Beowulf

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 3,181 sections

300
seomode on sale sidfæþmed scip,
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on ancre fæst. Eoforlic scionon
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ofer hleorberan gehroden golde,
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fah ond fyrheard; ferhwearde heold
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guþmod grimmon. Guman onetton,
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sigon ætsomne, oþþæt hy sæl timbred,
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geatolic ond goldfah, ongyton mihton;
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þæt wæs foremærost foldbuendum
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receda under roderum, on þæm se rica bad;
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lixte se leoma ofer landa fela.
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Him þa hildedeor hof modigra
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torht getæhte, þæt hie him to mihton
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gegnum gangan; guðbeorna sum
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wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð:
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"Mæl is me to feran; fæder alwalda
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mid arstafum eowic gehealde
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siða gesunde. Ic to sæ wille
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wið wrað werod wearde healdan."
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Stræt wæs stanfah, stig wisode
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gumum ætgædere. Guðbyrne scan
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heard hondlocen, hringiren scir
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song in searwum, þa hie to sele furðum
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in hyra gryregeatwum gangan cwomon.
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Setton sæmeþe side scyldas,
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rondas regnhearde, wið þæs recedes weal,
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bugon þa to bence. Byrnan hringdon,
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guðsearo gumena; garas stodon,
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sæmanna searo, samod ætgædere,
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æscholt ufan græg; wæs se irenþreat
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wæpnum gewurþad. þa ðær wlonc hæleð
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oretmecgas æfter æþelum frægn:
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"Hwanon ferigeað ge fætte scyldas,
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græge syrcan ond grimhelmas,
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heresceafta heap? Ic eom Hroðgares
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ar ond ombiht. Ne seah ic elþeodige
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þus manige men modiglicran.
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Wen ic þæt ge for wlenco, nalles for wræcsiðum,
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ac for higeþrymmum Hroðgar sohton."
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Him þa ellenrof andswarode,
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wlanc Wedera leod, word æfter spræc,
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heard under helme: "We synt Higelaces
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beodgeneatas; Beowulf is min nama.
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Wille ic asecgan sunu Healfdenes,
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mærum þeodne, min ærende,
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aldre þinum, gif he us geunnan wile
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þæt we hine swa godne gretan moton."
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Wulfgar maþelode (þæt wæs Wendla leod;
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wæs his modsefa manegum gecyðed,
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wig ond wisdom): "Ic þæs wine Deniga,
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frean Scildinga, frinan wille,
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beaga bryttan, swa þu bena eart,
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þeoden mærne, ymb þinne sið,
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ond þe þa ondsware ædre gecyðan
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ðe me se goda agifan þenceð."
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Hwearf þa hrædlice þær Hroðgar sæt
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eald ond anhar mid his eorla gedriht;
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eode ellenrof, þæt he for eaxlum gestod
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Deniga frean; cuþe he duguðe þeaw.
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Wulfgar maðelode to his winedrihtne:
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"Her syndon geferede, feorran cumene
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ofer geofenes begang Geata leode;
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þone yldestan oretmecgas
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Beowulf nemnað. Hy benan synt
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þæt hie, þeoden min, wið þe moton
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wordum wrixlan. No ðu him wearne geteoh
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ðinra gegncwida, glædman Hroðgar.
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Hy on wiggetawum wyrðe þinceað
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eorla geæhtlan; huru se aldor deah,
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se þæm heaðorincum hider wisade."
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Hroðgar maþelode, helm Scyldinga:
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"Ic hine cuðe cnihtwesende.
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Wæs his ealdfæder Ecgþeo haten,
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ðæm to ham forgeaf Hreþel Geata
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angan dohtor; is his eafora nu
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heard her cumen, sohte holdne wine.
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ðonne sægdon þæt sæliþende,
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þa ðe gifsceattas Geata fyredon
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þyder to þance, þæt he XXXtiges
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manna mægencræft on his mundgripe
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heaþorof hæbbe. Hine halig god
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for arstafum us onsende,
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to Westdenum, þæs ic wen hæbbe,
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wið Grendles gryre. Ic þæm godan sceal
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for his modþræce madmas beodan.
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Beo ðu on ofeste, hat in gan
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seon sibbegedriht samod ætgædere;
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gesaga him eac wordum þæt hie sint wilcuman
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Deniga leodum."
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word inne abead:
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"Eow het secgan sigedrihten min,
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aldor Eastdena, þæt he eower æþelu can,
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ond ge him syndon ofer sæwylmas
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heardhicgende hider wilcuman.
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Nu ge moton gangan in eowrum guðgeatawum
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under heregriman Hroðgar geseon;
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lætað hildebord her onbidan,
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wudu, wælsceaftas, worda geþinges."
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Aras þa se rica, ymb hine rinc manig,
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þryðlic þegna heap; sume þær bidon,
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heaðoreaf heoldon, swa him se hearda bebead.

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