Beowulf

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

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modges merefaran, micel æfþunca,
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forþon þe he ne uþe þæt ænig oðer man
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æfre mærða þon ma middangeardes
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gehedde under heofenum þonne he sylfa):
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"Eart þu se Beowulf, se þe wið Brecan wunne,
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on sidne sæ ymb sund flite,
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ðær git for wlence wada cunnedon
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ond for dolgilpe on deop wæter
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aldrum neþdon? Ne inc ænig mon,
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ne leof ne lað, belean mihte
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sorhfullne sið, þa git on sund reon.
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þær git eagorstream earmum þehton,
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mæton merestræta, mundum brugdon,
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glidon ofer garsecg; geofon yþum weol,
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wintrys wylmum. Git on wæteres æht
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seofon niht swuncon; he þe æt sunde oferflat,
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hæfde mare mægen. þa hine on morgentid
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on Heaþoræmas holm up ætbær;
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ðonon he gesohte swæsne ᛟ,
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leof his leodum, lond Brondinga,
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freoðoburh fægere, þær he folc ahte,
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burh ond beagas. Beot eal wið þe
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sunu Beanstanes soðe gelæste.
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ðonne wene ic to þe wyrsan geþingea,
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ðeah þu heaðoræsa gehwær dohte,
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grimre guðe, gif þu Grendles dearst
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nihtlongne fyrst nean bidan."
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Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:
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"Hwæt! þu worn fela, wine min Unferð,
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beore druncen ymb Brecan spræce,
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sægdest from his siðe. Soð ic talige,
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þæt ic merestrengo maran ahte,
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earfeþo on yþum, ðonne ænig oþer man.
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Wit þæt gecwædon cnihtwesende
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ond gebeotedon (wæron begen þa git
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on geogoðfeore) þæt wit on garsecg ut
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aldrum neðdon, ond þæt geæfndon swa.
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Hæfdon swurd nacod, þa wit on sund reon,
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heard on handa; wit unc wið hronfixas
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werian þohton. No he wiht fram me
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flodyþum feor fleotan meahte,
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hraþor on holme; no ic fram him wolde.
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ða wit ætsomne on sæ wæron
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fif nihta fyrst, oþþæt unc flod todraf,
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wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
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nipende niht, ond norþanwind
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heaðogrim ondhwearf; hreo wæron yþa.
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Wæs merefixa mod onhrered;
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þær me wið laðum licsyrce min,
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heard, hondlocen, helpe gefremede,
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beadohrægl broden on breostum læg
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golde gegyrwed. Me to grunde teah
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fah feondscaða, fæste hæfde
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grim on grape; hwæþre me gyfeþe wearð
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þæt ic aglæcan orde geræhte,
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hildebille; heaþoræs fornam
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mihtig meredeor þurh mine hand.
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Swa mec gelome laðgeteonan
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þreatedon þearle. Ic him þenode
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deoran sweorde, swa hit gedefe wæs.
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Næs hie ðære fylle gefean hæfdon,
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manfordædlan, þæt hie me þegon,
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symbel ymbsæton sægrunde neah;
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ac on mergenne mecum wunde
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be yðlafe uppe lægon,
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sweordum aswefede, þæt syðþan na
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ymb brontne ford brimliðende
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lade ne letton. Leoht eastan com,
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beorht beacen godes; brimu swaþredon,
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þæt ic sænæssas geseon mihte,
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windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
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unfægne eorl, þonne his ellen deah.
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Hwæþere me gesælde þæt ic mid sweorde ofsloh
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niceras nigene. No ic on niht gefrægn
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under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
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ne on egstreamum earmran mannon;
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hwaþere ic fara feng feore gedigde,
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siþes werig. ða mec sæ oþbær,
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flod æfter faroðe on Finna land,
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wadu weallendu. No ic wiht fram þe
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swylcra searoniða secgan hyrde,
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billa brogan. Breca næfre git
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æt heaðolace, ne gehwæþer incer,
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swa deorlice dæd gefremede
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fagum sweordum (no ic þæs fela gylpe),
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þeah ðu þinum broðrum to banan wurde,
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heafodmægum; þæs þu in helle scealt
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werhðo dreogan, þeah þin wit duge.
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Secge ic þe to soðe, sunu Ecglafes,
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þæt næfre Grendel swa fela gryra gefremede,
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atol æglæca, ealdre þinum,
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hynðo on Heorote, gif þin hige wære,
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sefa swa searogrim, swa þu self talast.
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Ac he hafað onfunden þæt he þa fæhðe ne þearf,
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atole ecgþræce eower leode
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swiðe onsittan, Sigescyldinga;
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nymeð nydbade, nænegum arað
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leode Deniga, ac he lust wigeð,
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swefeð ond sendeþ, secce ne weneþ
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to Gardenum. Ac ic him Geata sceal

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