Beowulf

to handbonan, Huga cempan;

nalles he ða frætwe Frescyninge,

breostweorðunge, bringan moste,

ac in compe gecrong cumbles hyrde,

æþeling on elne; ne wæs ecg bona,

ac him hildegrap heortan wylmas,

banhus gebræc. Nu sceall billes ecg,

hond ond heard sweord, ymb hord wigan."

Beowulf maðelode, beotwordum spræc

niehstan siðe: "Ic geneðde fela

guða on geogoðe; gyt ic wylle,

frod folces weard, fæhðe secan,

mærðu fremman, gif mec se mansceaða

of eorðsele ut geseceð."

Gegrette ða gumena gehwylcne,

hwate helmberend, hindeman siðe,

swæse gesiðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,

wæpen to wyrme, gif ic wiste hu

wið ðam aglæcean elles meahte

gylpe wiðgripan, swa ic gio wið Grendle dyde.

Ac ic ðær heaðufyres hates wene,

oreðes ond attres; forðon ic me on hafu

bord ond byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard

forfleon fotes trem, ac unc furður sceal

weorðan æt wealle, swa unc wyrd geteoð,

metod manna gehwæs. Ic eom on mode from

þæt ic wið þone guðflogan gylp ofersitte.

Gebide ge on beorge byrnum werede,

secgas on searwum, hwæðer sel mæge

æfter wælræse wunde gedygan

uncer twega. Nis þæt eower sið

ne gemet mannes, nefne min anes,

þæt he wið aglæcean eofoðo dæle,

eorlscype efne. Ic mid elne sceall

gold gegangan, oððe guð nimeð,

feorhbealu frecne, frean eowerne!"

Aras ða bi ronde rof oretta,

heard under helme, hiorosercean bær

under stancleofu, strengo getruwode

anes mannes. Ne bið swylc earges sið!

Geseah ða be wealle se ðe worna fela,

gumcystum god, guða gedigde,

hildehlemma, þonne hnitan feðan,

stondan stanbogan, stream ut þonan

brecan of beorge. Wæs þære burnan wælm

heaðofyrum hat; ne meahte horde neah

unbyrnende ænige hwile

deop gedygan for dracan lege.

Let ða of breostum, ða he gebolgen wæs,

Wedergeata leod word ut faran,

stearcheort styrmde; stefn in becom

heaðotorht hlynnan under harne stan.

Hete wæs onhrered, hordweard oncniow

mannes reorde; næs ðær mara fyrst

freode to friclan. From ærest cwom

oruð aglæcean ut of stane,

hat hildeswat. Hruse dynede.

Biorn under beorge bordrand onswaf

wið ðam gryregieste, Geata dryhten;

ða wæs hringbogan heorte gefysed

sæcce to seceanne. Sweord ær gebræd

god guðcyning, gomele lafe,

ecgum unslaw; æghwæðrum wæs

bealohycgendra broga fram oðrum.

Stiðmod gestod wið steapne rond

winia bealdor, ða se wyrm gebeah

snude tosomne; he on searwum bad.

Gewat ða byrnende gebogen scriðan,

to gescipe scyndan. Scyld wel gebearg

life ond lice læssan hwile

mærum þeodne þonne his myne sohte,

ðær he þy fyrste, forman dogore

wealdan moste swa him wyrd ne gescraf

hreð æt hilde. Hond up abræd

Geata dryhten, gryrefahne sloh

incgelafe, þæt sio ecg gewac

brun on bane, bat unswiðor

þonne his ðiodcyning þearfe hæfde,

bysigum gebæded. þa wæs beorges weard

æfter heaðuswenge on hreoum mode,

wearp wælfyre; wide sprungon

hildeleoman. Hreðsigora ne gealp

goldwine Geata; guðbill geswac,

nacod æt niðe, swa hyt no sceolde,

iren ærgod. Ne wæs þæt eðe sið,

þæt se mæra maga Ecgðeowes

grundwong þone ofgyfan wolde;

sceolde ofer willan wic eardian

elles hwergen, swa sceal æghwylc mon

alætan lændagas. Næs ða long to ðon

þæt ða aglæcean hy eft gemetton.

Hyrte hyne hordweard (hreðer æðme weoll)

niwan stefne; nearo ðrowode,

fyre befongen, se ðe ær folce weold.

Nealles him on heape handgesteallan,

æðelinga bearn, ymbe gestodon

hildecystum, ac hy on holt bugon,

ealdre burgan. Hiora in anum weoll

sefa wið sorgum; sibb æfre ne mæg

wiht onwendan þam ðe wel þenceð.