Beowulf

wunað wælreste wyrmes dædum.

Him on efn ligeð ealdorgewinna

sexbennum seoc; sweorde ne meahte

on ðam aglæcean ænige þinga

wunde gewyrcean. Wiglaf siteð

ofer Biowulfe, byre Wihstanes,

eorl ofer oðrum unlifigendum,

healdeð higemæðum heafodwearde

leofes ond laðes. Nu ys leodum wen

orleghwile, syððan underne

Froncum ond Frysum fyll cyninges

wide weorðeð. Wæs sio wroht scepen

heard wið Hugas, syððan Higelac cwom

faran flotherge on Fresna land,

þær hyne Hetware hilde genægdon,

elne geeodon mid ofermægene,

þæt se byrnwiga bugan sceolde,

feoll on feðan, nalles frætwe geaf

ealdor dugoðe. Us wæs a syððan

Merewioingas milts ungyfeðe.

Ne ic to Sweoðeode sibbe oððe treowe

wihte ne wene, ac wæs wide cuð

þætte Ongenðio ealdre besnyðede

Hæðcen Hreþling wið Hrefnawudu,

þa for onmedlan ærest gesohton

Geata leode Guðscilfingas.

Sona him se froda fæder Ohtheres,

eald ond egesfull, ondslyht ageaf,

abreot brimwisan, bryd ahredde,

gomela iomeowlan golde berofene,

Onelan modor ond Ohtheres,

ond ða folgode feorhgeniðlan,

oððæt hi oðeodon earfoðlice

in Hrefnesholt hlafordlease.

Besæt ða sinherge sweorda lafe,

wundum werge, wean oft gehet

earmre teohhe ondlonge niht,

cwæð, he on mergenne meces ecgum

getan wolde, sum on galgtreowum

fuglum to gamene. Frofor eft gelamp

sarigmodum somod ærdæge,

syððan hie Hygelaces horn ond byman,

gealdor ongeaton, þa se goda com

leoda dugoðe on last faran.

Wæs sio swatswaðu Sweona ond Geata,

wælræs weora wide gesyne,

hu ða folc mid him fæhðe towehton.

Gewat him ða se goda mid his gædelingum,

frod, felageomor, fæsten secean,

eorl Ongenþio, ufor oncirde;

hæfde Higelaces hilde gefrunen,

wlonces wigcræft, wiðres ne truwode,

þæt he sæmannum onsacan mihte,

heaðoliðendum hord forstandan,

bearn ond bryde; beah eft þonan

eald under eorðweall. þa wæs æht boden

Sweona leodum, segn Higelaces

freoðowong þone forð ofereodon,

syððan Hreðlingas to hagan þrungon.

þær wearð Ongenðiow ecgum sweorda,

blondenfexa, on bid wrecen,

þæt se þeodcyning ðafian sceolde

Eafores anne dom. Hyne yrringa

Wulf Wonreding wæpne geræhte,

þæt him for swenge swat ædrum sprong

forð under fexe. Næs he forht swa ðeh,

gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraðe

wyrsan wrixle wælhlem þone,

syððan ðeodcyning þyder oncirde.

Ne meahte se snella sunu Wonredes

ealdum ceorle ondslyht giofan,

ac he him on heafde helm ær gescer,

þæt he blode fah bugan sceolde,

feoll on foldan; næs he fæge þa git,

ac he hyne gewyrpte, þeah ðe him wund hrine.

Let se hearda Higelaces þegn

bradne mece, þa his broðor læg,

eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm

brecan ofer bordweal; ða gebeah cyning,

folces hyrde, wæs in feorh dropen.

ða wæron monige þe his mæg wriðon,

ricone arærdon, ða him gerymed wearð

þæt hie wælstowe wealdan moston.

þenden reafode rinc oðerne,

nam on Ongenðio irenbyrnan,

heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod,

hares hyrste Higelace bær.

He ðam frætwum feng ond him fægre gehet

leana mid leodum, ond gelæste swa;

geald þone guðræs Geata dryhten,

Hreðles eafora, þa he to ham becom,

Iofore ond Wulfe mid ofermaðmum,

sealde hiora gehwæðrum hund þusenda

landes ond locenra beaga (ne ðorfte him ða lean oðwitan

mon on middangearde), syððan hie ða mærða geslogon,

ond ða Iofore forgeaf angan dohtor,

hamweorðunge, hyldo to wedde.

þæt ys sio fæhðo ond se feondscipe,

wælnið wera, ðæs ðe ic wen hafo,

þe us seceað to Sweona leoda,