Beowulf

Wiglaf wæs haten Weoxstanes sunu,

leoflic lindwiga, leod Scylfinga,

mæg ælfheres; geseah his mondryhten

under heregriman hat þrowian.

Gemunde ða ða are þe he him ær forgeaf,

wicstede weligne Wægmundinga,

folcrihta gehwylc, swa his fæder ahte.

Ne mihte ða forhabban; hond rond gefeng,

geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteah,

þæt wæs mid eldum Eanmundes laf,

suna Ohteres. þam æt sæcce wearð,

wræccan wineleasum, Weohstan bana

meces ecgum, ond his magum ætbær

brunfagne helm, hringde byrnan,

eald sweord etonisc; þæt him Onela forgeaf,

his gædelinges guðgewædu,

fyrdsearo fuslic, no ymbe ða fæhðe spræc,

þeah ðe he his broðor bearn abredwade.

He frætwe geheold fela missera,

bill ond byrnan, oððæt his byre mihte

eorlscipe efnan swa his ærfæder;

geaf him ða mid Geatum guðgewæda,

æghwæs unrim, þa he of ealdre gewat,

frod on forðweg. þa wæs forma sið

geongan cempan, þæt he guðe ræs

mid his freodryhtne fremman sceolde.

Ne gemealt him se modsefa, ne his mæges laf

gewac æt wige; þæt se wyrm onfand,

syððan hie togædre gegan hæfdon.

Wiglaf maðelode, wordrihta fela

sægde gesiðum (him wæs sefa geomor):

"Ic ðæt mæl geman, þær we medu þegun,

þonne we geheton ussum hlaforde

in biorsele, ðe us ðas beagas geaf,

þæt we him ða guðgetawa gyldan woldon

gif him þyslicu þearf gelumpe,

helmas ond heard sweord. ðe he usic on herge geceas

to ðyssum siðfate sylfes willum,

onmunde usic mærða, ond me þas maðmas geaf,

þe he usic garwigend gode tealde,

hwate helmberend, þeah ðe hlaford us

þis ellenweorc ana aðohte

to gefremmanne, folces hyrde,

for ðam he manna mæst mærða gefremede,

dæda dollicra. Nu is se dæg cumen

þæt ure mandryhten mægenes behofað,

godra guðrinca; wutun gongan to,

helpan hildfruman, þenden hyt sy,

gledegesa grim. God wat on mec

þæt me is micle leofre þæt minne lichaman

mid minne goldgyfan gled fæðmie.

Ne þynceð me gerysne þæt we rondas beren

eft to earde, nemne we æror mægen

fane gefyllan, feorh ealgian

Wedra ðeodnes. Ic wat geare

þæt næron ealdgewyrht, þæt he ana scyle

Geata duguðe gnorn þrowian,

gesigan æt sæcce; urum sceal sweord ond helm,

byrne ond beaduscrud, bam gemæne."

Wod þa þurh þone wælrec, wigheafolan bær

frean on fultum, fea worda cwæð:

"Leofa Biowulf, læst eall tela,

swa ðu on geoguðfeore geara gecwæde

þæt ðu ne alæte be ðe lifigendum

dom gedreosan. Scealt nu dædum rof,

æðeling anhydig, ealle mægene

feorh ealgian; ic ðe fullæstu."

æfter ðam wordum wyrm yrre cwom,

atol inwitgæst, oðre siðe

fyrwylmum fah fionda niosian,

laðra manna; ligyðum for.

Born bord wið rond, byrne ne meahte

geongum garwigan geoce gefremman,

ac se maga geonga under his mæges scyld

elne geeode, þa his agen wæs

gledum forgrunden. þa gen guðcyning

mærða gemunde, mægenstrengo sloh

hildebille, þæt hyt on heafolan stod

niþe genyded; Nægling forbærst,

geswac æt sæcce sweord Biowulfes,

gomol ond grægmæl. Him þæt gifeðe ne wæs

þæt him irenna ecge mihton

helpan æt hilde; wæs sio hond to strong,

se ðe meca gehwane, mine gefræge,

swenge ofersohte, þonne he to sæcce bær

wæpen wundrum heard; næs him wihte ðe sel.

þa wæs þeodsceaða þriddan siðe,

frecne fyrdraca, fæhða gemyndig,

ræsde on ðone rofan, þa him rum ageald,

hat ond heaðogrim, heals ealne ymbefeng

biteran banum; he geblodegod wearð

sawuldriore, swat yðum weoll.

ða ic æt þearfe gefrægn þeodcyninges

andlongne eorl ellen cyðan,

cræft ond cenðu, swa him gecynde wæs.

Ne hedde he þæs heafolan, ac sio hand gebarn

modiges mannes, þær he his mæges healp,

þæt he þone niðgæst nioðor hwene sloh,

secg on searwum, þæt ðæt sweord gedeaf,

fah ond fæted, þæt ðæt fyr ongon