Beowulf

fættan golde fela leanode,

manegum maðmum, syððan mergen com

ond we to symble geseten hæfdon.

þær wæs gidd ond gleo. Gomela Scilding,

felafricgende, feorran rehte;

hwilum hildedeor hearpan wynne,

gomenwudu grette, hwilum gyd awræc

soð ond sarlic, hwilum syllic spell

rehte æfter rihte rumheort cyning.

Hwilum eft ongan, eldo gebunden,

gomel guðwiga gioguðe cwiðan,

hildestrengo; hreðer inne weoll,

þonne he wintrum frod worn gemunde.

Swa we þær inne ondlangne dæg

niode naman, oððæt niht becwom

oðer to yldum. þa wæs eft hraðe

gearo gyrnwræce Grendeles modor,

siðode sorhfull; sunu deað fornam,

wighete Wedra. Wif unhyre

hyre bearn gewræc, beorn acwealde

ellenlice; þær wæs æschere,

frodan fyrnwitan, feorh uðgenge.

Noðer hy hine ne moston, syððan mergen cwom,

deaðwerigne, Denia leode,

bronde forbærnan, ne on bæl hladan

leofne mannan; hio þæt lic ætbær

feondes fæðmum under firgenstream.

þæt wæs Hroðgare hreowa tornost

þara þe leodfruman lange begeate.

þa se ðeoden mec ðine life

healsode hreohmod, þæt ic on holma geþring

eorlscipe efnde, ealdre geneðde,

mærðo fremede; he me mede gehet.

Ic ða ðæs wælmes, þe is wide cuð,

grimne gryrelicne grundhyrde fond;

þær unc hwile wæs hand gemæne,

holm heolfre weoll, ond ic heafde becearf

in ðam guðsele Grendeles modor

eacnum ecgum, unsofte þonan

feorh oðferede. Næs ic fæge þa gyt,

ac me eorla hleo eft gesealde

maðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.

Swa se ðeodkyning þeawum lyfde.

Nealles ic ðam leanum forloren hæfde,

mægnes mede, ac he me maðmas geaf,

sunu Healfdenes, on minne sylfes dom;

ða ic ðe, beorncyning, bringan wylle,

estum geywan. Gen is eall æt ðe

lissa gelong; ic lyt hafo

heafodmaga nefne, Hygelac, ðec."

Het ða in beran eaforheafodsegn,

heaðosteapne helm, hare byrnan,

guðsweord geatolic, gyd æfter wræc:

"Me ðis hildesceorp Hroðgar sealde,

snotra fengel, sume worde het

þæt ic his ærest ðe est gesægde;

cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogar cyning,

leod Scyldunga lange hwile;

no ðy ær suna sinum syllan wolde,

hwatum Heorowearde, þeah he him hold wære,

breostgewædu. Bruc ealles well!"

Hyrde ic þæt þam frætwum feower mearas

lungre, gelice, last weardode,

æppelfealuwe; he him est geteah

meara ond maðma. Swa sceal mæg don,

nealles inwitnet oðrum bregdon

dyrnum cræfte, deað renian

hondgesteallan. Hygelace wæs,

niða heardum, nefa swyðe hold,

ond gehwæðer oðrum hroþra gemyndig.

Hyrde ic þæt he ðone healsbeah Hygde gesealde,

wrætlicne wundurmaððum, ðone þe him Wealhðeo geaf,

ðeodnes dohtor, þrio wicg somod

swancor ond sadolbeorht; hyre syððan wæs

æfter beahðege breost geweorðod.

Swa bealdode bearn Ecgðeowes,

guma guðum cuð, godum dædum,

dreah æfter dome, nealles druncne slog

heorðgeneatas; næs him hreoh sefa,

ac he mancynnes mæste cræfte

ginfæstan gife, þe him god sealde,

heold hildedeor. Hean wæs lange,

swa hyne Geata bearn godne ne tealdon,

ne hyne on medobence micles wyrðne

drihten Wedera gedon wolde;

swyðe wendon þæt he sleac wære,

æðeling unfrom. Edwenden cwom

tireadigum menn torna gehwylces.

Het ða eorla hleo in gefetian,

heaðorof cyning, Hreðles lafe

golde gegyrede; næs mid Geatum ða

sincmaðþum selra on sweordes had;

þæt he on Biowulfes bearm alegde

ond him gesealde seofan þusendo,

bold ond bregostol. Him wæs bam samod

on ðam leodscipe lond gecynde,

eard, eðelriht, oðrum swiðor

side rice þam ðær selra wæs.

Eft þæt geiode ufaran dogrum

hildehlæmmum, syððan Hygelac læg