Beowulf

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

700
weold wideferhð. Com on wanre niht
701
scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,
702
þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,
703
ealle buton anum. þæt wæs yldum cuþ
704
þæt hie ne moste, þa metod nolde,
705
se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;
706
ac he wæccende wraþum on andan
707
bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.
708
ða com of more under misthleoþum
709
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær;
710
mynte se manscaða manna cynnes
711
sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.
712
Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced,
713
goldsele gumena, gearwost wisse,
714
fættum fahne. Ne wæs þæt forma sið
715
þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;
716
næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan
717
heardran hæle, healðegnas fand.
718
Com þa to recede rinc siðian,
719
dreamum bedæled. Duru sona onarn,
720
fyrbendum fæst, syþðan he hire folmum æthran;
721
onbræd þa bealohydig, ða he gebolgen wæs,
722
recedes muþan. Raþe æfter þon
723
on fagne flor feond treddode,
724
eode yrremod; him of eagum stod
725
ligge gelicost leoht unfæger.
726
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
727
swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere,
728
magorinca heap. þa his mod ahlog;
729
mynte þæt he gedælde, ærþon dæg cwome,
730
atol aglæca, anra gehwylces
731
lif wið lice, þa him alumpen wæs
732
wistfylle wen. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þa gen
733
þæt he ma moste manna cynnes
734
ðicgean ofer þa niht. þryðswyð beheold
735
mæg Higelaces, hu se manscaða
736
under færgripum gefaran wolde.
737
Ne þæt se aglæca yldan þohte,
738
ac he gefeng hraðe forman siðe
739
slæpendne rinc, slat unwearnum,
740
bat banlocan, blod edrum dranc,
741
synsnædum swealh; sona hæfde
742
unlyfigendes eal gefeormod,
743
fet ond folma. Forð near ætstop,
744
nam þa mid handa higeþihtigne
745
rinc on ræste, ræhte ongean
746
feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe
747
inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt.
748
Sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde
749
þæt he ne mette middangeardes,
750
eorþan sceata, on elran men
751
mundgripe maran. He on mode wearð
752
forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte.
753
Hyge wæs him hinfus, wolde on heolster fleon,
754
secan deofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þær
755
swylce he on ealderdagum ær gemette.
756
Gemunde þa se goda, mæg Higelaces,
757
æfenspræce, uplang astod
758
ond him fæste wiðfeng; fingras burston.
759
Eoten wæs utweard; eorl furþur stop.
760
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swa,
761
widre gewindan ond on weg þanon
762
fleon on fenhopu; wiste his fingra geweald
763
on grames grapum. þæt wæs geocor sið
764
þæt se hearmscaþa to Heorute ateah.
765
Dryhtsele dynede; Denum eallum wearð,
766
ceasterbuendum, cenra gehwylcum,
767
eorlum ealuscerwen. Yrre wæron begen,
768
reþe renweardas. Reced hlynsode.
769
þa wæs wundor micel þæt se winsele
770
wiðhæfde heaþodeorum, þæt he on hrusan ne feol,
771
fæger foldbold; ac he þæs fæste wæs
772
innan ond utan irenbendum
773
searoþoncum besmiþod. þær fram sylle abeag
774
medubenc monig, mine gefræge,
775
golde geregnad, þær þa graman wunnon.
776
þæs ne wendon ær witan Scyldinga
777
þæt hit a mid gemete manna ænig,
778
betlic ond banfag, tobrecan meahte,
779
listum tolucan, nymþe liges fæþm
780
swulge on swaþule. Sweg up astag
781
niwe geneahhe; Norðdenum stod
782
atelic egesa, anra gehwylcum
783
þara þe of wealle wop gehyrdon,
784
gryreleoð galan godes ondsacan,
785
sigeleasne sang, sar wanigean
786
helle hæfton. Heold hine fæste
787
se þe manna wæs mægene strengest
788
on þæm dæge þysses lifes.
789
Nolde eorla hleo ænige þinga
790
þone cwealmcuman cwicne forlætan,
791
ne his lifdagas leoda ænigum
792
nytte tealde. þær genehost brægd
793
eorl Beowulfes ealde lafe,
794
wolde freadrihtnes feorh ealgian,
795
mæres þeodnes, ðær hie meahton swa.
796
Hie þæt ne wiston, þa hie gewin drugon,
797
heardhicgende hildemecgas,
798
ond on healfa gehwone heawan þohton,
799
sawle secan, þone synscaðan

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