Beowulf

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

800
ænig ofer eorþan irenna cyst,
801
guðbilla nan, gretan nolde,
802
ac he sigewæpnum forsworen hæfde,
803
ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldorgedal
804
on ðæm dæge þysses lifes
805
earmlic wurðan, ond se ellorgast
806
on feonda geweald feor siðian.
807
ða þæt onfunde se þe fela æror
808
modes myrðe manna cynne,
809
fyrene gefremede (he wæs fag wið god),
810
þæt him se lichoma læstan nolde,
811
ac hine se modega mæg Hygelaces
812
hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæþer oðrum
813
lifigende lað. Licsar gebad
814
atol æglæca; him on eaxle wearð
815
syndolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon,
816
burston banlocan. Beowulfe wearð
817
guðhreð gyfeþe; scolde Grendel þonan
818
feorhseoc fleon under fenhleoðu,
819
secean wynleas wic; wiste þe geornor
820
þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen,
821
dogera dægrim. Denum eallum wearð
822
æfter þam wælræse willa gelumpen.
823
Hæfde þa gefælsod se þe ær feorran com,
824
snotor ond swyðferhð, sele Hroðgares,
825
genered wið niðe; nihtweorce gefeh,
826
ellenmærþum. Hæfde Eastdenum
827
Geatmecga leod gilp gelæsted,
828
swylce oncyþðe ealle gebette,
829
inwidsorge, þe hie ær drugon
830
ond for þreanydum þolian scoldon,
831
torn unlytel. þæt wæs tacen sweotol,
832
syþðan hildedeor hond alegde,
833
earm ond eaxle (þær wæs eal geador
834
Grendles grape) under geapne hrof.
835
ða wæs on morgen mine gefræge
836
ymb þa gifhealle guðrinc monig;
837
ferdon folctogan feorran ond nean
838
geond widwegas wundor sceawian,
839
laþes lastas. No his lifgedal
840
sarlic þuhte secga ænegum
841
þara þe tirleases trode sceawode,
842
hu he werigmod on weg þanon,
843
niða ofercumen, on nicera mere
844
fæge ond geflymed feorhlastas bær.
845
ðær wæs on blode brim weallende,
846
atol yða geswing eal gemenged
847
haton heolfre, heorodreore weol.
848
Deaðfæge deog, siððan dreama leas
849
in fenfreoðo feorh alegde,
850
hæþene sawle; þær him hel onfeng.
851
þanon eft gewiton ealdgesiðas,
852
swylce geong manig of gomenwaþe
853
fram mere modge mearum ridan,
854
beornas on blancum. ðær wæs Beowulfes
855
mærðo mæned; monig oft gecwæð
856
þætte suð ne norð be sæm tweonum
857
ofer eormengrund oþer nænig
858
under swegles begong selra nære
859
rondhæbbendra, rices wyrðra.
860
Ne hie huru winedrihten wiht ne logon,
861
glædne Hroðgar, ac þæt wæs god cyning.
862
Hwilum heaþorofe hleapan leton,
863
on geflit faran fealwe mearas
864
ðær him foldwegas fægere þuhton,
865
cystum cuðe. Hwilum cyninges þegn,
866
guma gilphlæden, gidda gemyndig,
867
se ðe ealfela ealdgesegena
868
worn gemunde, word oþer fand
869
soðe gebunden; secg eft ongan
870
sið Beowulfes snyttrum styrian
871
ond on sped wrecan spel gerade,
872
wordum wrixlan. Welhwylc gecwæð
873
þæt he fram Sigemundes secgan hyrde
874
ellendædum, uncuþes fela,
875
Wælsinges gewin, wide siðas,
876
þara þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
877
fæhðe ond fyrena, buton Fitela mid hine,
878
þonne he swulces hwæt secgan wolde,
879
eam his nefan, swa hie a wæron
880
æt niða gehwam nydgesteallan;
881
hæfdon ealfela eotena cynnes
882
sweordum gesæged. Sigemunde gesprong
883
æfter deaðdæge dom unlytel,
884
syþðan wiges heard wyrm acwealde,
885
hordes hyrde. He under harne stan,
886
æþelinges bearn, ana geneðde
887
frecne dæde, ne wæs him Fitela mid.
888
Hwæþre him gesælde ðæt þæt swurd þurhwod
889
wrætlicne wyrm, þæt hit on wealle ætstod,
890
dryhtlic iren; draca morðre swealt.
891
Hæfde aglæca elne gegongen
892
þæt he beahhordes brucan moste
893
selfes dome; sæbat gehleod,
894
bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa,
895
Wælses eafera. Wyrm hat gemealt.
896
Se wæs wreccena wide mærost
897
ofer werþeode, wigendra hleo,
898
ellendædum (he þæs ær onðah),
899
siððan Heremodes hild sweðrode,

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