by Beowulf
“hwæðre him sīo swīðre swaðe weardade
2100 “hand on Hiorte and hē hēan þonan,
“mōdes geōmor mere-grund gefēoll.
“Mē þone wæl-rǣs wine Scildunga
“fǣttan golde fela lēanode,
“manegum māðmum, syððan mergen cōm
2105 “and wē tō symble geseten hæfdon.
“Þǣr wæs gidd and glēo; gomela Scilding
“fela fricgende feorran rehte;
“hwīlum hilde-dēor hearpan wynne,
“gomen-wudu grētte; hwīlum gyd āwræc
2110 “sōð and sārlīc; hwīlum syllīc spell
“rehte æfter rihte rūm-heort cyning.
“Hwīlum eft ongan eldo gebunden,
“gomel gūð-wiga gioguðe cwīðan
“hilde-strengo; hreðer inne wēoll,
2115 “þonne hē wintrum frōd worn gemunde.
“Swā wē þǣr inne andlangne dæg
“nīode nāman, oð þæt niht becwōm
“ōðer tō yldum. Þā wæs eft hraðe
“gearo gyrn-wræce Grendeles mōdor,
2120 “sīðode sorh-full; sunu dēað fornam,
“wīg-hete Wedra. Wīf unhy¯re
“hyre bearn gewræc, beorn ācwealde
“ellenlīce; þǣr wæs Æsc-here,
“frōdan fyrn-witan, feorh ūðgenge;
2125 “nōðer hy¯ hine ne mōston, syððan mergen cwōm,
“dēað-wērigne Denia lēode
“bronde forbærnan, nē on bǣl hladan
“lēofne mannan: hīo þæt līc ætbær
“fēondes fæðmum under firgen-strēam.
2130 “Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre hrēowa tornost
“þāra þe lēod-fruman lange begeāte;
“þā se þēoden mec þīne līfe
“healsode hrēoh-mōd, þæt ic on holma geþring
“eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genēðde,
2135 “mǣrðo fremede: hē mē mēde gehēt.
“Ic þā þæs wælmes, þē is wīde cūð,
“grimne gryrelīcne grund-hyrde fond.
“Þǣr unc hwīle wæs hand gemǣne;
“holm heolfre wēoll and ic hēafde becearf
2140 “in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor
“ēacnum ecgum, unsōfte þonan
“feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gy¯t,
“ac mē eorla hlēo eft gesealde
“māðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC’S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.
2145 “Swā se þēod-kyning þēawum lyfde;
“nealles ic þām lēanum forloren hæfde,
“mægnes mēde, ac hē mē māðmas geaf,
“sunu Healfdenes, on sīnne sylfes dōm;
“þā ic þē, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
2150 “ēstum gey¯wan. Gēn is eall æt þē
“lissa gelong: ic ly¯t hafo
“hēafod-māga, nefne Hygelāc þec!”
Hēt þā in beran eafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm, hāre byrnan,
2155 gūð-sweord geatolīc, gyd æfter wræc:
“Mē þis hilde-sceorp Hrōðgār sealde,
“snotra fengel, sume worde hēt,
“þæt ic his ǣrest þē eft gesægde,
“cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogār cyning,
2160 “lēod Scyldunga lange hwīle:
“nō þy¯ ǣr suna sīnum syllan wolde,
“hwatum Heorowearde, þēah hē him hold wǣre,
“brēost-gewǣdu. Brūc ealles well!”
Hy¯rde ic þæt þām frætwum fēower mēaras
2165 lungre gelīce lāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe; hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma. Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-net ōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræfte dēað rēnian
2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum, nefa swy¯ðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrum hrōðra gemyndig.
Hy¯rde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah Hygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum, þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,
2175 þēodnes dōhtor, þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þege brēost geweorðod.
Swā bealdode bearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð, gōdum dǣdum,
2180 drēah æfter dōme, nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas; næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnes mǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife, þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor. Hēan wæs lange,
2185 swā hyne Gēata bearn gōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne
drihten wereda gedōn wolde;
swy¯ðe oft sægdon, þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom: edwenden cwōm
2190 tīr-ēadigum menn torna gehwylces.
Hēt þā eorla hlēo in gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning, Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede; næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlra on sweordes hād;
2195 þæt hē on Bīowulfes bearm ālegde,
and him gesealde seofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl. Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipe lond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht, ōðrum swīðor
2200 sīde rīce, þām þǣr sēlra wæs.
Eft þæt geīode ufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum, syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēde hilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðan tō bonan wurdon,
2205 þā hyne gesōhtan on sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces.
Syððan Bēowulfe brāde rīce
on hand gehwearf: hē gehēold tela
2210 fīftig wintru (wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard), oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtum draca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðe hord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne: stīg under læg,
2215 eldum uncūð. Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylces nēode gefēng
hǣðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fāhne, hē þæt syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g
2220 slǣpende be fy¯re, fyrena hyrde
þēofes cræfte, þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn, þæt hē gebolgen wæs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd,
2225 ac for þrēa-nēdlan þēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearna hete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfe and þǣr inne fealh
secg syn-bysig. Sōna in þā tīde
þæt . . . . . þām gyste . . . . br . g . stōd,
2230 hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat,
sinc-fæt geseah: þǣr wæs swylcra fela
in þām eorð-scræfe ǣr-gestrēona,
swā hy¯ on geār-dagum gumena nāt-hwylc
2235 eormen-lāfe æðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende þǣr gehy¯dde,
dēore māðmas. Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum, and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe, sē þǣr lengest hwearf,
2240 weard wine-geōmor wīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē ly¯tel fæc long-gestrēona
brūcan mōste. Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge wæter-y¯ðum nēah,
nīwe be næsse nearo-cræftum fæst:
2245 þǣr on innan bær eorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dǣl
<
br /> fǣttan goldes, fēa worda cwæð:
“Heald þū nū, hrūse, nū hæleð ne mōston,
“eorla ǣhte. Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē
2250 “gōde begeāton; gūð-dēað fornam,
“feorh-bealo frēcne fy¯ra gehwylcne,
“lēoda mīnra, þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
“gesāwon sele-drēam. Nāh hwā sweord wege
“oððe fetige fǣted wǣge,
2255 “drync-fæt dēore: duguð ellor scōc.
“Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde
“fǣtum befeallen: feormiend swefað,
“þā þe beado-grīman by¯wan sceoldon,
“gē swylce sēo here-pād, sīo æt hilde gebād
2260 “ofer borda gebræc bite īrena,
“brosnað æfter beorne. Ne mæg byrnan hring
“æfter wīg-fruman wīde fēran
“hæleðum be healfe; næs hearpan wyn,
“gomen glēo-bēames, nē gōd hafoc
2265 “geond sæl swingeð, nē se swifta mearh
“burh-stede bēateð. Bealo-cwealm hafað
“fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended!”
Swā giōmor-mōd giohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallum unblīðe hwēop,
2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaða opene standan,
sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð
nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð
2275 fy¯re befangen; hyne fold-būend
wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall
hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold
warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl.
Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra
2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum
ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh
mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær
fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd
hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod,
2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad
fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode
fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe.
Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad;
stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand
2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp,
dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah.
Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte
2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode:
hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon
wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh,
2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf,
sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand,
þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm;
2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde,
wolde se lāða līge forgyldan
drinc-fæt dy¯re. Þā wæs dæg sceacen
wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng
bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr,
2310 fy¯re gefy¯sed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc
lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod.
XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.
Þā se gæst ongan glēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan; bryne-lēoma stōd
2315 eldum on andan; nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-floga lǣfan wolde.
Wæs þæs wyrmes wīg wīde gesy¯ne,
nearo-fāges nīð nēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaða Gēata lēode
2320 hatode and hy¯nde: hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnne ǣr dæges hwīle.
Hæfde land-wara līge befangen,
bǣle and bronde; beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles: him sēo wēn gelēah.
2325 Þā wæs Bīowulfe brōga gecy¯ðed
snūde tō sōðe, þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlest bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stōl Gēata. Þæt þām gōdan wæs
hrēow on hreðre, hyge-sorga mǣst:
2330 wēnde se wīsa, þæt hē wealdende,
ofer ealde riht, ēcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge: brēost innan wēoll
þēostrum geþoncum, swā him geþy¯we ne wæs.
Hæfde līg-draca lēoda fæsten,
2335 ēa-lond ūtan, eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden. Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden, wræce leornode.
Heht him þā gewyrcean wīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne, eorla dryhten
2340 wīg-bord wrǣtlīc; wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge. Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōd ende gebīdan
worulde līfes and se wyrm somod;
2345 þēah þe hord-welan hēolde lange.
Oferhogode þā hringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-flogan weorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge; nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīg for wiht dyde,
2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðende nīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma, syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg, sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāp Grendeles mǣgum,
2355 lāðan cynnes. Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota, þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyning gūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folces Frēslondum on,
Hrēðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt,
2360 bille gebēaten; þonan Bīowulf cōm
sylfes cræfte, sund-nytte drēah;
hæfde him on earme ... XXX
hilde-geatwa, þā hē tō holme stāg.
Nealles Hetware hrēmge þorfton
2365 fēðe-wīges, þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron: ly¯t eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecan hāmes nīosan.
Oferswam þā sioleða bigong sunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-haga eft tō lēodum,
2370 þǣr him Hygd gebēad hord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl: bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcum ēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe, þā wæs Hygelāc dēad.
Nō þy¯ ǣr fēa-sceafte findan meahton
2375 æt þām æðelinge ǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēde hlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōm cīosan wolde;
hwæðre hē him on folce frēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre, oð þæt hē yldra wearð,
2380 Weder-Gēatum wēold. Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan, suna Ōhteres:
hæfdon hy¯ forhealden helm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestan sǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīce sinc brytnade,
2385 mǣrne þēoden. Him þæt tō mearce wearð;
hē þǣr orfeorme feorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelāces;
and him eft gewāt Ongenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan, syððan Heardrēd læg;
2390 lēt þone brego-stōl Bīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan: þæt wæs gōd cyning.
XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BĒOWULF. — STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.
Sē þæs lēod-hryres lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum, Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond. Folce gestepte
2395 ofer sǣ sīde sunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum: hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum, cyning ealdre bin
ēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþīowes,
2400 ellen-weorca, oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa sum torne gebolgen
dryhten Gēata dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen, hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
2405 bealo-nīð biorna; him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣre þurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēate þreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orleges ōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor, sceolde hēan þonon
2410 wong wīsian: hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-sele ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan holm-wylme nēh,
y¯ð-gewinne, sē wæs innan full
wrǣtta and wīra: weard unhīore,
2415 gearo gūð-freca, gold-māðmas hēold,
eald under eorðan; næs þæt y¯ðe cēap,
tō gegangenne gumena ǣnigum.
Gesæt þā on næsse nīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēad heorð-genēatum
2420 gold-wine Gēata: him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs, Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelan grētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord, sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce: nō þon lange wæs
2425 feorh æðelinges flǣsce bewunden.
Bīowulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Fela ic on giogoðe guð-rǣsa genæs,
“orleg-hwīla: ic þæt eall gemon.
“Ic wæs syfan-wintre, þā mec sinca baldor,
2430 “frēa-wine folca æt mīnum fæder genam,
“hēold mec and hæfde Hrēðel cyning,
“geaf mē sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;
“næs ic him tō līfe lāðra ōwihte
“beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,
2435 “Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelāc mīn.
“Wæs þām yldestan ungedēfelīce
“mǣges dǣdum morðor-bed strēd,
“syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,
“his frēa-wine flāne geswencte,
2440 “miste mercelses and his mǣg ofscēt,
“brōðor ōðerne, blōdigan gāre:
“þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad
“hreðre hyge-mēðe; sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
“æðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2445 “Swā bið geōmorlīc gomelum ceorle
“tō gebīdanne, þæt his byre rīde
“giong on galgan, þonne hē gyd wrece,
“sārigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað
“hrefne tō hrōðre and hē him helpe ne mæg,
2450 “eald and in-frōd, ǣnige gefremman.
“Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce