Beowulf

atolan clommum. No þy ær in gescod

halan lice; hring utan ymbbearh,

þæt heo þone fyrdhom ðurhfon ne mihte,

locene leoðosyrcan laþan fingrum.

Bær þa seo brimwylf, þa heo to botme com,

hringa þengel to hofe sinum,

swa he ne mihte, no he þæs modig wæs,

wæpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þæs fela

swencte on sunde, sædeor monig

hildetuxum heresyrcan bræc,

ehton aglæcan. ða se eorl ongeat

þæt he in niðsele nathwylcum wæs,

þær him nænig wæter wihte ne sceþede,

ne him for hrofsele hrinan ne mehte

færgripe flodes; fyrleoht geseah,

blacne leoman, beorhte scinan.

Ongeat þa se goda grundwyrgenne,

merewif mihtig; mægenræs forgeaf

hildebille, hond sweng ne ofteah,

þæt hire on hafelan hringmæl agol

grædig guðleoð. ða se gist onfand

þæt se beadoleoma bitan nolde,

aldre sceþðan, ac seo ecg geswac

ðeodne æt þearfe; ðolode ær fela

hondgemota, helm oft gescær,

fæges fyrdhrægl; ða wæs forma sið

deorum madme, þæt his dom alæg.

Eft wæs anræd, nalas elnes læt,

mærða gemyndig mæg Hylaces.

Wearp ða wundenmæl wrættum gebunden

yrre oretta, þæt hit on eorðan læg,

stið ond stylecg; strenge getruwode,

mundgripe mægenes. Swa sceal man don,

þonne he æt guðe gegan þenceð

longsumne lof, na ymb his lif cearað.

Gefeng þa be eaxle (nalas for fæhðe mearn)

Guðgeata leod Grendles modor;

brægd þa beadwe heard, þa he gebolgen wæs,

feorhgeniðlan, þæt heo on flet gebeah.

Heo him eft hraþe andlean forgeald

grimman grapum ond him togeanes feng;

oferwearp þa werigmod wigena strengest,

feþecempa, þæt he on fylle wearð.

Ofsæt þa þone selegyst ond hyre seax geteah,

brad ond brunecg, wolde hire bearn wrecan,

angan eaferan. Him on eaxle læg

breostnet broden; þæt gebearh feore,

wið ord ond wið ecge ingang forstod.

Hæfde ða forsiðod sunu Ecgþeowes

under gynne grund, Geata cempa,

nemne him heaðobyrne helpe gefremede,

herenet hearde, ond halig god

geweold wigsigor; witig drihten,

rodera rædend, hit on ryht gesced

yðelice, syþðan he eft astod.

Geseah ða on searwum sigeeadig bil,

eald sweord eotenisc, ecgum þyhtig,

wigena weorðmynd; þæt wæs wæpna cyst,

buton hit wæs mare ðonne ænig mon oðer

to beadulace ætberan meahte,

god ond geatolic, giganta geweorc.

He gefeng þa fetelhilt, freca Scyldinga

hreoh ond heorogrim hringmæl gebrægd,

aldres orwena, yrringa sloh,

þæt hire wið halse heard grapode,

banhringas bræc. Bil eal ðurhwod

fægne flæschoman; heo on flet gecrong.

Sweord wæs swatig, secg weorce gefeh.

Lixte se leoma, leoht inne stod,

efne swa of hefene hadre scineð

rodores candel. He æfter recede wlat;

hwearf þa be wealle, wæpen hafenade

heard be hiltum Higelaces ðegn,

yrre ond anræd. Næs seo ecg fracod

hilderince, ac he hraþe wolde

Grendle forgyldan guðræsa fela

ðara þe he geworhte to Westdenum

oftor micle ðonne on ænne sið,

þonne he Hroðgares heorðgeneatas

sloh on sweofote, slæpende fræt

folces Denigea fyftyne men

ond oðer swylc ut offerede,

laðlicu lac. He him þæs lean forgeald,

reþe cempa, to ðæs þe he on ræste geseah

guðwerigne Grendel licgan

aldorleasne, swa him ær gescod

hild æt Heorote. Hra wide sprong,

syþðan he æfter deaðe drepe þrowade,

heorosweng heardne, ond hine þa heafde becearf.

Sona þæt gesawon snottre ceorlas,

þa ðe mid Hroðgare on holm wliton,

þæt wæs yðgeblond eal gemenged,

brim blode fah. Blondenfeaxe,

gomele ymb godne, ongeador spræcon

þæt hig þæs æðelinges eft ne wendon

þæt he sigehreðig secean come

mærne þeoden; þa ðæs monige gewearð

þæt hine seo brimwylf abroten hæfde.

ða com non dæges. Næs ofgeafon

hwate Scyldingas; gewat him ham þonon