Beowulf

bliðheort bodode. ða com beorht scacan

scaþan onetton,

wæron æþelingas eft to leodum

fuse to farenne; wolde feor þanon

cuma collenferhð ceoles neosan.

Heht þa se hearda Hrunting beran

sunu Ecglafes, heht his sweord niman,

leoflic iren; sægde him þæs leanes þanc,

cwæð, he þone guðwine godne tealde,

wigcræftigne, nales wordum log

meces ecge; þæt wæs modig secg.

Ond þa siðfrome, searwum gearwe

wigend wæron; eode weorð Denum

æþeling to yppan, þær se oþer wæs,

hæle hildedeor Hroðgar grette.

Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:

"Nu we sæliðend secgan wyllað,

feorran cumene, þæt we fundiaþ

Higelac secan. Wæron her tela

willum bewenede; þu us wel dohtest.

Gif ic þonne on eorþan owihte mæg

þinre modlufan maran tilian,

gumena dryhten, ðonne ic gyt dyde,

guðgeweorca, ic beo gearo sona.

Gif ic þæt gefricge ofer floda begang,

þæt þec ymbsittend egesan þywað,

swa þec hetende hwilum dydon,

ic ðe þusenda þegna bringe,

hæleþa to helpe. Ic on Higelac wat,

Geata dryhten, þeah ðe he geong sy,

folces hyrde, þæt he mec fremman wile

wordum ond worcum, þæt ic þe wel herige

ond þe to geoce garholt bere,

mægenes fultum, þær ðe bið manna þearf.

Gif him þonne Hreþric to hofum Geata

geþingeð, þeodnes bearn, he mæg þær fela

freonda findan; feorcyþðe beoð

selran gesohte þæm þe him selfa deah."

Hroðgar maþelode him on ondsware:

"þe þa wordcwydas wigtig drihten

on sefan sende; ne hyrde ic snotorlicor

on swa geongum feore guman þingian.

þu eart mægenes strang ond on mode frod,

wis wordcwida. Wen ic talige,

gif þæt gegangeð, þæt ðe gar nymeð,

hild heorugrimme, Hreþles eaferan,

adl oþðe iren ealdor ðinne,

folces hyrde, ond þu þin feorh hafast,

þæt þe Sægeatas selran næbben

to geceosenne cyning ænigne,

hordweard hæleþa, gyf þu healdan wylt

maga rice. Me þin modsefa

licað leng swa wel, leofa Beowulf.

Hafast þu gefered þæt þam folcum sceal,

Geata leodum ond Gardenum,

sib gemæne, ond sacu restan,

inwitniþas, þe hie ær drugon,

wesan, þenden ic wealde widan rices,

maþmas gemæne, manig oþerne

godum gegretan ofer ganotes bæð;

sceal hringnaca ofer heafu bringan

lac ond luftacen. Ic þa leode wat

ge wið feond ge wið freond fæste geworhte,

æghwæs untæle ealde wisan."

ða git him eorla hleo inne gesealde,

mago Healfdenes, maþmas XII;

het hine mid þæm lacum leode swæse

secean on gesyntum, snude eft cuman.

Gecyste þa cyning æþelum god,

þeoden Scyldinga, ðegn betstan

ond be healse genam; hruron him tearas,

blondenfeaxum. Him wæs bega wen,

ealdum infrodum, oþres swiðor,

þæt hie seoððan no geseon moston,

modige on meþle. Wæs him se man to þon leof

þæt he þone breostwylm forberan ne mehte,

ac him on hreþre hygebendum fæst

æfter deorum men dyrne langað

beorn wið blode. Him Beowulf þanan,

guðrinc goldwlanc, græsmoldan træd

since hremig; sægenga bad

agendfrean, se þe on ancre rad.

þa wæs on gange gifu Hroðgares

oft geæhted; þæt wæs an cyning,

æghwæs orleahtre, oþþæt hine yldo benam

mægenes wynnum, se þe oft manegum scod.

Cwom þa to flode felamodigra,

hægstealdra heap, hringnet bæron,

locene leoðosyrcan. Landweard onfand

eftsið eorla, swa he ær dyde;

no he mid hearme of hliðes nosan

gæstas grette, ac him togeanes rad,

cwæð þæt wilcuman Wedera leodum

scaþan scirhame to scipe foron.

þa wæs on sande sægeap naca

hladen herewædum, hringedstefna,

mearum ond maðmum; mæst hlifade

ofer Hroðgares hordgestreonum.

He þæm batwearde bunden golde

swurd gesealde, þæt he syðþan wæs