Beowulf

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

900
eafoð ond ellen. He mid Eotenum wearð
901
on feonda geweald forð forlacen,
902
snude forsended. Hine sorhwylmas
903
lemede to lange; he his leodum wearð,
904
eallum æþellingum to aldorceare;
905
swylce oft bemearn ærran mælum
906
swiðferhþes sið snotor ceorl monig,
907
se þe him bealwa to bote gelyfde,
908
þæt þæt ðeodnes bearn geþeon scolde,
909
fæderæþelum onfon, folc gehealdan,
910
hord ond hleoburh, hæleþa rice,
911
ᛟ Scyldinga. He þær eallum wearð,
912
mæg Higelaces, manna cynne,
913
freondum gefægra; hine fyren onwod.
914
Hwilum flitende fealwe stræte
915
mearum mæton. ða wæs morgenleoht
916
scofen ond scynded. Eode scealc monig
917
swiðhicgende to sele þam hean
918
searowundor seon; swylce self cyning
919
of brydbure, beahhorda weard,
920
tryddode tirfæst getrume micle,
921
cystum gecyþed, ond his cwen mid him
922
medostigge mæt mægþa hose.
923
Hroðgar maþelode (he to healle geong,
924
stod on stapole, geseah steapne hrof,
925
golde fahne, ond Grendles hond):
926
"ðisse ansyne alwealdan þanc
927
lungre gelimpe! Fela ic laþes gebad,
928
grynna æt Grendle; a mæg god wyrcan
929
wunder æfter wundre, wuldres hyrde.
930
ðæt wæs ungeara þæt ic ænigra me
931
weana ne wende to widan feore
932
bote gebidan, þonne blode fah
933
husa selest heorodreorig stod,
934
wea widscofen witena gehwylcum
935
ðara þe ne wendon þæt hie wideferhð
936
leoda landgeweorc laþum beweredon
937
scuccum ond scinnum. Nu scealc hafað
938
þurh drihtnes miht dæd gefremede
939
ðe we ealle ær ne meahton
940
snyttrum besyrwan. Hwæt, þæt secgan mæg
941
efne swa hwylc mægþa swa ðone magan cende
942
æfter gumcynnum, gyf heo gyt lyfað,
943
þæt hyre ealdmetod este wære
944
bearngebyrdo. Nu ic, Beowulf, þec,
945
secg betsta, me for sunu wylle
946
freogan on ferhþe; heald forð tela
947
niwe sibbe. Ne bið þe nænigra gad
948
worolde wilna, þe ic geweald hæbbe.
949
Ful oft ic for læssan lean teohhode,
950
hordweorþunge hnahran rince,
951
sæmran æt sæcce. þu þe self hafast
952
dædum gefremed þæt þin dom lyfað
953
awa to aldre. Alwalda þec
954
gode forgylde, swa he nu gyt dyde!"
955
Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecþeowes:
956
"We þæt ellenweorc estum miclum,
957
feohtan fremedon, frecne geneðdon
958
eafoð uncuþes. Uþe ic swiþor
959
þæt ðu hine selfne geseon moste,
960
feond on frætewum fylwerigne.
961
Ic hine hrædlice heardan clammum
962
on wælbedde wriþan þohte,
963
þæt he for mundgripe minum scolde
964
licgean lifbysig, butan his lic swice.
965
Ic hine ne mihte, þa metod nolde,
966
ganges getwæman, no ic him þæs georne ætfealh,
967
feorhgeniðlan; wæs to foremihtig
968
feond on feþe. Hwæþere he his folme forlet
969
to lifwraþe last weardian,
970
earm ond eaxle. No þær ænige swa þeah
971
feasceaft guma frofre gebohte;
972
no þy leng leofað laðgeteona,
973
synnum geswenced, ac hyne sar hafað
974
mid nydgripe nearwe befongen,
975
balwon bendum. ðær abidan sceal
976
maga mane fah miclan domes,
977
hu him scir metod scrifan wille."
978
ða wæs swigra secg, sunu Eclafes,
979
on gylpspræce guðgeweorca,
980
siþðan æþelingas eorles cræfte
981
ofer heanne hrof hand sceawedon,
982
feondes fingras. Foran æghwylc wæs,
983
stiðra nægla gehwylc, style gelicost,
984
hæþenes handsporu hilderinces,
985
egl, unheoru. æghwylc gecwæð
986
þæt him heardra nan hrinan wolde
987
iren ærgod, þæt ðæs ahlæcan
988
blodge beadufolme onberan wolde.
989
ða wæs haten hreþe Heort innanweard
990
folmum gefrætwod. Fela þæra wæs,
991
wera ond wifa, þe þæt winreced,
992
gestsele gyredon. Goldfag scinon
993
web æfter wagum, wundorsiona fela
994
secga gehwylcum þara þe on swylc starað.
995
Wæs þæt beorhte bold tobrocen swiðe,
996
eal inneweard irenbendum fæst,
997
heorras tohlidene. Hrof ana genæs,
998
ealles ansund, þe se aglæca,
999
fyrendædum fag, on fleam gewand,

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