Beowulf

þone hring hæfde Higelac Geata,

nefa Swertinges, nyhstan siðe,

siðþan he under segne sinc ealgode,

wælreaf werede; hyne wyrd fornam,

syþðan he for wlenco wean ahsode,

fæhðe to Frysum. He þa frætwe wæg,

eorclanstanas ofer yða ful,

rice þeoden; he under rande gecranc.

Gehwearf þa in Francna fæþm feorh cyninges,

breostgewædu ond se beah somod;

wyrsan wigfrecan wæl reafedon

æfter guðsceare, Geata leode,

hreawic heoldon. Heal swege onfeng.

Wealhðeo maþelode, heo fore þæm werede spræc:

"Bruc ðisses beages, Beowulf leofa,

hyse, mid hæle, ond þisses hrægles neot,

þeodgestreona, ond geþeoh tela,

cen þec mid cræfte ond þyssum cnyhtum wes

lara liðe; ic þe þæs lean geman.

Hafast þu gefered þæt ðe feor ond neah

ealne wideferhþ weras ehtigað,

efne swa side swa sæ bebugeð,

windgeard, weallas. Wes þenden þu lifige,

æþeling, eadig. Ic þe an tela

sincgestreona. Beo þu suna minum

dædum gedefe, dreamhealdende.

Her is æghwylc eorl oþrum getrywe,

modes milde, mandrihtne hold;

þegnas syndon geþwære, þeod ealgearo,

druncne dryhtguman doð swa ic bidde."

Eode þa to setle. þær wæs symbla cyst;

druncon win weras. Wyrd ne cuþon,

geosceaft grimme, swa hit agangen wearð

eorla manegum, syþðan æfen cwom

ond him Hroþgar gewat to hofe sinum,

rice to ræste. Reced weardode

unrim eorla, swa hie oft ær dydon.

Bencþelu beredon; hit geondbræded wearð

beddum ond bolstrum. Beorscealca sum

fus ond fæge fletræste gebeag.

Setton him to heafdon hilderandas,

bordwudu beorhtan; þær on bence wæs

ofer æþelinge yþgesene

heaþosteapa helm, hringed byrne,

þrecwudu þrymlic. Wæs þeaw hyra

þæt hie oft wæron an wig gearwe,

ge æt ham ge on herge, ge gehwæþer þara,

efne swylce mæla swylce hira mandryhtne

þearf gesælde; wæs seo þeod tilu.

Sigon þa to slæpe. Sum sare angeald

æfenræste, swa him ful oft gelamp,

siþðan goldsele Grendel warode,

unriht æfnde, oþþæt ende becwom,

swylt æfter synnum. þæt gesyne wearþ,

widcuþ werum, þætte wrecend þa gyt

lifde æfter laþum, lange þrage,

æfter guðceare. Grendles modor,

ides, aglæcwif, yrmþe gemunde,

se þe wæteregesan wunian scolde,

cealde streamas, siþðan Cain wearð

to ecgbanan angan breþer,

fæderenmæge; he þa fag gewat,

morþre gemearcod, mandream fleon,

westen warode. þanon woc fela

geosceaftgasta; wæs þæra Grendel sum,

heorowearh hetelic, se æt Heorote fand

wæccendne wer wiges bidan.

þær him aglæca ætgræpe wearð;

hwæþre he gemunde mægenes strenge,

gimfæste gife ðe him god sealde,

ond him to anwaldan are gelyfde,

frofre ond fultum; ðy he þone feond ofercwom,

gehnægde helle gast. þa he hean gewat,

dreame bedæled, deaþwic seon,

mancynnes feond, ond his modor þa gyt,

gifre ond galgmod, gegan wolde

sorhfulne sið, sunu deað wrecan.

Com þa to Heorote, ðær Hringdene

geond þæt sæld swæfun. þa ðær sona wearð

edhwyrft eorlum, siþðan inne fealh

Grendles modor. Wæs se gryre læssa

efne swa micle swa bið mægþa cræft,

wiggryre wifes, be wæpnedmen,

þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,

sweord swate fah swin ofer helme

ecgum dyhttig andweard scireð.

þa wæs on healle heardecg togen

sweord ofer setlum, sidrand manig

hafen handa fæst; helm ne gemunde,

byrnan side, þa hine se broga angeat.

Heo wæs on ofste, wolde ut þanon,

feore beorgan, þa heo onfunden wæs.

Hraðe heo æþelinga anne hæfde

fæste befangen, þa heo to fenne gang.

Se wæs Hroþgare hæleþa leofost

on gesiðes had be sæm tweonum,

rice randwiga, þone ðe heo on ræste abreat,

blædfæstne beorn. Næs Beowulf ðær,

ac wæs oþer in ær geteohhod

æfter maþðumgife mærum Geate.