Beowulf

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 3,181 sections

100
fyrene fremman feond on helle.
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Wæs se grimma gæst Grendel haten,
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mære mearcstapa, se þe moras heold,
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fen ond fæsten; fifelcynnes eard
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wonsæli wer weardode hwile,
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siþðan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde
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in Caines cynne. þone cwealm gewræc
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ece drihten, þæs þe he Abel slog;
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ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac he hine feor forwræc,
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metod for þy mane, mancynne fram.
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þanon untydras ealle onwocon,
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eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas,
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swylce gigantas, þa wið gode wunnon
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lange þrage; he him ðæs lean forgeald.
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Gewat ða neosian, syþðan niht becom,
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hean huses, hu hit Hringdene
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æfter beorþege gebun hæfdon.
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Fand þa ðær inne æþelinga gedriht
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swefan æfter symble; sorge ne cuðon,
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wonsceaft wera. Wiht unhælo,
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grim ond grædig, gearo sona wæs,
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reoc ond reþe, ond on ræste genam
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þritig þegna, þanon eft gewat
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huðe hremig to ham faran,
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mid þære wælfylle wica neosan.
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ða wæs on uhtan mid ærdæge
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Grendles guðcræft gumum undyrne;
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þa wæs æfter wiste wop up ahafen,
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micel morgensweg. Mære þeoden,
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æþeling ærgod, unbliðe sæt,
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þolode ðryðswyð, þegnsorge dreah,
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syðþan hie þæs laðan last sceawedon,
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wergan gastes; wæs þæt gewin to strang,
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lað ond longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst,
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ac ymb ane niht eft gefremede
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morðbeala mare ond no mearn fore,
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fæhðe ond fyrene; wæs to fæst on þam.
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þa wæs eaðfynde þe him elles hwær
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gerumlicor ræste sohte,
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bed æfter burum, ða him gebeacnod wice sweotolan tacne
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healðegnes hete; heold hyne syðþan
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fyr ond fæstor se þæm feonde ætwand.
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Swa rixode ond wið rihte wan,
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ana wið eallum, oðþæt idel stod
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husa selest. Wæs seo hwil micel;
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XII wintra tid torn geþolode
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wine Scyldinga, weana gehwelcne,
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sidra sorga. Forðam secgum wearð,
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ylda bearnum, undyrne cuð,
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gyddum geomore, þætte Grendel wan
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hwile wið Hroþgar, heteniðas wæg,
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fyrene ond fæhðe fela missera,
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singale sæce, sibbe ne wolde
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wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga,
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feorhbealo feorran, fea þingian,
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ne þær nænig witena wenan þorfte
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beorhtre bote to banan folmum,
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ac se æglæca ehtende wæs,
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deorc deaþscua, duguþe ond geogoþe,
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seomade ond syrede, sinnihte heold
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mistige moras; men ne cunnon
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hwyder helrunan hwyrftum scriþað.
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Swa fela fyrena feond mancynnes,
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atol angengea, oft gefremede,
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heardra hynða. Heorot eardode,
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sincfage sel sweartum nihtum;
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no he þone gifstol gretan moste,
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maþðum for metode, ne his myne wisse.
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þæt wæs wræc micel wine Scyldinga,
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modes brecða. Monig oft gesæt
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rice to rune; ræd eahtedon
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hwæt swiðferhðum selest wære
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wið færgryrum to gefremmanne.
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Hwilum hie geheton æt hærgtrafum
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wigweorþunga, wordum bædon
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þæt him gastbona geoce gefremede
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wið þeodþreaum. Swylc wæs þeaw hyra,
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hæþenra hyht; helle gemundon
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in modsefan, metod hie ne cuþon,
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dæda demend, ne wiston hie drihten god,
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ne hie huru heofena helm herian ne cuþon,
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wuldres waldend. Wa bið þæm ðe sceal
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þurh sliðne nið sawle bescufan
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in fyres fæþm, frofre ne wenan,
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wihte gewendan; wel bið þæm þe mot
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æfter deaðdæge drihten secean
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ond to fæder fæþmum freoðo wilnian.
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Swa ða mælceare maga Healfdenes
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singala seað, ne mihte snotor hæleð
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wean onwendan; wæs þæt gewin to swyð,
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laþ ond longsum, þe on ða leode becom,
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nydwracu niþgrim, nihtbealwa mæst.
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þæt fram ham gefrægn Higelaces þegn,
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god mid Geatum, Grendles dæda;
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se wæs moncynnes mægenes strengest
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on þæm dæge þysses lifes,
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æþele ond eacen. Het him yðlidan
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godne gegyrwan, cwæð, he guðcyning
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ofer swanrade secean wolde,
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mærne þeoden, þa him wæs manna þearf.

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