Beowulf

goldwine gumena. Gistas setan

modes seoce ond on mere staredon,

wiston ond ne wendon þæt hie heora winedrihten

selfne gesawon. þa þæt sweord ongan

æfter heaþoswate hildegicelum,

wigbil wanian. þæt wæs wundra sum,

þæt hit eal gemealt ise gelicost,

ðonne forstes bend fæder onlæteð,

onwindeð wælrapas, se geweald hafað

sæla ond mæla; þæt is soð metod.

Ne nom he in þæm wicum, Wedergeata leod,

maðmæhta ma, þeh he þær monige geseah,

buton þone hafelan ond þa hilt somod

since fage. Sweord ær gemealt,

forbarn brodenmæl; wæs þæt blod to þæs hat,

ættren ellorgæst se þær inne swealt.

Sona wæs on sunde se þe ær æt sæcce gebad

wighryre wraðra, wæter up þurhdeaf.

Wæron yðgebland eal gefælsod,

eacne eardas, þa se ellorgast

oflet lifdagas ond þas lænan gesceaft.

Com þa to lande lidmanna helm

swiðmod swymman; sælace gefeah,

mægenbyrþenne þara þe he him mid hæfde.

Eodon him þa togeanes, gode þancodon,

ðryðlic þegna heap, þeodnes gefegon,

þæs þe hi hyne gesundne geseon moston.

ða wæs of þæm hroran helm ond byrne

lungre alysed. Lagu drusade,

wæter under wolcnum, wældreore fag.

Ferdon forð þonon feþelastum

ferhþum fægne, foldweg mæton,

cuþe stræte. Cyningbalde men

from þæm holmclife hafelan bæron

earfoðlice heora æghwæþrum,

felamodigra; feower scoldon

on þæm wælstenge weorcum geferian

to þæm goldsele Grendles heafod,

oþðæt semninga to sele comon

frome fyrdhwate feowertyne

Geata gongan; gumdryhten mid

modig on gemonge meodowongas træd.

ða com in gan ealdor ðegna,

dædcene mon dome gewurþad,

hæle hildedeor, Hroðgar gretan.

þa wæs be feaxe on flet boren

Grendles heafod, þær guman druncon,

egeslic for eorlum ond þære idese mid,

wliteseon wrætlic; weras on sawon.

Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:

"Hwæt! we þe þas sælac, sunu Healfdenes,

leod Scyldinga, lustum brohton

tires to tacne, þe þu her to locast.

Ic þæt unsofte ealdre gedigde

wigge under wætere, weorc geneþde

earfoðlice; ætrihte wæs

guð getwæfed, nymðe mec god scylde.

Ne meahte ic æt hilde mid Hruntinge

wiht gewyrcan, þeah þæt wæpen duge;

ac me geuðe ylda waldend

þæt ic on wage geseah wlitig hangian

eald sweord eacen (oftost wisode

winigea leasum), þæt ic ðy wæpne gebræd.

Ofsloh ða æt þære sæcce, þa me sæl ageald,

huses hyrdas. þa þæt hildebil

forbarn brogdenmæl, swa þæt blod gesprang,

hatost heaþoswata. Ic þæt hilt þanan

feondum ætferede, fyrendæda wræc,

deaðcwealm Denigea, swa hit gedefe wæs.

Ic hit þe þonne gehate, þæt þu on Heorote most

sorhleas swefan mid þinra secga gedryht

ond þegna gehwylc þinra leoda,

duguðe ond iogoþe, þæt þu him ondrædan ne þearft,

þeoden Scyldinga, on þa healfe,

aldorbealu eorlum, swa þu ær dydest."

ða wæs gylden hilt gamelum rince,

harum hildfruman, on hand gyfen,

enta ærgeweorc; hit on æht gehwearf

æfter deofla hryre Denigea frean,

wundorsmiþa geweorc, ond þa þas worold ofgeaf

gromheort guma, godes ondsaca,

morðres scyldig, ond his modor eac,

on geweald gehwearf woroldcyninga

ðæm selestan be sæm tweonum

ðara þe on Scedenigge sceattas dælde.

Hroðgar maðelode, hylt sceawode,

ealde lafe, on ðæm wæs or writen

fyrngewinnes, syðþan flod ofsloh,

gifen geotende, giganta cyn

(frecne geferdon); þæt wæs fremde þeod

ecean dryhtne; him þæs endelean

þurh wæteres wylm waldend sealde.

Swa wæs on ðæm scennum sciran goldes

þurh runstafas rihte gemearcod,

geseted ond gesæd hwam þæt sweord geworht,

irena cyst, ærest wære,

wreoþenhilt ond wyrmfah. ða se wisa spræc

sunu Healfdenes (swigedon ealle):

"þæt, la, mæg secgan se þe soð ond riht

fremeð on folce, feor eal gemon,