord and byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard
"oferflēon fōtes trem, fēond unhȳre,
"ac unc sceal weorðan æt wealle, swā unc Wyrd getēoð,
"metod manna gehwæs. Ic eom on mōde from,
"þæt ic wið þone gūð-flogan gylp ofersitte.
2530 "Gebīde gē on beorge byrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum, hwæðer sēl mǣge
"æfter wæl-rǣse wunde gedȳgan
"uncer twēga. Nis þæt ēower sīð,
"nē gemet mannes, nefne mīn ānes,
2535 "þæt hē wið āglǣcean eofoðo dǣle,
"eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall
"gold gegangan oððe gūð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frēcne, frēan ēowerne!"
Ārās þā bī ronde rōf ōretta,
2540 heard under helm, hioro-sercean bær
under stān-cleofu, strengo getruwode
ānes mannes: ne bið swylc earges sīð.
Geseah þā be wealle, sē þe worna fela,
gum-cystum gōd, gūða gedīgde,
2545 hilde-hlemma, þonne hnitan fēðan,
(stōd on stān-bogan) strēam ūt þonan
brecan of beorge; wæs þǣre burnan wælm
heaðo-fȳrum hāt: ne meahte horde nēah
unbyrnende ǣnige hwīle
2550 dēop gedȳgan for dracan lēge.
Lēt þā of brēostum, þā hē gebolgen wæs,
Weder-Gēata lēod word ūt faran,
stearc-heort styrmde; stefn in becōm
heaðo-torht hlynnan under hārne stān.
2555 Hete wæs onhrēred, hord-weard oncnīow
mannes reorde; næs þǣr māra fyrst,
frēode tō friclan. From ǣrest cwōm
oruð āglǣcean ūt of stāne,
hāt hilde-swāt; hrūse dynede.
2560 Biorn under beorge bord-rand onswāf
wið þām gryre-gieste, Gēata dryhten:
þā wæs hring-bogan heorte gefȳsed
sæcce tō sēceanne. Sweord ǣr gebrǣ
gōd gūð-cyning gomele lāfe,
2565 ecgum unglēaw, ǣghwæðrum wæs
bealo-hycgendra brōga fram ōðrum.
Stīð-mōd gestōd wið stēapne rond
winia bealdor, þā se wyrm gebēah
snūde tōsomne: hē on searwum bād.
2570 Gewāt þā byrnende gebogen scrīðan tō,
gescīfe scyndan. Scyld wēl gebearg
līfe and līce lǣssan hwīle
mǣrum þēodne, þonne his myne sōhte,
þǣr hē þȳ fyrste forman dōgore
2575 wealdan mōste, swā him Wyrd ne gescrāf
hrēð æt hilde. Hond up ābræd
Gēata dryhten, gryre-fāhne slōh
incge lāfe, þæt sīo ecg gewāc
brūn on bāne, bāt unswīðor,
2580 þonne his þīod-cyning þearfe hæfde,
bysigum gebǣded. Þā wæs beorges weard
æfter heaðu-swenge on hrēoum mōde,
wearp wæl-fȳre, wīde sprungon
hilde-lēoman: hrēð-sigora ne gealp
2585 gold-wine Gēata, gūð-bill geswāc
nacod æt nīðe, swā hyt nō sceolde,
īren ǣr-gōd. Ne wæs þæt ēðe sīð,
þæt se mǣra maga Ecgþēowes
grund-wong þone ofgyfan wolde;
2590 sceolde wyrmes willan wīc eardian
elles hwergen, swā sceal ǣghwylc mon
ālǣtan lǣn-dagas. Næs þā long tō þon,
þæt þā āglǣcean hȳ eft gemētton.
Hyrte hyne hord-weard, hreðer ǣðme wēoll,
2595 nīwan stefne: nearo þrowode
fȳre befongen sē þe ǣr folce wēold.
Nealles him on hēape hand-gesteallan,
æðelinga bearn ymbe gestōdon
hilde-cystum, ac hȳ on holt bugon,
2600 ealdre burgan. Hiora in ānum wēoll
sefa wið sorgum: sibb ǣfre ne mæg
wiht onwendan, þām þe wēl þenceð.
XXXVI. WIGLAF HELPS BĒOWULF IN THE FEUD
Wīglāf wæs hāten Wēoxstānes sunu,
lēoflīc lind-wiga, lēod Scylfinga,
2605 mǣg Ælfheres: geseah his mon-dryhten
under here-grīman hāt þrowian.
Gemunde þā þā āre, þē hē him ǣr forgeaf
wīc-stede weligne Wǣgmundinga,
folc-rihta gehwylc, swā his fæder āhte;
2610 ne mihte þā forhabban, hond rond gefēng,
geolwe linde, gomel swyrd getēah,
þæt wæs mid eldum Ēanmundes lāf,
suna Ōhteres, þām æt sæcce wearð
wracu wine-lēasum Wēohstānes bana
2615 mēces ecgum, and his māgum ætbær
brūn-fāgne helm, hringde byrnan,
eald sweord eotonisc, þæt him Onela forgeaf,
his gædelinges gūð-gewǣdu,
fyrd-searo fūslīc: nō ymbe þā fǣhðe spræc,
2620 þēah þe hē his brōðor bearn ābredwade.
Hē frætwe gehēold fela missēra,
bill and byrnan, oð þæt his byre mihte
eorl-scipe efnan, swā his ǣr-fæder;
geaf him þā mid Gēatum gūð-gewǣda
2625 ǣghwæs unrīm; þā hē of ealdre gewāt,
frōd on forð-weg. Þā wæs forma sīð
geongan cempan, þæt hē gūðe rǣs
mid his frēo-dryhtne fremman sceolde;
ne gemealt him se mōd-sefa, nē his mǣges lāf
2630 gewāc æt wīge: þæt se wyrm onfand,
syððan hīe tōgædre gegān hæfdon.
Wīglāf maðelode word-rihta fela,
sægde gesīðum, him wæs sefa geōmor:
"Ic þæt mǣl geman, þǣr wē medu þēgun,
2635 "þonne wē gehēton ūssum hlāforde
"in bīor-sele, þē ūs þās bēagas geaf,
"þæt wē him þā gūð-geatwa gyldan woldon,
"gif him þyslīcu þearf gelumpe,
"helmas and heard sweord: þē hē ūsic on herge gecēas
2640 "tō þyssum sīð-fate sylfes willum,
"onmunde ūsic mǣrða and mē þās māðmas geaf,
"þē hē ūsic gār-wīgend gōde tealde,
"hwate helm-berend, þēah þe hlāford ūs
"þis ellen-weorc āna āþōhte
2645 "tō gefremmanne, folces hyrde,
"forþām hē manna mǣst mǣrða gefremede,
"dǣda dollīcra. Nū is sē dæg cumen,
"þæt ūre man-dryhten mægenes behōfað
"gōdra gūð-rinca: wutun gangan tō,
2650 "helpan hild-fruman, þenden hyt sȳ,
"glēd-egesa grim! God wāt on mec,
"þæt mē is micle lēofre, þæt mīnne līc-haman
"mid mīnne gold-gyfan glēd fæðmie.
"Ne þynceð mē gerysne, þæt wē rondas beren
2655 "eft tō earde, nemne wē ǣror mǣgen
"fāne gefyllan, feorh ealgian
"Wedra þīodnes. Ic wāt geare,
"þæt nǣron eald-gewyrht, þæt hē āna scyle
"Gēata duguðe gnorn þrowian,
2660 "gesīgan æt sæcce: sceal ūrum þæt sweord and helm,
"byrne and byrdu-scrūd bām gemǣne."
Wōd þā þurh þone wæl-rēc, wīg-heafolan bær
frēan on fultum, fēa worda cwæð:
"Lēofa Bīowulf, lǣst eall tela,
2665 "swā þū on geoguð-fēore geāra gecwǣde,
"þæt þū ne ālǣte be þē lifigendum
"dōm gedrēosan: scealt nū dǣdum rōf,
"æðeling ān-hȳdig, ealle mægene
"feorh ealgian; ic þē fullǣstu!"
2670 Æfter þām wordum wyrm yrre cwōm,
atol inwit-gæst ōðre sīðe,
fȳr-wylmum fāh fīonda nīosan,
lāðra manna; līg-ȳðum forborn
bord wið ronde: byrne ne meahte
2675 geongum gār-wigan gēoce gefremman:
ac se maga geonga under his mǣges scyld
elne geēode, þā his āgen wæs
glēdum forgrunden. Þā gēn gūð-cyning
mǣrða gemunde, mægen-strengo,
2680 slōh hilde-bille, þæt hyt on heafolan stōd
nīðe genȳded: Nægling forbærst,
geswāc æt sæcce sweord Bīowulfes
gomol and grǣg-mǣl. Him þæt gifeðe ne wæs,
þæt him īrenna ecge mihton
2685 helpan æt hilde; wæs sīo hond tō strong,
sē þe mēca gehwane mīne gefrǣge
swenge ofersōhte, þonne hē tō sæcce bær
wǣpen wundrum heard, næs him wihte þē sēl.
Þā wæs þēod-sceaða þriddan sīðe,
2690 frēcne fȳr-draca fǣhða gemyndig,
rǣsde on þone rōfan, þā him rūm āgeald,
hāt and heaðo-grim, heals ealne ymbefēng
biteran bānum; hē geblōdegod wearð
sāwul-drīore; swāt ȳðum wēoll.
XXXVII. BĒOWULF WOUNDED TO DEATH.
2695 Þā ic æt þearfe gefrægn þēod-cyninges
and-longne eorl ellen cȳðan,
cræft and cēnðu, swā him gecynde wæs;
ne hēdde hē þæs heafolan, ac sīo hand gebarn
mōdiges mannes, þǣr hē his mǣges healp,
2700 þæt hē þone nīð-gæst nioðor hwēne slōh,
secg on searwum, þæt þæt sweord gedēaf
fāh and fǣted, þæt þæt fȳr ongon
sweðrian syððan. Þā gēn sylf cyning
gewēold his gewitte, wæll-seaxe gebrǣ,
2705 biter and beadu-scearp, þæt hē on byrnan wæg:
forwrāt Wedra helm wyrm on middan.
Fēond gefyldan (ferh ellen wræc),
and hī hyne þā bēgen ābroten hæfdon,
sib-æðelingas: swylc sceolde secg wesan,
2710 þegn æt þearfe. Þæt þām þēodne wæs
sīðast sīge-hwīle sylfes dǣdum,
worlde geweorces. Þā sīo wund ongon,
þē him se eorð-draca ǣr geworhte,
swelan and swellan. Hē þæt sōna onfand,
2715 þæt him on brēostum bealo-nīð wēoll,
attor on innan. Þā se æðeling gīong,
þæt hē bī wealle, wīs-hycgende,
gesæt on sesse; seah on enta geweorc,
hū þā stān-bogan stapulum fæste
2720 ēce eorð-reced innan hēoldon.
Hyne þā mid handa heoro-drēorigne
þēoden mǣrne þegn ungemete till,
wine-dryhten his wætere gelafede,
hilde-sædne and his helm onspēon.
2725 Bīowulf maðelode, hē ofer benne spræc,
wunde wæl-blēate (wisse hē gearwe,
þæt hē dæg-hwīla gedrogen hæfde
eorðan wynne; þā wæs eall sceacen
dōgor-gerīmes, dēað ungemete nēah):
2730 "Nū ic suna mīnum syllan wolde
"gūð-gewǣdu, þǣr mē gifeðe swā
"ǣnig yrfe-weard æfter wurde,
"līce gelenge. Ic þās lēode hēold
"fīftig wintra: næs se folc-cyning
2735 "ymbe-sittendra ǣnig þāra,
"þē mec gūð-winum grētan dorste,
"egesan þēon. Ic on earde bād
"mǣl-gesceafta, hēold mīn tela,
"ne sōhte searo-nīðas, nē mē swōr fela
2740 "āða on unriht. Ic þæs ealles mæg,
"feorh-bennum sēoc, gefēan habban:
"forþām mē wītan ne þearf waldend fīra
"morðor-bealo māga, þonne mīn sceaceð
"līf of līce. Nū þū lungre
2745 "geong, hord scēawian under hārne stān,
"Wīglāf lēofa, nū se wyrm ligeð,
"swefeð sāre wund, since berēafod.
"Bīo nū on ofoste, þæt ic ǣr-welan,
"gold-ǣht ongite, gearo scēawige
2750 "swegle searo-gimmas, þæt ic þȳ sēft mǣge
"æfter māððum-welan mīn ālǣtan
"līf and lēod-scipe, þone ic longe hēold."
XXXVIII. THE JEWEL-HOARD. THE PASSING OF BEOWULF.
Þā ic snūde gefrægn sunu Wīhstānes
æfter word-cwydum wundum dryhtne
2755 hȳran heaðo-sīocum, hring-net beran,
brogdne beadu-sercean under beorges hrōf.
Geseah þā sige-hrēðig, þā hē bī sesse gēong,
mago-þegn mōdig māððum-sigla fela,
gold glitinian grunde getenge,
2760 wundur on wealle and þæs wyrmes denn,
ealdes ūht-flogan, orcas stondan,
fyrn-manna fatu feormend-lēase,
hyrstum behrorene: þǣr wæs helm monig,
eald and ōmig, earm-bēaga fela,
2765 searwum gesǣled. Sinc ēaðe mæg,
gold on grunde, gumena cynnes
gehwone ofer-hīgian, hȳde sē þe wylle!
Swylce hē siomian geseah segn eall-gylden
hēah ofer horde, hond-wundra mǣst,
2770 gelocen leoðo-cræftum: of þām lēoma stōd,
þæt hē þone grund-wong ongitan meahte,
wrǣte giond-wlītan. Næs þæs wyrmes þǣr
onsȳn ǣnig, ac hyne ecg fornam.
Þā ic on hlǣwe gefrægn hord rēafian,
2775 eald enta geweorc ānne mannan,
him on bearm hladan bunan and discas
sylfes dōme, segn ēac genom,
bēacna beorhtost; bill ǣr-gescōd
(ecg wæs īren) eald-hlāfordes
2780 þām þāra māðma mund-bora wæs
longe hwīle, līg-egesan wæg
hātne for horde, hioro-weallende,
middel-nihtum, oð þæt hē morðre swealt.
Ār wæs on ofoste eft-sīðes georn,
2785 frætwum gefyrðred: hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwæðer collen-ferð cwicne gemētte
in þām wong-stede Wedra þēoden,
ellen-sīocne, þǣr hē hine ǣr forlēt.
Hē þā mid þām māðmum mǣrne þīoden,
2790 dryhten sīnne drīorigne fand
ealdres æt ende: hē hine eft ongon
wæteres weorpan, oð þæt wordes ord
brēost-hord þurhbræc. Bēowulf maðelode,
gomel on giohðe (gold scēawode):
2795 "Ic þāra frætwa frēan ealles þanc
"wuldur-cyninge wordum secge,
"ēcum dryhtne, þē ic hēr on starie,
"þæs þe ic mōste mīnum lēodum
"ǣr swylt-dæge swylc gestrȳnan.
2800 "Nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohte
"frōde feorh-lege, fremmað gē nū
"lēoda þearfe; ne mæg ic hēr leng wesan.
"Hātað heaðo-mǣre hlǣw gewyrcean,
"beorhtne æfter bǣle æt brimes nosan;
2805 "se scel tō gemyndum mīnum lēodum
"hēah hlīfian on Hrones næsse,
"þæt hit sǣ-līðend syððan hātan
"Bīowulfes biorh, þā þe brentingas
"ofer flōda genipu feorran drīfað."
2810 Dyde him of healse hring gyldenne
þīoden þrīst-hȳdig, þegne gesealde,
geongum gār-wigan, gold-fāhne helm,
bēah and byrnan, hēt hyne brūcan well:
"Þū eart ende-lāf ūsses cynnes,
2815 "Wǣgmundinga; ealle Wyrd forswēof,
"mīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,
"eorlas on elne: ic him æfter sceal."
Þæt wæs þām gomelan gingeste word
brēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,
2820 hāte heaðo-wylmas: him of hreðre gewāt
sāwol sēcean sōð-fæstra dōm.
XXXIX. THE COWARD-THANES.
Þā wæs gegongen guman unfrōdum
earfoðlīce, þæt hē on eorðan geseah
þone lēofestan līfes æt ende
2825 blēate gebǣran. Bona swylce læg,
egeslīc eorð-draca, ealdre berēafod,
bealwe gebǣded: bēah-hordum leng
wyrm wōh-bogen wealdan ne mōste,
ac him īrenna ecga fornāmon,
2830 hearde heaðo-scearpe homera lāfe,
þæt se wīd-floga wundum stille
hrēas on hrūsan hord-ærne nēah,
nalles æfter lyfte lācende hwearf
middel-nihtum, māðm-ǣhta wlonc
2835 ansȳn ȳwde: ac hē eorðan gefēoll
for þæs hild-fruman hond-geweorce.
Hūru þæt on lande lȳt manna þāh
mægen-āgendra mīne gefrǣge,
þēah þe hē dǣda gehwæs dyrstig wǣre,
2840 þæt hē wið attor-sceaðan oreðe gerǣsde,
oððe hring-sele hondum styrede,
gif hē wæccende weard onfunde
būan on beorge. Bīowulfe wearð
dryht-māðma dǣl dēaðe forgolden;
2845 hæfde ǣghwæðer ende gefēred
lǣnan līfes. Næs þā lang tō þon,
þæt þā hild-latan holt ofgēfan,
tȳdre trēow-logan tȳne ætsomne,
þā ne dorston ǣr dareðum lācan
2850 on hyra man-dryhtnes miclan þearfe;
ac hȳ scamiende scyldas bǣran,
gūð-gewǣdu, þǣr se gomela læg:
wlitan on Wīglāf. Hē gewērgad sæt,
fēðe-cempa frēan eaxlum nēah,
2855 wehte hyne wætre; him wiht ne spēow;
ne meahte hē on eorðan, þēah hē ūðe wēl,
on þām frum-gāre feorh gehealdan,
nē þæs wealdendes willan wiht oncirran;
wolde dōm godes dǣdum rǣdan
2860 gumena gehwylcum, swā hē nū gēn dēð.
Þā wæs æt þām geongan grim andswaru
ēð-begēte þām þe ǣr his elne forlēas.
Wīglāf maðelode, Wēohstānes sunu,
secg sārig-ferð seah on unlēofe:
2865 "Þæt lā mæg secgan, sē þe wyle sōð sprecan,
"þæt se mon-dryhten, se ēow þā māðmas geaf,
"ēored-geatwe, þē gē þǣr on standað,
"þonne hē on ealu-bence oft gesealde
"heal-sittendum helm and byrnan,
2870 "þēoden his þegnum, swylce hē þrȳðlīcost
"ōhwǣr feor oððe nēah findan meahte,
"þæt hē gēnunga gūð-gewǣdu
"wrāðe forwurpe. Þā hyne wīg beget,
"nealles folc-cyning fyrd-gesteallum
2875 "gylpan þorfte; hwæðre him god ūðe,
"sigora waldend, þæt hē hyne sylfne gewræc
"āna mid ecge, þā him wæs elnes þearf,
"Ic him līf-wraðe lȳtle meahte
"ætgifan æt gūðe and ongan swā þēah
2880 "ofer mīn gemet mǣges helpan:
"symle wæs þȳ sǣmra, þonne ic sweorde drep
"ferhð-genīðlan, fȳr unswīðor
"wēoll of gewitte. Wergendra tō lȳt
"þrong ymbe þēoden, þā hyne sīo þrāg becwōm.
2885 "Nū sceal sinc-þego and swyrd-gifu
"eall ēðel-wyn ēowrum cynne,
"lufen ālicgean: lond-rihtes mōt
"þǣre mǣg-burge monna ǣghwylc
"īdel hweorfan, syððan æðelingas
2890 "feorran gefricgean flēam ēowerne,
"dōm-lēasan dǣd. Dēað bið sēlla
"eorla gehwylcum þonne edwīt-līf!"
XL. THE SOLDIER'S DIRGE AND PROPHECY.
Heht þā þæt heaðo-weorc tō hagan bīodan
up ofer ēg-clif, þǣr þæt eorl-weorod
2895 morgen-longne dæg mōd-giōmor sæt,
bord-hæbbende, bēga on wēnum
ende-dōgores and eft-cymes
lēofes monnes. Lȳt swīgode
nīwra spella, sē þe næs gerād,
2900 ac hē sōðlīce sægde ofer ealle;
"Nū is wil-geofa Wedra lēoda,
"dryhten Gēata dēað-bedde fæst,
"wunað wæl-reste wyrmes dǣdum;
"him on efn ligeð ealdor-gewinna,
2905 "siex-bennum sēoc: sweorde ne meahte
"on þām āglǣcean ǣnige þinga
"wunde gewyrcean. Wīglāf siteð
"ofer Bīowulfe, byre Wīhstānes,
"eorl ofer ōðrum unlifigendum,
2910 "healdeð hige-mēðum hēafod-wearde
"lēofes and lāðes. Nū ys lēodum wēn
"orleg-hwīle, syððan underne
"Froncum and Frȳsum fyll cyninges
"wīde weorðeð. Wæs sīo wrōht scepen
2915 "heard wið Hūgas, syððan Higelāc cwōm
"faran flot-herge on Frēsna land,
"þǣr hyne Hetware hilde gehnǣgdon,
"elne geēodon mid ofer-mægene,
"þæt se byrn-wiga būgan sceolde,
2920 "fēoll on fēðan: nalles frætwe geaf
"ealdor dugoðe; ūs wæs ā syððan
"Merewīoinga milts ungyfeðe.
"Nē ic tō Swēo-þēode sibbe oððe trēowe
"wihte ne wēne; ac wæs wīde cūð,
2925 "þætte Ongenþīo ealdre besnyðede
"Hæðcyn Hrēðling wið Hrefna-wudu,
"þā for on-mēdlan ǣrest gesōhton
"Gēata lēode Gūð-scilfingas.
"Sōna him se frōda fæder Ōhtheres,
2930 "eald and eges-full ond-slyht āgeaf,
"ābrēot brim-wīsan, brȳd āhēorde,
"gomela īo-meowlan golde berofene,
"Onelan mōdor and Ōhtheres,
"and þā folgode feorh-genīðlan
2935 "oð þæt hī oðēodon earfoðlīce
"in Hrefnes-holt hlāford-lēase.
"Besæt þā sin-herge sweorda lāfe
"wundum wērge, wēan oft gehēt
"earmre teohhe andlonge niht:
2940 "cwæð hē on mergenne mēces ecgum
"gētan wolde, sume on galg-trēowum
"fuglum tō gamene. Frōfor eft gelamp
"sārig-mōdum somod ǣr-dæge,
"syððan hīe Hygelāces horn and bȳman
2945 "gealdor ongeāton. Þā se gōda cōm
"lēoda dugoðe on lāst faran.
XLI. HE TELLS OF THE SWEDES AND THE GEATAS
"Wæs sīo swāt-swaðu Swēona and Gēata,
"wæl-rǣs wera wīde gesȳne,
"hū þā folc mid him fǣhðe tōwehton.
2950 "Gewāt him þā se gōda mid his gædelingum,
"frōd fela geōmor fæsten sēcean,
"eorl Ongenþīo ufor oncirde;
"hæfde Higelāces hilde gefrūnen,
"wlonces wīg-cræft, wiðres ne truwode,
2955 "þæt hē sǣ-mannum onsacan mihte,
"hēaðo-līðendum hord forstandan,
"bearn and brȳde; bēah eft þonan
"eald under eorð-weall. Þā wæs ǣht boden
"Swēona lēodum, segn Higelāce.
2960 "Freoðo-wong þone forð oferēodon,
"syððan Hrēðlingas tō hagan þrungon.
"Þǣr wearð Ongenþīo ecgum sweorda,
"blonden-fexa on bīd wrecen,
"þæt se þēod-cyning þafian sceolde
2965 "Eofores ānne dōm: hyne yrringa
"Wulf Wonrēding wǣpne gerǣhte,
"þæt him for swenge swāt ǣdrum sprong
"forð under fexe. Næs hē forht swā þēh,
"gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraðe
2970 "wyrsan wrixle wæl-hlem þone,
"syððan þēod-cyning þyder oncirde:
"ne meahte se snella sunu Wonrēdes
"ealdum ceorle ond-slyht giofan,
"ac hē him on hēafde helm ǣr gescer,
2975 "þæt hē blōde fāh būgan sceolde,
"fēoll on foldan; næs hē fǣge þā gīt,
"ac hē hyne gewyrpte, þēah þe him wund hrīne,
"Lēt se hearda Higelāces þegn
"brādne mēce, þā his brōðor læg,
2980 "eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm,
"brecan ofer bord-weal: þā gebēah cyning,
"folces hyrde, wæs in feorh dropen.
"Þā wǣron monige, þē his mǣg wriðon,
"ricone ārǣrdon, þā him gerȳmed wearð,
2985 "þæt hīe wæl-stōwe wealdan mōston.
"Þenden rēafode rinc ōðerne,
"nam on Ongenþīo īren-byrnan,
"heard swyrd hilted and his helm somod;
"hāres hyrste Higelāce bær.
2990 "Hē þām frætwum fēng and him fægre gehēt
"lēana fore lēodum and gelǣste swā:
"geald þone gūð-rǣs Gēata dryhten,
"Hrēðles eafora, þā hē tō hām becōm,
"Jofore and Wulfe mid ofer-māðmum,
2995 "sealde hiora gehwæðrum hund þūsenda
"landes and locenra bēaga; ne þorfte him þā lēan oðwītan
"mon on middan-gearde, syððan hīe þā mǣrða geslōgon;
"and þā Jofore forgeaf āngan dōhtor,
"hām-weorðunge, hyldo tō wedde.
3000 "Þæt ys sīo fǣhðo and se fēond-scipe,
"wæl-nīð wera, þæs þe ic wēn hafo,
"þē ūs sēceað tō Swēona lēode,
"syððan hīe gefricgeað frēan ūserne
"ealdor-lēasne, þone þe ǣr gehēold
3005 "wið hettendum hord and rīce,
"æfter hæleða hryre hwate Scylfingas,
"folc-rǣd fremede oððe furður gēn
"eorl-scipe efnde. Nū is ofost betost,
"þæt wē þēod-cyning þǣr scēawian
3010 "and þone gebringan, þē ūs bēagas geaf,
"on ād-fære. Ne scel ānes hwæt
"meltan mid þām mōdigan, ac þǣr is māðma hord.
"gold unrīme grimme gecēapod
"and nū æt sīðestan sylfes fēore
3015 "bēagas gebohte; þā sceal brond fretan,
"ǣled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan
"māððum tō gemyndum, nē mægð scȳne
"habban on healse hring-weorðunge,
"ac sceall geōmor-mōd golde berēafod
3020 "oft nalles ǣne el-land tredan,
"nū se here-wīsa hleahtor ālegde,
"gamen and glēo-drēam. Forþon sceall gār wesan
"monig morgen-ceald mundum bewunden,
"hæfen on handa, nalles hearpan swēg
3025 "wīgend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
"fūs ofer fǣgum, fela reordian,
"earne secgan, hū him æt ǣte spēow,
"þenden hē wið wulf wæl rēafode."
Swā se secg hwata secgende wæs
3030 lāðra spella; hē ne lēag fela
wyrda nē worda. Weorod eall ārās,
ēodon unblīðe under Earna næs
wollen-tēare wundur scēawian.
Fundon þā on sande sāwul-lēasne
3035 hlim-bed healdan, þone þe him hringas geaf
ǣrran mǣlum: þā wæs ende-dæg
gōdum gegongen, þæt se gūð-cyning,
Wedra þēoden, wundor-dēaðe swealt.
Ǣr hī gesēgan syllīcran wiht,
3040 wyrm on wonge wiðer-ræhtes þǣr
lāðne licgean: wæs se lēg-draca,
grimlīc gryre-gæst, glēdum beswǣled,
sē wæs fīftiges fōt-gemearces.
lang on legere, lyft-wynne hēold
3045 nihtes hwīlum, nyðer eft gewāt
dennes nīosian; wæs þā dēaðe fæst,
hæfde eorð-scrafa ende genyttod.
Him big stōdan bunan and orcas,
discas lāgon and dȳre swyrd,
3050 ōmige þurh-etone, swā hīe wið eorðan fæðm
þūsend wintra þǣr eardodon:
þonne wæs þæt yrfe ēacen-cræftig,
iū-monna gold galdre bewunden,
þæt þām hring-sele hrīnan ne mōste
3055 gumena ǣnig, nefne god sylfa,
sigora sōð-cyning, sealde þām þe hē wolde
(hē is manna gehyld) hord openian,
efne swā hwylcum manna, swā him gemet þūhte.
XLII. WĪGLAF SPEAKS. THE BUILDING OF THE BALE-FIRE.
Þā wæs gesȳne, þæt se sīð ne þāh
3060 þām þe unrihte inne gehȳdde
wrǣte under wealle. Weard ǣr ofslōh
fēara sumne; þā sīo fǣhð gewearð
gewrecen wrāðlīce. Wundur hwār, þonne
eorl ellen-rōf ende gefēre
3065 līf-gesceafta, þonne leng ne mæg
mon mid his māgum medu-seld būan.
Swā wæs Bīowulfe, þā hē biorges weard
sōhte, searo-nīðas: seolfa ne cūðe,
þurh hwæt his worulde gedāl weorðan sceolde;
3070 swā hit oð dōmes dæg dīope benemdon
þēodnas mǣre, þā þæt þǣr dydon,
þæt se secg wǣre synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod, hell-bendum fæst,
wommum gewītnad, sē þone wong strāde.
3075 Næs hē gold-hwæt: gearwor hæfde
āgendes ēst ǣr gescēawod.
Wīglāf maðelode, Wīhstānes sunu:
"Oft sceall eorl monig ānes willan
"wrǣc ādrēogan, swā ūs geworden is.
3080 "Ne meahton wē gelǣran lēofne þēoden,
"rīces hyrde rǣd ǣnigne,
"þæt hē ne grētte gold-weard þone,
"lēte hyne licgean, þǣr hē longe wæs,
"wīcum wunian oð woruld-ende.
3085 "Hēoldon hēah gesceap: hord ys gescēawod,
"grimme gegongen; wæs þæt gifeðe tō swīð,
"þē þone þēoden þyder ontyhte.
"Ic wæs þǣr inne and þæt eall geond-seh,
"recedes geatwa, þā mē gerȳmed wæs,
3090 "nealles swǣslīce sīð ālȳfed
"inn under eorð-weall. Ic on ofoste gefēng
"micle mid mundum mægen-byrðenne
"hord-gestrēona, hider ūt ætbær
"cyninge mīnum: cwico wæs þā gēna,
3095 "wīs and gewittig; worn eall gespræc
"gomol on gehðo and ēowic grētan hēt,
"bæd þæt gē geworhton æfter wines dǣdum
"in bǣl-stede beorh þone hēan
"micelne and mǣrne, swā hē manna wæs
3100 "wīgend weorð-fullost wīde geond eorðan,
"þenden hē burh-welan brūcan mōste.
"Uton nū efstan ōðre sīðe
"sēon and sēcean searo-geþræc,
"wundur under wealle! ic ēow wīsige,
3105 "þæt gē genōge nēan scēawiað
"bēagas and brād gold. Sīe sīo bǣr gearo
"ǣdre geæfned, þonne wē ūt cymen,
"and þonne geferian frēan ūserne,
"lēofne mannan, þǣr hē longe sceal
3110 "on þæs waldendes wǣre geþolian."
Hēt þā gebēodan byre Wīhstānes,
hæle hilde-dīor, hæleða monegum
bold-āgendra, þæt hīe bǣl-wudu
feorran feredon, folc-āgende
3115 gōdum tōgēnes: "Nū sceal glēd fretan
"(weaxan wonna lēg) wigena strengel,
"þone þe oft gebād īsern-scūre,
"þonne strǣla storm, strengum gebǣded,
"scōc ofer scild-weall, sceft nytte hēold,
3120 "feðer-gearwum fūs flāne full-ēode."
Hūru se snotra sunu Wīhstānes
ācīgde of corðre cyninges þegnas
syfone tōsomne þā sēlestan,
ēode eahta sum under inwit-hrōf;
3125 hilde-rinc sum on handa bær
ǣled-lēoman, sē þe on orde gēong.
Næs þā on hlytme, hwā þæt hord strude,
syððan or-wearde ǣnigne dǣl
secgas gesēgon on sele wunian,
3130 lǣne licgan: lȳt ǣnig mearn,
þæt hī ofostlice ūt geferedon
dȳre māðmas; dracan ēc scufun,
wyrm ofer weall-clif, lēton wǣg niman,
flōd fæðmian frætwa hyrde.
3135 Þǣr wæs wunden gold on wǣn hladen,
ǣghwæs unrīm, æðeling boren,
hār hilde-rinc tō Hrones næsse.
XLIII. BĒOWULF'S FUNERAL PYRE.
Him þā gegiredan Gēata lēode
ād on eorðan un-wāclīcne,
3140 helmum behongen, hilde-bordum,
beorhtum byrnum, swā hē bēna wæs;
ālegdon þā tō-middes mǣrne þēoden
hæleð hīofende, hlāford lēofne.
Ongunnon þā on beorge bǣl-fȳra mǣst
3145 wīgend weccan: wudu-rēc āstāh
sweart ofer swioðole, swōgende lēg,
wōpe bewunden (wind-blond gelæg)
oð þæt hē þā bān-hūs gebrocen hæfde,
hāt on hreðre. Higum unrōte
3150 mōd-ceare mǣndon mon-dryhtnes cwealm;
swylce giōmor-gyd lat . con meowle
. . . . . wunden heorde . . .
serg (?) cearig sǣlde geneahhe
þæt hīo hyre . . . . gas hearde
3155 . . . . . ede wælfylla wonn . .
hildes egesan hyðo
haf mid heofon rēce swealh (?)
Geworhton þā Wedra lēode
hlǣw on hlīðe, sē wæs hēah and brād,
3160 wǣg-līðendum wīde gesȳne,
and betimbredon on tȳn dagum
beadu-rōfes bēcn: bronda betost
wealle beworhton, swā hyt weorðlīcost
fore-snotre men findan mihton.
3165 Hī on beorg dydon bēg and siglu,
eall swylce hyrsta, swylce on horde ǣr
nīð-hȳdige men genumen hæfdon;
forlēton eorla gestrēon eorðan healdan,
gold on grēote, þǣr hit nū gēn lifað
3170 eldum swā unnyt, swā hit ǣror wæs.
Þā ymbe hlǣw riodan hilde-dēore,
æðelinga bearn ealra twelfa,
woldon ceare cwīðan, kyning mǣnan,
word-gyd wrecan and ymb wer sprecan,
3175 eahtodan eorl-scipe and his ellen-weorc
duguðum dēmdon, swā hit ge-dēfe bið,
þæt mon his wine-dryhten wordum herge,
ferhðum frēoge, þonne hē forð scile
of līc-haman lǣne weorðan.
3180 Swā begnornodon Gēata lēode
hlāfordes hryre, heorð-genēatas,
cwǣdon þæt hē wǣre woruld-cyning
mannum mildust and mon-þwǣrust,
lēodum līðost and lof-geornost.
APPENDIX
THE ATTACK IN FINNSBURG.
". . . . . . . . . . . næs byrnað nǣfre."
Hleoðrode þā heaðo-geong cyning:
"Ne þis ne dagað ēastan, ne hēr draca ne flēogeð,
"ne hēr þisse healle hornas ne byrnað,
5 "ac fēr forð berað fugelas singað,
"gylleð grǣg-hama, gūð-wudu hlynneð,
"scyld scefte oncwyð. Nū scȳneð þes mōna
"waðol under wolcnum; nū ārīsað wēa-dǣda,
"þē þisne folces nīð fremman willað.
10 "Ac onwacnigeað nū, wīgend mīne,
"hebbað ēowre handa, hicgeað on ellen,
"winnað on orde, wesað on mōde!"
Þā ārās monig gold-hladen þegn, gyrde hine his swurde;
þā tō dura ēodon drihtlīce cempan,
15 Sigeferð and Eaha, hyra sweord getugon,
and æt ōðrum durum Ordlāf and Gūðlāf,
and Hengest sylf; hwearf him on lāste.
Þā gīt Gārulf Gūðere styrode,
þæt hīe swā frēolīc feorh forman sīðe
20 tō þǣre healle durum hyrsta ne bǣran,
nū hyt nīða heard ānyman wolde:
ac hē frægn ofer eal undearninga,
dēor-mōd hæleð, hwā þā duru hēolde.
"Sigeferð is mīn nama (cwæð hē), ic eom Secgena lēod,
25 "wrecca wīde cūð. Fela ic wēana gebād,
"heardra hilda; þē is gȳt hēr witod,
"swæðer þū sylf tō mē sēcean wylle."
Þā wæs on wealle wæl-slihta gehlyn,
sceolde cēlod bord cēnum on handa
30 bān-helm berstan. Buruh-þelu dynede,
oð þæt æt þǣre gūðe Gārulf gecrang,
ealra ǣrest eorð-būendra,
Gūðlāfes sunu; ymbe hine gōdra fela.
Hwearf flacra hrǣw hræfn, wandrode
35 sweart and sealo-brūn; swurd-lēoma stōd
swylce eal Finns-buruh fȳrenu wǣre.
Ne gefrægn ic nǣfre wurðlīcor æt wera hilde
sixtig sige-beorna sēl gebǣran,
ne nǣfre swānas swētne medo sēl forgyldan,
40 þonne Hnæfe guldon his hæg-stealdas.
Hig fuhton fīf dagas, swā hyra nān ne fēol
driht-gesīða, ac hig þā duru hēoldon.
Þā gewāt him wund hæleð on wæg gangan,
sǣde þæt his byrne ābrocen wǣre,
45 here-sceorpum hrōr, and ēac wæs his helm þyrl.
Þā hine sōna frægn folces hyrde,
hū þā wīgend hyra wunda genǣson
oððe hwæðer þǣra hyssa . . . . . . .
LIST OF NAMES; NOTES; AND GLOSSARY.
ABBREVIATIONS
m.: masculine.
f.: feminine.
n.: neuter.
nom., gen.: nominative, genitive, etc.
w.: weak.
w. v.: weak verb.
st.: strong.
st. v.: strong verb.
I., II., III.: first, second, third person.
comp.: compound.
imper.: imperative.
w.: with.
instr.: instrumental.
G. and Goth.: Gothic.
O.N.: Old Norse.
O.S.: Old Saxon.
O.H.G.: Old High German.
M.H.G.: Middle High German.
The vowel æ = _a_ in _glad_ }
The diphthong ǣ = _a_ in _hair_ } approximately.
The names Leo, Bugge, Rieger, etc., refer to authors of emendations.
Words beginning with ge- will be found under their root-word.
Obvious abbreviations, like subj., etc., are not included in this list.
LIST OF NAMES.
Ābel, Cain's brother, 108.
Ælf-here (gen. Ælf-heres, 2605), a kinsman of Wīglāf's, 2605.
Æsc-here, confidential adviser of King Hrōðgār (1326), older brother of
Yrmenlāf (1325), killed by Grendel's mother, 1295, 1324, 2123.
Bān-stān, father of Breca, 524.
Bēo-wulf, son of Scyld, king of the Danes, 18, 19. After the death of his
father, he succeeds to the throne of the Scyldings, 53. His son is
Healfdene, 57.
Bēo-wulf (Bīowulf, 1988, 2390; gen. Bēowulfes, 857, etc., Bīowulfes, 2195,
2808, etc.; dat. Bēowulfe, 610, etc., Bīowulfe, 2325, 2843), of the race of
the Gēatas. His father is the Wǣgmunding Ecgþēow (263, etc.); his mother a
daughter of Hrēðel, king of the Gēatas (374), at whose court he is brought
up after his seventh year with Hrēðel's sons, Herebeald, Hæðcyn, and
Hygelāc, 2429 ff. In his youth lazy and unapt (2184 f., 2188 f.); as man he
attains in the gripe of his hand the strength of thirty men, 379. Hence his
victories in his combats with bare hands (711 ff., 2502 ff.), while fate
denies him the victory in the battle with swords, 2683 f. His
swimming-match with Breca in his youth, 506 ff. Goes with fourteen Gēatas
to the assistance of the Danish king, Hrōðgār, against Grendel, 198 ff. His
combat with Grendel, and his victory, 711 ff., 819 ff. He is, in
consequence, presented with rich gifts by Hrōðgār, 1021 ff. His combat with
Grendel's mother, 1442 ff. Having again received gifts, he leaves Hrōðgār
(1818-1888), and returns to Hygelāc, 1964 ff.--After Hygelāc's last battle
and death, he flees alone across the sea, 2360 f. In this battle he crushes
Dæghrefn, one of the Hūgas, to death, 2502 f. He rejects at the same time
Hygelāc's kingdom and the hand of his widow (2370 ff.), but carries on the
government as guardian of the young Heardrēd, son of Hygelāc, 2378 ff.
After Heardrēd's death, the kingdom falls to Bēowulf, 2208,
2390.--Afterwards, on an expedition to avenge the murdered Heardrēd, he
kills the Scylfing, Ēadgils (2397), and probably conquers his country.
--His fight with the drake, 2539 ff. His death, 2818. His burial, 3135 ff.
Breca (acc. Brecan, 506, 531), son of Bēanstān, 524. Chief of the
Brondings, 521. His swimming-match with Bēowulf, 506 ff.
Brondingas (gen. Brondinga, 521), Breca, their chief, 521.
Brōsinga mene, corrupted from, or according to Müllenhoff, written by
mistake for, Breosinga mene (O.N., Brisinga men, cf. Haupts Zeitschr. XII.
304), collar, which the Brisingas once possessed.
Cain (gen. Caines, 107): descended from him are Grendel and his kin, 107,
1262 ff.
Dæg-hrefn (dat. Dæghrefne, 2502), a warrior of the Hūgas, who, according to
2504-5, compared with 1203, and with 1208, seems to have been the slayer of
King Hygelāc, in his battle against the allied Franks, Frisians, and Hūgas.
Is crushed to death by Bēowulf in a hand-to-hand combat, 2502 ff.
Dene (gen. Dena, 242, etc., Denia, 2126, Deniga, 271, etc.; dat. Denum,
768, etc.), as subjects of Scyld and his descendants, they are also called
Scyldings; and after the first king of the East Danes, Ing (Runenlied, 22),
Ing-wine, 1045, 1320. They are also once called Hrēðmen, 445. On account of
their renowned warlike character, they bore the names Gār-Dene, 1, 1857,
Hring-Dene (Armor-Danes), 116, 1280, Beorht-Dene, 427, 610. The great
extent of this people is indicated by their names from the four quarters of
the heavens: Ēast-Dene, 392, 617, etc., West-Dene, 383, 1579, Sūð-Dene,
463, Norð-Dene, 784.--Their dwelling-place "in Scedelandum," 19, "on
Scedenigge," 1687, "be sǣm twēonum," 1686.
Ecg-lāf (gen. Ecglāfes, 499), Hunferð's father, 499.
Ecg-þēow (nom. Ecgþēow, 263, Ecgþēo, 373; gen. Ecgþēowes, 529, etc.,
Ecgþīowes, 2000), a far-famed hero of the Gēatas, of the house of the
Wǣgmundings. Bēowulf is the son of Ecgþēow, by the only daughter of Hrēðel,
king of the Gēatas, 262, etc. Among the Wylfings, he has slain Heaðolāf
(460), and in consequence he goes over the sea to the Danes (463), whose
king, Hrōðgār, by means of gold, finishes the strife for him, 470.
Ecg-wela (gen. Ecg-welan, 1711). The Scyldings are called his descendants,
1711. Grein considers him the founder of the older dynasty of Danish kings,
which closes with Heremōd. See Heremōd.
Elan, daughter of Healfdene, king of the Danes, (?) 62. According to the
restored text, she is the wife of Ongenþēow, the Scylfing, 62, 63.
Earna-næs, the Eagle Cape in the land of the Gēatas, where occurred
Bēowulf's fight with the drake, 3032.
Ēadgils (dat. Ēadgilse, 2393), son of Ōhthere, and grandson of Ongenþēow,
the Scylfing, 2393. His older brother is
Ēanmund (gen. Ēanmundes, 2612). What is said about both in our poem
(2201-2207, 2380-2397, 2612-2620) is obscure, but the following may be
conjectured:--
The sons of Ōhthere, Ēanmund and Ēadgils, have rebelled against their
father (2382), and must, in consequence, depart with their followers from
Swīorīce, 2205-6, 2380. They come into the country of the Gēatas to
Heardrēd (2380), but whether with friendly or hostile intent is not stated;
but, according to 2203 f., we are to presume that they came against
Heardrēd with designs of conquest. At a banquet (on feorme; or feorme, MS.)
Heardrēd falls, probably through treachery, by the hand of one of the
brothers, 2386, 2207. The murderer must have been Ēanmund, to whom,
according to 2613, "in battle the revenge of Wēohstān brings death."
Wēohstān takes revenge for his murdered king, and exercises upon Ēanmund's
body the booty-right, and robs it of helm, breastplate, and sword
(2616-17), which the slain man had received as gifts from his uncle, Onela,
2617-18. But Wēohstān does not speak willingly of this fight, although he
has slain Onela's brother's son, 2619-20.--After Heardrēd's and Ēanmund's
death, the descendant of Ongenþēow, Ēadgils, returns to his home, 2388. He
must give way before Bēowulf, who has, since Heardrēd's death, ascended the
throne of the Gēatas, 2390. But Bēowulf remembers it against him in after
days, and the old feud breaks out anew, 2392-94. Ēadgils makes an invasion
into the land of the Gēatas (2394-95), during which he falls at the hands
of Bēowulf, 2397. The latter must have then obtained the sovereignty over
the Swēonas (3005-6, where only the version, Scylfingas, can give a
satisfactory sense).
Eofor (gen. Eofores, 2487, 2965; dat. Jofore, 2994, 2998), one of the
Gēatas, son of Wonrēd and brother of Wulf (2965, 2979), kills the Swedish
king, Ongenþēow (2487 ff., 2978-82), for which he receives from King
Hygelāc, along with other gifts, his only daughter in marriage, 2994-99.
Eormen-rīc (gen. Eormenrīces, 1202), king of the Goths (cf. about him, W.
Grimm, Deutsche Heldensage, p. 2, ff.). Hāma has wrested the Brōsinga mene
from him, 1202.
Eomǣr, son of Offa and Þrȳðo (cf. Þrȳðo), 1961.
Eotenas (gen. pl. Eotena, 1073, 1089, 1142; dat. Eotenum, 1146), the
subjects of Finn, the North Frisians: distinguished from eoton, _giant_.
Vid eoton. Cf. Bugge, Beit., xii. 37; Earle, Beowulf in Prose, pp. 146,
198.
Finn (gen. Finnes, 1069, etc.; dat. Finne, 1129), son of Folcwalda (1090),
king of the North Frisians, i.e. of the Eotenas, husband of Hildeburg, a
daughter of Hōc, 1072, 1077. He is the hero of the inserted poem on the
Attack in Finnsburg, the obscure incidents of which are, perhaps, as
follows: In Finn's castle, Finnsburg, situated in Jutland (1126-28), the
Hōcing, Hnæf, a relative--perhaps a brother--of Hildeburg is spending some
time as guest. Hnæf, who is a liegeman of the Danish king, Healfdene, has
sixty men with him (Finnsburg, 38). These are treacherously attacked one
night by Finn's men, 1073. For five days they hold the doors of their
lodging-place without losing one of their number (Finnsburg, 41, 42). Then,
however, Hnæf is slain (1071), and the Dane, Hengest, who was among Hnæf's
followers, assumes the command of the beleaguered band. But on the
attacking side the fight has brought terrible losses to Finn's men. Their
numbers are diminished (1081 f.), and Hildeburg bemoans a son and a brother
among the fallen (1074 f., cf. 1116, 1119). Therefore the Frisians offer
the Danes peace (1086) under the conditions mentioned (1087-1095), and it
is confirmed with oaths (1097), and money is given by Finn in propitiation
(1108). Now all who have survived the battle go together to Friesland, the
homo proper of Finn, and here Hengest remains during the winter, prevented
by ice and storms from returning home (Grein). But in spring the feud
breaks out anew. Gūðlāf and Oslāf avenge Hnæf's fall, probably after they
have brought help from home (1150). In the battle, the hall is filled with
the corpses of the enemy. Finn himself is killed, and the queen is captured
and carried away, along with the booty, to the land of the Danes,
1147-1160.
Finna land. Bēowulf reaches it in his swimming-race with Breca, 580.
Fitela, the son and nephew of the Wälsing, Sigemund, and his companion in
arms, 876-890. (Sigemund had begotten Fitela by his sister, Signȳ. Cf.
more at length Leo on Bēowulf, p. 38 ff., where an extract from the legend
of the Walsungs is given.)
Folc-walda (gen. Folc-waldan, 1090), Finn's father, 1090.
Francan (gen. Francna, 1211; dat. Froncum, 2913). King Hygelāc fell on an
expedition against the allied Franks, Frisians, and Hūgas, 1211, 2917.
Frēsan, Frȳsan (gen. Frēsena, 1094, Frȳsna, 1105, Frēsna, 2916: dat.
Frȳsum, 1208, 2913). To be distinguished, are: 1) North Frisians, whose
king is Finn, 1069 ff.; 2) West Frisians, in alliance with the Franks and
Hūgas, in the war against whom Hygelāc falls, 1208, 2916. The country of
the former is called Frȳsland, 1127; that of the latter, Frēsna land,
2916.
Fr..es wæl (in Fr..es wæle, 1071), mutilated proper name.
Frēawaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrōðgār; given in marriage to
Ingeld, the son of the Heaðobeard king, Frōda, in order to end a war
between the Danes and the Heaðobeardnas, 2023 ff., 2065.
Frōda (gen. Frōdan), father of Ingeld, the husband of Frēaware, 2026.
Gārmund (gen. Gārmundes, 1963) father of Offa. His grandson is Ēomǣr,
1961-63.
Gēatas (gen. Gēata, 205, etc.; dat. Gēatum, 195, etc.), a tribe in Southern
Scandinavia, to which the hero of this poem belongs; also called
Wedergēatas, 1493, 2552; or, Wederas, 225, 423, etc.; Gūðgēatas, 1539;
Sǣgēatas, 1851, 1987. Their kings named in this poem are: Hrēðel; Hæðcyn,
second son of Hrēðel; Hygelāc, the brother of Hæðcyn; Heardrēd, son of
Hygelāc; then Bēowulf.
Gifðas (dat. Gifðum, 2495), Gepidǣ, mentioned in connection with Danes and
Swedes, 2495.
Grendel, a fen-spirit (102-3) of Cain's race, 107, 111, 1262, 1267. He
breaks every night into Hrōðgār's hall and carries off thirty warriors, 115
ff., 1583ff. He continues this for twelve years, till Bēowulf fights with
him (147, 711 ff.), and gives him a mortal wound, in that he tears out one
of his arms (817), which is hung up as a trophy in the roof of Heorot, 837.
Grendel's mother wishes to avenge her son, and the following night breaks
into the hall and carries off Æschere, 1295. Bēowulf seeks for and finds
her home in the fen-lake (1493 ff.), fights with her (1498 ff.), and kills
her (1567); and cuts off the head of Grendel, who lay there dead (1589),
and brings it to Hrōðgār, 1648.
Gūð-lāf and Oslāf, Danish warriors under Hnæf, whose death they avenge on
Finn, 1149.
Hālga, with the surname, _til_, the younger brother of the Danish king,
Hrōðgār, 61. His son is Hrōðulf, 1018, 1165, 1182.
Hāma wrests the _Brōsinga mene_ from Eormenrīc, 1199.
Hæreð (gen. Hæreðes, 1982), father of Hygd, the wife of Hygelāc, 1930,
1982.
Hæðcyn (dat. Hæðcynne, 2483), second son of Hrēðel, king of the Gēatas,
2435. Kills his oldest brother, Herebeald, accidentally, with an arrow,
2438 ff. After Hrēðel's death, he obtains the kingdom, 2475, 2483. He falls
at Ravenswood, in the battle against the Swedish king, Ongenþēow, 2925. His
successor is his younger brother, Hygelāc, 2944 ff., 2992.
Helmingas (gen. Helminga, 621). From them comes Wealhþēow, Hrōðgār's wife,
621.
Heming (gen. Heminges, 1945, 1962). Offa is called Heminges mǣg, 1945;
Ēomǣr, 1962. According to Bachlechner (Pfeiffer's Germania, I., p. 458),
Heming is the son of the sister of Gārmund, Offa's father.
Hengest (gen. Hengestes, 1092; dat. Hengeste, 1084): about him and his
relations to Hnæf and Finn, see Finn.
Here-beald (dat. Herebealde, 2464), the oldest son of Hrēðel, king of the
Gēatas (2435), accidentally killed with an arrow by his younger brother,
Hæðcyn, 2440.
Here-mōd (gen. Heremōdes, 902), king of the Danes, not belonging to the
Scylding dynasty, but, according to Grein, immediately preceding it; is, on
account of his unprecedented cruelty, driven out, 902 ff., 1710.
Here-rīc (gen. Hererīces, 2207) Heardrēd is called Hererīces nefa, 2207.
Nothing further is known of him.
Het-ware or Franks, in alliance with the Frisians and the Hūgas, conquer
Hygelāc, king of the Gēatas, 2355, 2364 ff., 2917.
Healf-dene (gen. Healfdenes, 189, etc.), son of Bēowulf, the Scylding (57);
rules the Danes long and gloriously (57 f.); has three sons, Heorogār,
Hrōðgār, and Hālga (61), and a daughter, Elan, who, according to the
renewed text of the passage, was married to the Scylfing, Ongenþēow, 62,
63.
Heard-rēd (dat. Heardrēde, 2203, 2376), son of Hygelāc, king of the Gēatas,
and Hygd. After his father's death, while still under age, he obtains the
throne (2371, 2376, 2379); wherefore Bēowulf, as nephew of Heardrēd's
father, acts as guardian to the youth till he becomes older, 2378. He is
slain by Ōhthere's sons, 2386. This murder Bēowulf avenges on Ēadgils,
2396-97.
Heaðo-beardnas (gen. -beardna, 2033, 2038, 2068), the tribe of the
Lombards. Their king, Frōda, has fallen in a war with the Danes, 2029,
2051. In order to end the feud, King Hrōðgār has given his daughter,
Frēawaru, as wife to the young Ingeld, the son of Frōda, a marriage that
does not result happily; for Ingeld, though he long defers it on account of
his love for his wife, nevertheless takes revenge for his father, 2021-2070
(Wīdsīð, 45-49).
Heaðo-lāf (dat. Heaðo-lāfe, 460), a Wylfingish warrior. Ecgþēow, Bēowulf's
father, kills him, 460.
Heaðo-rǣmas reached by B. in the swimming-race with Bēowulf, 519.
Heoro-gār (nom. 61; Heregār, 467; Hiorogār, 2159), son of Healfdene, and
older brother of Hrōðgār, 61. His death is mentioned, 467. He has a son,
Heoroweard, 2162. His coat of mail Bēowulf has received from Hrōðgār
(2156), and presents it to Hygelāc, 2158.
Heoro-weard (dat. Heorowearde, 2162), Heorogār's son, 2161-62.
Heort, 78. Heorot, 166 (gen. Heorotes, 403; dat. Heorote, 475, Heorute,
767, Hiorte, 2100). Hrōðgār's throne-room and banqueting hall and
assembly-room for his liegemen, built by him with unusual splendor, 69, 78.
In it occurs Bēowulf's fight with Grendel, 720 ff. The hall receives its
name from the stag's antlers, of which the one-half crowns the eastern
gable, the other half the western.
Hildeburh, daughter of Hōc, relative of the Danish leader, Hnæf, consort of
the Frisian king, Finn. After the fall of the latter, she becomes a captive
of the Danes, 1072, 1077, 1159. See also under Finn.
Hnæf (gen. Hnæfes, 1115), a Hōcing (Wīdsīð, 29), the Danish King
Healfdene's general, 1070 ff. For his fight with Finn, his death and
burial, see under Finn.
Hond-scīo, warrior of the Gēatas: dat. 2077.
Hōc (gen. Hōces, 1077), father of Hildeburh, 1077; probably also of Hnæf
(Wīdsīð, 29).
Hrēðel (gen. Hrēðles, 1486), son of Swerting, 1204. King of the Gēatas,
374. He has, besides, a daughter, who is married to Ecgþēow, and has borne
him Bēowulf, (374), three sons, Herebeald, Hæðcyn, and Hygelāc, 2435. The
eldest of these is accidentally killed by the second, 2440. On account of
this inexpiable deed, Hrēðel becomes melancholy (2443), and dies, 2475.
Hrēðla (gen. Hrēðlan, MS. Hrǣdlan, 454), the same as Hrēðel (cf. Müllenhoff
in Haupts Zeitschrift, 12, 260), the former owner of Bēowulf's coat of
mail, 454.
Hrēðling, son of Hrēðel, Hygelāc: nom. sg. 1924; nom. pl., the subjects of
Hygelāc, the Geats, 2961.
Hrēð-men (gen. Hrēð-manna, 445), the Danes are so called, 445.
Hrēð-rīc, son of Hrōðgār, 1190, 1837.
Hrefna-wudu, 2926, or Hrefnes-holt, 2936, the thicket near which the
Swedish king, Ongenþēow, slew Hæðcyn, king of the Gēatas, in battle.
Hrēosna-beorh, promontory in the land of the Gēatas, near which Ongenþēow's
sons, Ōhthere and Onela, had made repeated robbing incursions into the
country after Hrēðel's death. These were the immediate cause of the war in
which Hrēðel's son, King Hæcyn, fell, 2478 ff.
Hrōð-gār (gen. Hrōðgāres, 235, etc.; dat. Hrōðgāre, 64, etc.), of the
dynasty of the Scyldings; the second of the three sons of King Healfdene,
61. After the death of his elder brother, Heorogār, he assumes the
government of the Danes, 465, 467 (yet it is not certain whether Heorogār
was king of the Danes before Hrōðgār, or whether his death occurred while
his father, Healfdene, was still alive). His consort is Wealhþēow (613), of
the stock of the Helmings (621), who has borne him two sons, Hrēðrīc and
Hrōðmund (1190), and a daughter, Frēaware (2023), who has been given in
marriage to the king of the Heaðobeardnas, Ingeld. His throne-room (78
ff.), which has been built at great cost (74 ff.), is visited every night
by Grendel (102, 115), who, along with his mother, is slain by Bēowulf (711
ff., 1493 ff). Hrōðgār's rich gifts to Bēowulf, in consequence, 1021, 1818;
he is praised as being generous, 71 ff., 80, 1028 ff., 1868 ff.; as being
brave, 1041 ff., 1771 ff.; and wise, 1699, 1725.--Other information about
Hrōðgār's reign for the most part only suggested: his expiation of the
murder which Ecgþēow, Bēowulf's father, committed upon Heaðolāf, 460, 470;
his war with the Heaðobeardnas; his adjustment of it by giving his
daughter, Frēaware, in marriage to their king, Ingeld; evil results of this
marriage, 2021-2070.--Treachery of his brother's son, Hrōðulf, intimated,
1165-1166.
Hrōð-mund, Hrōðgār's son, 1190.
Hrōð-ulf, probably a son of Hālga, the younger brother of King Hrōðgār,
1018, 1182. Wealhþēow expresses the hope (1182) that, in case of the early
death of Hrōðgār, Hrōð-ulf would prove a good guardian to Hrōðgār's young
son, who would succeed to the government; a hope which seems not to have
been accomplished, since it appears from 1165, 1166 that Hrōð-ulf has
abused his trust towards Hrōðgār.
Hrones-næs (dat. -næsse, 2806, 3137), a promontory on the coast of the
country of the Gēatas, visible from afar. Here is Bēowulf's grave-mound,
2806, 3137.
Hrunting (dat. Hruntinge, 1660), Hunferð's sword, is so called, 1458, 1660.
Hūgas (gen. Hūga, 2503), Hygelāc wars against them allied with the Franks
and Frisians, and falls, 2195 ff. One of their heroes is called Dæghrefn,
whom Bēowulf slays, 2503.
[H]ūn-ferð, the son of Ecglāf, þyle of King Hrōðgār. As such, he has his
place near the throne of the king, 499, 500, 1167. He lends his sword,
Hrunting, to Bēowulf for his battle with Grendel's mother, 1456 f.
According to 588, 1168, he slew his brothers. Since his name is always
alliterated with vowels, it is probable that the original form was, as
Rieger (Zachers Ztschr., 3, 414) conjectures, Unferð.
Hūn-lāfing, name of a costly sword, which Finn presents to Hengest, 1144.
See Note.
Hygd (dat. Hygde, 2173), daughter of Hæreð, 1930; consort of Hygelāc, king
of the Gēatas, 1927; her son, Heardrēd, 2203, etc.--Her noble, womanly
character is emphasized, 1927 ff.
Hyge-lāc (gen. Hige-lāces, 194, etc., Hygelāces, 2387; dat. Higelāce, 452,
Hygelāce, 2170), king of the Gēatas, 1203, etc. His grandfather is
Swerting, 1204; his father, Hrēðel, 1486, 1848; his older brothers,
Herebeald and Hæðcyn, 2435; his sister's son, Bēowulf, 374, 375. After his
brother, Hæðcyn, is killed by Ongenþēow, he undertakes the government (2992
in connection with the preceding from 2937 on). To Eofor he gives, as
reward for slaying Ongenþēow, his only daughter in marriage, 2998. But much
later, at the time of the return of Bēowulf from his expedition to Hrōðgār,
we see him married to the very young Hygd, the daughter of Hæreð, 1930. The
latter seems, then, to have been his second wife. Their son is Heardrēd,
2203, 2376, 2387.--Hygelāc falls during an expedition against the Franks,
Frisians, and Hūgas, 1206, 1211, 2356-59, 2916-17.
Ingeld (dat. Ingelde, 2065), son of Frōda, the Heaðobeard chief, who fell
in a battle with the Danes, 2051 ff. in order to end the war, Ingeld is
married to Frēawaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrōðgār, 2025-30. Yet his
love for his young wife can make him forget only for a short while his
desire to avenge his father. He finally carries it out, excited thereto by
the repeated admonitions of an old warrior, 2042-70 (Wīdsīð, 45-59).
Ing-wine (gen. Ingwina, 1045, 1320), friends of Ing, the first king of the
East Danes. The Danes are so called, 1045, 1320.
Mere-wīoingas (gen. Mere-wīoinga, 2922), as name of the Franks, 2922.
Nægling, the name of Bēowulf's sword, 2681.
Offa (gen. Offan, 1950), king of the Angles (Wīdsīð, 35), the son of
Gārmund, 1963; married (1950) to Þrȳðo (1932), a beautiful but cruel
woman, of unfeminine spirit (1932 ff.), by whom he has a son, Ēomǣr, 1961.
Ōht-here (gen. Ōhtheres, 2929, 2933; Ōhteres, 2381, 2393, 2395, 2613), son
of Ongenþēow, king of the Swedes, 2929. His sons are Ēanmund (2612) and
Ēadgils, 2393.
Onela (gen. Onelan, 2933), Ōhthere's brother, 2617, 2933.
Ongen-þēow (nom. -þēow, 2487, -þīo, 2952; gen. -þēowes, 2476, -þīowes,
2388; dat. -þīo, 2987), of the dynasty of the Scylfings; king of the
Swedes, 2384. His wife is, perhaps, Elan, daughter of the Danish king,
Healfdene (62), and mother of two sons, Onela and Ōhthere, 2933. She is
taken prisoner by Hæðcyn, king of the Gēatas, on an expedition into Sweden,
which he undertakes on account of her sons' plundering raids into his
country, 2480 ff. She is set free by Ongenþēow (2931), who kills Hæðcyn,
2925, and encloses the Gēatas, now deprived of their leader, in the
Ravenswood (2937 ff.), till they are freed by Hygelāc, 2944. A battle then
follows, which is unfavorable to Ongenþēow's army. Ongenþēow himself,
attacked by the brothers, Wulf and Eofor, is slain by the latter, 2487 ff.,
2962 ff.
Ōs-lāf, a warrior of Hnæf's, who avenges on Finn his leader's death, 1149
f.
Scede-land, 19. Sceden-īg (dat. Sceden-īgge, 1687), O.N., Scān-ey, the most
southern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, belonging to the Danish
kingdom, and, in the above-mentioned passages of our poem, a designation of
the whole Danish kingdom.
Scēf or Scēaf. See Note.
Scēfing, the son (?) of Scēf, or Scēaf, reputed father of Scyld, 4. See
Note.
Scyld (gen. Scyldes, 19), a Scēfing. 4. His son is Bēowulf, 18, 53: his
grandson, Healfdene, 57; his great-grandson, Hrōðgār, who had two brothers
and a sister, 59 ff.--Scyld dies, 26; his body, upon a decorated ship, is
given over to the sea (32 ff.), just as he, when a child, drifted alone,
upon a ship, to the land of the Danes, 43 ff. After him his descendants
bear his name.
Scyldingas (Scyldungas, 2053; gen. Scyldinga, 53, etc., Scyldunga, 2102,
2160; dat. Scyldingum, 274, etc.), a name which is extended also to the
Danes, who are ruled by the Scyldings, 53, etc. They are also called
Ār-Scyldingas, 464; Sige-Scyldingas, 598, 2005; Þēod-Scyldingas, 1020;
Here-Scyldingas, 1109.
Scylfingas, a Swedish royal family, whose relationship seems to extend to
the Gēatas, since Wīglāf, the son of Wīhstān, who in another place, as a
kinsman of Bēowulf, is called a Wǣgmunding (2815), is also called lēod
Scylfinga, 2604. The family connections are perhaps as follows:--
Scylf.
|
------------------------
Wǣgmund. .......
| |
------------------ ----------
Ecgþēow. Wēohstān. Ongenþēow.
| | |
-------- -------- ---------------
Bēowulf. Wīglāf. Onela. Ōhthere.
|
-----------------
Ēaumund. Ēadgils.
The Scylfings are also called Heaðo-Scilfingas, 63, Gūð-Scylfingas, 2928.
Sige-mund (dat. -munde, 876, 885), the son of Wæls, 878, 898. His (son and
) nephew is Fitela, 880, 882. His fight with the drake, 887 ff.
Swerting (gen. Swertinges, 1204), Hygelāc's grandfather, and Hrēðel's
father, 1204.
Swēon (gen. Swēona, 2473, 2947, 3002), also Swēo-þēod, 2923. The dynasty of
the Scylfings rules over them, 2382, 2925. Their realm is called Swīorice,
2384, 2496.
Þrȳðo, consort of the Angle king, Offa, 1932, 1950. Mother of Ēomǣr, 1961,
notorious on account of her cruel, unfeminine character, 1932 ff. She is
mentioned as the opposite to the mild, dignified Hygd, the queen of the
Gēatas.
Wæls (gen. Wælses, 898), father of Sigemund, 878, 898.
Wǣg-mundingas (gen. Wǣgmundinga, 2608, 2815). The Wǣgmundings are on one
side, Wīhstān and his son Wīglāf; on the other side, Ecgþēow and his son
Bēowulf (2608, 2815). See under Scylfingas.
Wederas (gen. Wedera, 225, 423, 498, etc.), or Weder-gēatas. See Gēatas.
Wēland (gen. Wēlandes, 455), the maker of Bēowulf's coat of mail, 455.
Wendlas (gen. Wendla, 348): their chief is Wulfgār. See Wulfgār. The
Wendlas are, according to Grundtvig and Bugge, the inhabitants of Vendill,
the most northern part of Jutland, between Limfjord and the sea.
Wealh-þēow (613, Wealh-þēo, 665, 1163), the consort of King Hrōðgār, of the
stock of the Helmings, 621. Her sons are Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund, 1190; her
daughter, Frēawaru, 2023.
Wēoh-stān (gen. Wēox-stānes, 2603, Wēoh-stānes, 2863, Wih-stānes, 2753,
2908, etc.), a Wǣgmunding (2608), father of Wīglāf, 2603. In what
relationship to him Ælfhere, mentioned 2605, stands, is not
clear.--Wēohstān is the slayer of Ēanmund (2612), in that, as it seems, he
takes revenge for his murdered king, Heardrēd. See Ēanmund.
Wīg-lāf, Wēohstān's son, 2603, etc., a Wǣgmunding, 2815, and so also a
Scylfing, 2604; a kinsman of Ælfhere, 2605. For his relationship to
Bēowulf, see the genealogical table under Scylfingas.--He supports Bēowulf
in his fight with the drake, 2605 ff., 2662 ff. The hero gives him, before
his death, his ring, his helm, and his coat of mail, 2810 ff.
Won-rēd (gen. Wonrēdes, 2972), father of Wulf and Eofor, 2966, 2979.
Wulf (dat. Wulfe, 2994), one of the Gēatas, Wonrēd's son. He fights in the
battle between the armies of Hygelāc and Ongenþēow with Ongenþēow himself,
and gives him a wound (2966), whereupon Ongenþēow, by a stroke of his
sword, disables him, 2975. Eofor avenges his brother's fall by dealing
Ongenþēow a mortal blow, 2978 ff.
Wulf-gār, chief of the Wendlas, 348, lives at Hrōðgār's court, and is his
"ār and ombiht," 335.
Wylfingas (dat. Wylfingum, 461). Ecgþēow has slain Heoðolāf, a warrior of
this tribe, 460.
Yrmen-lāf, younger brother of Æschere, 1325.
ABBREVIATIONS.
B.: Bugge.
Br.: S.A. Brooke, Hist. of Early Eng. Lit.
C.: Cosijn.
E.: Earle, Deeds of Beowulf in Prose.
G.: Garnett, Translation of Beowulf
Gr.: Grein.
H.: Heyne.
Ha.: Hall, Translation of Beowulf.
H.-So.: Heyne-Socin, 5th ed.
Ho.: Holder.
K.: Kemble.
Kl.: Kluge.
Müllenh.: Müllenhoff.
R.: Rieger.
S.: Sievers.
Sw.: Sweet, Anglo-Saxon Reader, 6th ed.
Ten Br.: Ten Brink.
Th.: Thorpe.
Z.: Zupitza.
PERIODICALS.
Ang.: Anglia.
Beit.: Paul und Branne's Beiträge.
Eng. Stud.: Englische Studien.
Germ.: Germania.
Haupts Zeitschr.: Haupts Zeitschrift, etc.
Mod. Lang. Notes: Modern Language Notes.
Tidskr.: Tidskrift for Philologi.
Zachers Zeitschr.: Zachers Zeitschrift, etc.
NOTES.
l. 1. hwæt: for this interjectional formula opening a poem, cf. _Andreas,
Daniel, Juliana, Exodus, Fata Apost., Dream of the Rood_, and the
"Listenith lordinges!" of mediaeval lays.--E. Cf. Chaucer, Prologue, ed.
Morris, l. 853:
"Sin I shal beginne the game, _What_, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!"
wē ... gefrūnon is a variant on the usual epic formulǣ ic gefrægn (l. 74)
and mīne gefrǣge (l. 777). _Exodus, Daniel, Phoenix_, etc., open with the
same formula.
l. 1. "Gār was the javelin, armed with two of which the warrior went into
battle, and which he threw over the 'shield-wall.' It was barbed."--Br.
124. Cf. _Maldon_, l. 296; _Judith_, l. 224; _Gnom. Verses_, l. 22; etc.
l. 4. "Scild of the Sheaf, not 'Scyld the son of Scaf'; for it is too
inconsistent, even in myth, to give a patronymic to a foundling. According
to the original form of the story, Scēaf was the foundling; he had come
ashore with a sheaf of corn, and from that was named. This form of the
story is preserved in Ethelwerd and in William of Malmesbury. But here the
foundling is Scyld, and we must suppose he was picked up with the sheaf,
and hence his cognomen."--E., p. 105. Cf. the accounts of Romulus and
Remus, of Moses, of Cyrus, etc.
l. 6. egsian is also used in an active sense (not in the Gloss.), = _to
terrify_.
l. 15. S. suggests þā (_which_) for þæt, as object of drēogan; and for
aldor-lēase, Gr. suggested aldor-ceare.--_Beit_. ix. 136.
S. translates: "For God had seen the dire need which the rulerless ones
before endured."
l. 18. "Beowulf (that is, Beaw of the Anglo-Saxon genealogists, not our
Beowulf, who was a Geat, not a Dane), 'the son of Scyld in Scedeland.' This
is our ancestral myth,--the story of the first culture-hero of the North;
'the patriarch,' as Rydberg calls him, 'of the royal families of Sweden,
Denmark, Angeln, Saxland, and England.'"--Br., p. 78. Cf. _A.-S. Chron._
an. 855.
H.-So. omits parenthetic marks, and reads (after S., _Beit._ ix. 135)
eaferan; cf. _Fata Apost._: lof wīde sprang þēodnes þegna.
"The name _Bēowulf_ means literally 'Bee-wolf,' wolf or ravager of the
bees, = bear. Cf. _beorn_, 'hero,' originally 'bear,' and _bēohata_,
'warrior,' in Cǣdmon, literally 'bee-hater' or 'persecutor,' and hence
identical in meaning with _bēowulf_."--Sw.
Cf.
"Arcite and Palamon, That foughten _breme_, as it were bores two."
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 841, ed. Morris.
Cf. M. Müller, _Science of Lang._, Sec. Series, pp. 217, 218; and Hunt's
_Daniel_, 104.
l. 19. Cf. l. 1866, where Scedenig is used, = _Scania_, in Sweden(?).
l. 21. wine is pl.; cf. its apposition wil-gesīðas below. H.-So. compares
_Héliand_, 1017, for language almost identical with ll. 20, 21.
l. 22. on ylde: cf.
"_In elde_ is bothe wisdom and usage." --Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 1590,
ed. Morris.
l. 26. Reflexive objects often pleonastically accompany verbs of motion;
cf. ll. 234, 301, 1964, etc.
l. 31. The object of āhte is probably geweald, to be supplied from wordum
wēold of l. 30.--H.-So.
R., Kl., and B. all hold conflicting views of this passage: _Beit._ xii.
80, ix. 188; _Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 382, etc. Kl. suggests lǣndagas for
lange.
l. 32. "hr
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