Beowulf

heahgestreona. Hordweard onbad

earfoðlice oððæt æfen cwom;

wæs ða gebolgen beorges hyrde,

wolde se laða lige forgyldan

drincfæt dyre. þa wæs dæg sceacen

wyrme on willan; no on wealle læg,

bidan wolde, ac mid bæle for,

fyre gefysed. Wæs se fruma egeslic

leodum on lande, swa hyt lungre wearð

on hyra sincgifan sare geendod.

ða se gæst ongan gledum spiwan,

beorht hofu bærnan; bryneleoma stod

eldum on andan. No ðær aht cwices

lað lyftfloga læfan wolde.

Wæs þæs wyrmes wig wide gesyne,

nearofages nið nean ond feorran,

hu se guðsceaða Geata leode

hatode ond hynde; hord eft gesceat,

dryhtsele dyrnne, ær dæges hwile.

Hæfde landwara lige befangen,

bæle ond bronde, beorges getruwode,

wiges ond wealles; him seo wen geleah.

þa wæs Biowulfe broga gecyðed

snude to soðe, þæt his sylfes ham,

bolda selest, brynewylmum mealt,

gifstol Geata. þæt ðam godan wæs

hreow on hreðre, hygesorga mæst;

wende se wisa þæt he wealdende

ofer ealde riht, ecean dryhtne,

bitre gebulge. Breost innan weoll

þeostrum geþoncum, swa him geþywe ne wæs.

Hæfde ligdraca leoda fæsten,

ealond utan, eorðweard ðone

gledum forgrunden; him ðæs guðkyning,

Wedera þioden, wræce leornode.

Heht him þa gewyrcean wigendra hleo

eallirenne, eorla dryhten,

wigbord wrætlic; wisse he gearwe

þæt him holtwudu helpan ne meahte,

lind wið lige. Sceolde lændaga

æþeling ærgod ende gebidan,

worulde lifes, ond se wyrm somod,

þeah ðe hordwelan heolde lange.

Oferhogode ða hringa fengel

þæt he þone widflogan weorode gesohte,

sidan herge; no he him þa sæcce ondred,

ne him þæs wyrmes wig for wiht dyde,

eafoð ond ellen, forðon he ær fela

nearo neðende niða gedigde,

hildehlemma, syððan he Hroðgares,

sigoreadig secg, sele fælsode

ond æt guðe forgrap Grendeles mægum

laðan cynnes. No þæt læsest wæs

hondgemota, þær mon Hygelac sloh,

syððan Geata cyning guðe ræsum,

freawine folca Freslondum on,

Hreðles eafora hiorodryncum swealt,

bille gebeaten. þonan Biowulf com

sylfes cræfte, sundnytte dreah;

hæfde him on earme ana XXX

hildegeatwa, þa he to holme beag.

Nealles Hetware hremge þorfton

feðewiges, þe him foran ongean

linde bæron; lyt eft becwom

fram þam hildfrecan hames niosan.

Oferswam ða sioleða bigong sunu Ecgðeowes,

earm anhaga, eft to leodum;

þær him Hygd gebead hord ond rice,

beagas ond bregostol, bearne ne truwode

þæt he wið ælfylcum eþelstolas

healdan cuðe, ða wæs Hygelac dead.

No ðy ær feasceafte findan meahton

æt ðam æðelinge ænige ðinga,

þæt he Heardrede hlaford wære

oððe þone cynedom ciosan wolde;

hwæðre he him on folce freondlarum heold,

estum mid are, oððæt he yldra wearð,

Wedergeatum weold. Hyne wræcmæcgas

ofer sæ sohtan, suna Ohteres;

hæfdon hy forhealden helm Scylfinga,

þone selestan sæcyninga

þara ðe in Swiorice sinc brytnade,

mærne þeoden. Him þæt to mearce wearð;

he þær for feorme feorhwunde hleat

sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelaces,

ond him eft gewat Ongenðioes bearn

hames niosan, syððan Heardred læg,

let ðone bregostol Biowulf healdan,

Geatum wealdan. þæt wæs god cyning!

Se ðæs leodhryres lean gemunde

uferan dogrum, Eadgilse wearð

feasceaftum freond, folce gestepte

ofer sæ side sunu Ohteres,

wigum ond wæpnum; he gewræc syððan

cealdum cearsiðum, cyning ealdre bineat.

Swa he niða gehwane genesen hæfde,

sliðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgðiowes,

ellenweorca, oð ðone anne dæg

þe he wið þam wyrme gewegan sceolde.

Gewat þa XIIa sum torne gebolgen