Beowulf

Hream wearð in Heorote; heo under heolfre genam

cuþe folme; cearu wæs geniwod,

geworden in wicun. Ne wæs þæt gewrixle til,

þæt hie on ba healfa bicgan scoldon

freonda feorum. þa wæs frod cyning,

har hilderinc, on hreon mode,

syðþan he aldorþegn unlyfigendne,

þone deorestan deadne wisse.

Hraþe wæs to bure Beowulf fetod,

sigoreadig secg. Samod ærdæge

eode eorla sum, æþele cempa

self mid gesiðum þær se snotera bad,

hwæþer him alwalda æfre wille

æfter weaspelle wyrpe gefremman.

Gang ða æfter flore fyrdwyrðe man

mid his handscale (healwudu dynede),

þæt he þone wisan wordum nægde

frean Ingwina, frægn gif him wære

æfter neodlaðum niht getæse.

Hroðgar maþelode, helm Scyldinga:

"Ne frin þu æfter sælum! Sorh is geniwod

Denigea leodum. Dead is æschere,

Yrmenlafes yldra broþor,

min runwita ond min rædbora,

eaxlgestealla, ðonne we on orlege

hafelan weredon, þonne hniton feþan,

eoferas cnysedan. Swylc scolde eorl wesan,

æþeling ærgod, swylc æschere wæs!

Wearð him on Heorote to handbanan

wælgæst wæfre; ic ne wat hwæder

atol æse wlanc eftsiðas teah,

fylle gefægnod. Heo þa fæhðe wræc

þe þu gystran niht Grendel cwealdest

þurh hæstne had heardum clammum,

forþan he to lange leode mine

wanode ond wyrde. He æt wige gecrang

ealdres scyldig, ond nu oþer cwom

mihtig manscaða, wolde hyre mæg wrecan,

ge feor hafað fæhðe gestæled

(þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum,

se þe æfter sincgyfan on sefan greoteþ),

hreþerbealo hearde; nu seo hand ligeð,

se þe eow welhwylcra wilna dohte.

Ic þæt londbuend, leode mine,

selerædende, secgan hyrde

þæt hie gesawon swylce twegen

micle mearcstapan moras healdan,

ellorgæstas. ðæra oðer wæs,

þæs þe hie gewislicost gewitan meahton,

idese onlicnæs; oðer earmsceapen

on weres wæstmum wræclastas træd,

næfne he wæs mara þonne ænig man oðer;

þone on geardagum Grendel nemdon

foldbuende. No hie fæder cunnon,

hwæþer him ænig wæs ær acenned

dyrnra gasta. Hie dygel lond

warigeað, wulfhleoþu, windige næssas,

frecne fengelad, ðær fyrgenstream

under næssa genipu niþer gewiteð,

flod under foldan. Nis þæt feor heonon

milgemearces þæt se mere standeð;

ofer þæm hongiað hrinde bearwas,

wudu wyrtum fæst wæter oferhelmað.

þær mæg nihta gehwæm niðwundor seon,

fyr on flode. No þæs frod leofað

gumena bearna, þæt þone grund wite;

ðeah þe hæðstapa hundum geswenced,

heorot hornum trum, holtwudu sece,

feorran geflymed, ær he feorh seleð,

aldor on ofre, ær he in wille

hafelan hydan. Nis þæt heoru stow!

þonon yðgeblond up astigeð

won to wolcnum, þonne wind styreþ,

lað gewidru, oðþæt lyft drysmaþ,

roderas reotað. Nu is se ræd gelang

eft æt þe anum. Eard git ne const,

frecne stowe, ðær þu findan miht

felasinnigne secg; sec gif þu dyrre.

Ic þe þa fæhðe feo leanige,

ealdgestreonum, swa ic ær dyde,

wundnum golde, gyf þu on weg cymest."

Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:

"Ne sorga, snotor guma; selre bið æghwæm

þæt he his freond wrece, þonne he fela murne.

Ure æghwylc sceal ende gebidan

worolde lifes; wyrce se þe mote

domes ær deaþe; þæt bið drihtguman

unlifgendum æfter selest.

Aris, rices weard, uton raþe feran

Grendles magan gang sceawigan.

Ic hit þe gehate, no he on helm losaþ,

ne on foldan fæþm, ne on fyrgenholt,

ne on gyfenes grund, ga þær he wille.

ðys dogor þu geþyld hafa

weana gehwylces, swa ic þe wene to."

Ahleop ða se gomela, gode þancode,

mihtigan drihtne, þæs se man gespræc.

þa wæs Hroðgare hors gebæted,

wicg wundenfeax. Wisa fengel

geatolic gende; gumfeþa stop