Swylc wæs þēaw hyra,
hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon,
dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god,
nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon,
wuldres waldend.
hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon,
dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god,
nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon,
wuldres waldend.
Beowulf
Students of the metrical system of
Bēowulf will find ample material for their studies in Sievers' exhaustive
essay on that subject (Beiträge, X. 209-314).
Socin's edition of Heyne's Bēowulf (called the fifth edition) has been
utilized to some extent in this edition, though it unfortunately came too
late to be freely used. While it repeats many of the omissions and
inaccuracies of Heyne's fourth edition, it contains much that is valuable
to the student, particularly in the notes and commentary. Students of the
poem, which has been subjected to much searching criticism during the last
decade, will also derive especial help from the contributions of Sievers
and Kluge on difficult questions appertaining to it. Wülker's new edition
(in the Grein Bibliothek) is of the highest value, however one may dissent
from particular textual views laid down in the 'Berichtigter Text. ' Paul
and Braune's Beiträge contain a varied miscellany of hints, corrections,
and suggestions principally embodying the views of Kluge, Cosijn, Sievers,
and Bugge, some of the more important of which are found in the appendices
to the present and the preceding edition. Holder and Zupitza, Sarrazin and
Hermann Möller (Kiel, 1883), Heinzel (Anzeiger f. d. Alterthum, X. ), Gering
(Zacher's Zeitschrift, XII. ), Brenner (Eng. Studien, IX. ), and the
contributors to Anglia, have assisted materially in the textual and
metrical interpretation of the poem.
The subject of Anglo-Saxon quantity has been discussed in several able
essays by Sievers, Sweet, Ten Brink (Anzeiger, f. d. Alterthum, V. ), Kluge
(Beiträge, XI. ), and others; but so much is uncertain in this field that
the editors have left undisturbed the marking of vowels found in the text
of their original edition, while indicating in the appendices the now
accepted views of scholars on the quantity of the personal pronouns (mē,
wē, þū, þē, gē, hē); the adverb nū, etc. Perhaps it would be best to banish
absolutely all attempts at marking quantities except in cases where the Ms.
has them marked.
An approximately complete Bibliography of Bēowulf literature will be found
in Wülker's Grundriss and in Garnett's translation of the poem.
JAMES A. HARRISON,
ROBERT SHARP.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA. , May, 1888.
NOTE TO THE SECOND REVISED EDITION.
The editors feel so encouraged at the kind reception accorded their edition
of Bēowulf (1883), that, in spite of its many shortcomings, they have
determined to prepare a second revised edition of the book, and thus
endeavor to extend its sphere of usefulness. About twenty errors had,
notwithstanding a vigilant proof-reading, crept into the text,-errors in
single letters, accents, and punctuation. These have been corrected, and it
is hoped that the text has been rendered generally accurate and
trustworthy. In the List of Names one or two corrections have been made,
and in the Glossary numerous mistakes in gender, classification, and
translation, apparently unavoidable in a first edition, have been
rectified. Wherever these mistakes concern single letters, or occupy very
small space, they have been corrected in the plates; where they are longer,
and the expense of correcting them in the plates would have been very
great, the editors have thought it best to include them in an Appendix of
Corrections and Additions, which will be found at the back of the book.
Students are accordingly referred to this Appendix for important longer
corrections and additions. It is believed that the value of the book has
been much enhanced by an Appendix of Recent Readings, based on late
criticisms and essays from the pens of Sievers, Kluge, Cosijn, Holder,
Wülker, and Sweet. A perplexed student, in turning to these suggested
readings, will often find great help in unravelling obscure or corrupt
passages.
The objectionable ä and æ, for the short and the long diphthong, have been
retained in the revised edition, owing to the impossibility of removing
them without entirely recasting the plates.
In conclusion, the editors would acknowledge their great indebtedness to
the friends and critics whose remarks and criticisms have materially aided
in the correction of the text,-particularly to Profs. C. P. G. Scott,
Baskervill, Price, and J. M. Hart; to Prof. J. W. Bright; and to the
authorities of Cornell University, for the loan of periodicals necessary to
the completeness of the revision. While the second revised edition still
contains much that might be improved, the editors cannot but hope that it
is an advance on its predecessor, and that it will continue its work of
extending the study of Old English throughout the land.
JUNE, 1885.
NOTE I.
The present work, carefully edited from Heyne's fourth edition, (Paderborn,
1879), is designed primarily for college classes in Anglo-Saxon, rather
than for independent investigators or for seekers after a restored or ideal
text. The need of an American edition of "Bēowulf" has long been felt, as,
hitherto, students have had either to send to Germany for a text, or
secure, with great trouble, one of the scarce and expensive English
editions. Heyne's first edition came out in 1863, and was followed in 1867
and 1873 by a second and a third edition, all three having essentially the
same text.
So many important contributions to the "Bēowulf" literature were, however,
made between 1873 and 1879 that Heyne found it necessary to put forth a new
edition (1879). In this new, last edition, the text was subjected to a
careful revision, and was fortified by the views, contributions, and
criticisms of other zealous scholars. In it the collation of the unique
"Bēowulf" Ms. (Vitellius A. 15: Cottonian Mss. of the British Museum), as
made by E. Kölbing in Herrig's Archiv (Bd. 56; 1876), was followed wherever
the present condition of the Ms. had to be discussed; and the researches of
Bugge, Bieger, and others, on single passages, were made use of. The
discussion of the metrical structure of the poem, as occurring in the
second and third editions, was omitted in the fourth, owing to the many
controversies in which the subject is still involved. The present editor
has thought it best to do the same, though, happily, the subject of Old
English Metrik is undergoing a steady illumination through the labors of
Schipper and others.
Some errors and misplaced accents in Heyne's text have been corrected in
the present edition, in which, as in the general revision of the text, the
editor has been most kindly aided by Prof. J. M. Garnett, late Principal of
St. John's College, Maryland.
In the preparation of the present school edition it has been thought best
to omit Heyne's notes, as they concern themselves principally with
conjectural emendations, substitutions of one reading for another, and
discussions of the condition of the Ms. Until Wülker's text and the
photographic fac-simile of the original Ms. are in the hands of all
scholars, it will be better not to introduce such matters in the school
room, where they would puzzle without instructing.
For convenience of reference, the editor has added a head-line to each
"fit" of the poem, with a view to facilitate a knowledge of its episodes.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA. , June, 1882.
NOTE II.
The editors now have the pleasure of presenting to the public a complete
text and a tolerably complete glossary of "Bēowulf. " The edition is the
first published in America, and the first of its special kind presented to
the English public, and it is the initial volume of a "Library of
Anglo-Saxon Poetry," to be edited under the same auspices and with the
coöperation of distinguished scholars in this country. Among these scholars
may be mentioned Professors F. A. March of Lafayette College, T. K. Price of
Columbia College, and W. M. Baskervill of Vanderbilt University.
In the preparation of the Glossary the editors found it necessary to
abandon a literal and exact translation of Heyne for several reasons, and
among others from the fact that Heyne seems to be wrong in the translation
of some of his illustrative quotations, and even translates the same
passage in two or three different ways under different headings. The
orthography of his glossary differs considerably from the orthography of
his text. He fails to discriminate with due nicety the meanings of many of
the words in his vocabulary, while criticism more recent than his latest
edition (1879) has illustrated or overthrown several of his renderings. The
references were found to be incorrect in innumerable instances, and had to
be verified in every individual case so far as this was possible, a few
only, which resisted all efforts at verification, having to be indicated by
an interrogation point (? ). The references are exceedingly numerous, and
the labor of verifying them was naturally great. To many passages in the
Glossary, where Heyne's translation could not be trusted with entire
certainty, the editors have added other translations of phrases and
sentences or of special words; and in this they have been aided by a
careful study of the text and a comparison and utilization of the views of
Kemble and Professor J. M. Garnett (who takes Grein for his foundation).
Many new references have been added; and the various passages in which
Heyne fails to indicate whether a given verb is weak or strong, or fails to
point out the number, etc. , of the illustrative form, have been corrected
and made to harmonize with the general plan of the work. Numerous misprints
in the glossary have also been corrected, and a brief glossary to the
Finnsburh-fragment, prepared by Dr. Wm. Hand Browne, and supplemented and
adapted by the editor-in-chief, has been added.
The editors think that they may without immodesty put forth for themselves
something more than the claim of being re-translators of a translation: the
present edition is, so far as they were able to make it so, an adaptation,
correction, and extension of the work of the great German scholar to whose
loving appreciation of the Anglo-Saxon epic all students of Old English owe
a debt of gratitude. While following his usually sure and cautious
guidance, and in the main appropriating his results, they have thought it
best to deviate from him in the manner above indicated, whenever it seemed
that he was wrong. The careful reader will notice at once the marks of
interrogation which point out these deviations, or which introduce a point
of view illustrative of, or supplementary to, the one given by the German
editor. No doubt the editors are wrong themselves in many places,-"Bēowulf"
is a most difficult poem,-but their view may at least be defended by a
reference to the original text, which they have faithfully and constantly
consulted.
A good many cognate Modern English words have been introduced here and
there in the Glossary with a view to illustration, and other addenda will
be found between brackets and parenthetical marks.
It is hoped that the present edition of the most famous of Old English
poems will do something to promote a valuable and interesting study.
JAMES A. HARRISON, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.
ROBERT SHARP, University of Louisiana, New Orleans.
April, 1883.
The responsibility of the editors is as follows: H. is responsible for the
Text, and for the Glossary from hrīnan on; S. for the List of Names, and
for the Glossary as far as hrīnan.
ARGUMENT.
The only national [Anglo-Saxon] epic which has been preserved entire is
Bēowulf. Its argument is briefly as follows:-The poem opens with a few
verses in praise of the Danish Kings, especially Scild, the son of Sceaf.
His death is related, and his descendants briefly traced down to Hroðgar.
Hroðgar, elated with his prosperity and success in war, builds a
magnificent hall, which he calls Heorot. In this hall Hroðgar and his
retainers live in joy and festivity, until a malignant fiend, called
Grendel, jealous of their happiness, carries off by night thirty of
Hroðgar's men, and devours them in his moorland retreat. These ravages go
on for twelve years. Bēowulf, a thane of Hygelac, King of the Goths,
hearing of Hroðgar's calamities, sails from Sweden with fourteen
warriors-to help him. They reach the Danish coast in safety; and, after an
animated parley with Hroðgar's coastguard, who at first takes them for
pirates, they are allowed to proceed to the royal hall, where they are well
received by Hroðgar. A banquet ensues, during which Bēowulf is taunted by
the envious Hunferhð about his swimming-match with Breca, King of the
Brondings. Bēowulf gives the true account of the contest, and silences
Hunferhð. At night-fall the King departs, leaving Bēowulf in charge of the
hall. Grendel soon breaks in, seizes and devours one of Bēowulf's
companions; is attacked by Bēowulf, and, after losing an arm, which is torn
off by Bēowulf, escapes to the fens. The joy of Hroðgar and the Danes, and
their festivities, are described, various episodes are introduced, and
Bēowulf and his companions receive splendid gifts. The next night Grendel's
mother revenges her son by carrying off AEschere, the friend and councillor
of Hroðgar, during the absence of Bēowulf. Hroðgar appeals to Bēowulf for
vengeance, and describes the haunts of Grendel and his mother. They all
proceed thither; the scenery of the lake, and the monsters that dwell in
it, are described. Bēowulf plunges into the water, and attacks Grendel's
mother in her dwelling at the bottom of the lake. He at length overcomes
her, and cuts off her head, together with that of Grendel, and brings the
heads to Hroðgar. He then takes leave of Hroðgar, sails back to Sweden, and
relates his adventures to Hygelac. Here the first half of the poem ends.
The second begins with the accession of Bēowulf to the throne, after the
fall of Hygelac and his son Heardred. He rules prosperously for fifty
years, till a dragon, brooding over a hidden treasure, begins to ravage the
country, and destroys Bēowulf's palace with fire. Bēowulf sets out in quest
of its hiding-place, with twelve men. Having a presentiment of his
approaching end, he pauses and recalls to mind his past life and exploits.
He then takes leave of his followers, one by one, and advances alone to
attack the dragon. Unable, from the heat, to enter the cavern, he shouts
aloud, and the dragon comes forth. The dragon's scaly hide is proof against
Bēowulf's sword, and he is reduced to great straits. Then Wiglaf, one of
his followers, advances to help him. Wiglaf's shield is consumed by the
dragon's fiery breath, and he is compelled to seek shelter under Bēowulf's
shield of iron. Bēowulf's sword snaps asunder, and he is seized by the
dragon. Wiglaf stabs the dragon from underneath, and Bēowulf cuts it in two
with his dagger. Feeling that his end is near, he bids Wiglaf bring out the
treasures from the cavern, that he may see them before he dies. Wiglaf
enters the dragon's den, which is described, returns to Bēowulf, and
receives his last commands. Bēowulf dies, and Wiglaf bitterly reproaches
his companions for their cowardice. The disastrous consequences of
Bēowulf's death are then foretold, and the poem ends with his funeral. -H.
Sweet, in Warton's History of English Poetry, Vol. II. (ed. 1871). Cf. also
Ten Brink's History of English Literature.
BĒOWULF.
I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.
Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena in geār-dagum
þēod-cyninga þrym gefrūnon,
hū þā æðelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scēfing sceaðena þrēatum,
5 monegum mǣgðum meodo-setla oftēah.
Egsode eorl, syððan ǣrest wearð
fēa-sceaft funden: hē þæs frōfre gebād,
wēox under wolcnum, weorð-myndum ðāh,
oð þæt him ǣghwylc þāra ymb-sittendra
10 ofer hron-rāde hȳran scolde,
gomban gyldan: þæt wæs gōd cyning!
þǣm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone god sende
folce tō frōfre; fyren-þearfe ongeat,
15 þæt hīe ǣr drugon aldor-lēase
lange hwīle. Him þæs līf-frēa,
wuldres wealdend, worold-āre forgeaf;
Bēowulf wæs brēme (blǣd wīde sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.
20 Swā sceal geong guma, gōde gewyrcean,
fromum feoh-giftum on fæder wine,
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wil-gesīðas, þonne wīg cume,
lēode gelǣsten: lof-dǣdum sceal
25 in mǣgða gehwǣre man geþēon.
Him þā Scyld gewāt tō gescæp-hwīle
fela-hrōr fēran on frēan wǣre;
hī hyne þā ætbǣron tō brimes faroðe.
swǣse gesīðas, swā hē selfa bæd,
30 þenden wordum wēold wine Scyldinga,
lēof land-fruma lange āhte.
Þǣr æt hȳðe stōd hringed-stefna,
īsig and ūtfūs, æðelinges fær;
ā-lēdon þā lēofne þēoden,
35 bēaga bryttan on bearm scipes,
mǣrne be mæste. Þǣr wæs mādma fela,
of feor-wegum frætwa gelǣded:
ne hȳrde ic cȳmlīcor cēol gegyrwan
hilde-wǣpnum and heaðo-wǣdum,
40 billum and byrnum; him on bearme læg
mādma mænigo, þā him mid scoldon
on flōdes ǣht feor gewītan.
Nalas hī hine lǣssan lācum tēodan,
þēod-gestrēonum, þonne þā dydon,
45 þē hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
ǣnne ofer ȳðe umbor wesende:
þā gȳt hīe him āsetton segen gyldenne
hēah ofer hēafod, lēton holm beran,
gēafon on gār-secg: him wæs geōmor sefa,
50 murnende mōd. Men ne cunnon
secgan tō soðe sele-rǣdende,
hæleð under heofenum, hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng.
II. THE HALL HEOROT.
Þā wæs on burgum Bēowulf Scyldinga,
lēof lēod-cyning, longe þrāge
55 folcum gefrǣge (fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), oð þæt him eft onwōc
hēah Healfdene; hēold þenden lifde,
gamol and gūð-rēow, glæde Scyldingas.
Þǣm fēower bearn forð-gerīmed
60 in worold wōcun, weoroda rǣswan,
Heorogār and Hrōðgār and Hālga til;
hȳrde ic, þat Elan cwēn Ongenþēowes wæs
Heaðoscilfinges heals-gebedde.
Þā wæs Hrōðgāre here-spēd gyfen,
65 wīges weorð-mynd, þæt him his wine-māgas
georne hȳrdon, oð þæt sēo geogoð gewēox,
mago-driht micel. Him on mōd bearn,
þæt heal-reced hātan wolde,
medo-ærn micel men gewyrcean,
70 þone yldo bearn ǣfre gefrūnon,
and þǣr on innan eall gedǣlan
geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde,
būton folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Þā ic wīde gefrægn weorc gebannan
75 manigre mǣgðe geond þisne middan-geard,
folc-stede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp
ǣdre mid yldum, þæt hit wearð eal gearo,
heal-ærna mǣst; scōp him Heort naman,
sē þe his wordes geweald wīde hæfde.
80 Hē bēot ne ālēh, bēagas dǣlde,
sinc æt symle. Sele hlīfade
hēah and horn-gēap: heaðo-wylma bād,
lāðan līges; ne wæs hit lenge þā gēn
þæt se ecg-hete āðum-swerian
85 æfter wæl-nīðe wæcnan scolde.
Þā se ellen-gǣst earfoðlīce
þrāge geþolode, sē þe in þȳstrum bād,
þæt hē dōgora gehwām drēam gehȳrde
hlūdne in healle; þǣr wæs hearpan swēg,
90 swutol sang scopes. Sægde sē þe cūðe
frum-sceaft fīra feorran reccan,
cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte,
wlite-beorhtne wang, swā wæter bebūgeð,
gesette sige-hrēðig sunnan and mōnan
95 lēoman tō lēohte land-būendum,
and gefrætwade foldan scēatas
leomum and lēafum; līf ēac gesceōp
cynna gehwylcum, þāra þe cwice hwyrfað.
Swā þā driht-guman drēamum lifdon
100 ēadiglīce, oð þæt ān ongan
fyrene fremman, fēond on helle:
wæs se grimma gæst Grendel hāten,
mǣre mearc-stapa, sē þe mōras hēold,
fen and fæsten; fīfel-cynnes eard
105 won-sǣlig wer weardode hwīle,
siððan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde.
In Caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc,
ēce drihten, þæs þe hē Ābel slōg;
ne gefeah hē þǣre fǣhðe, ac hē hine feor forwræc,
110 metod for þȳ māne man-cynne fram.
Þanon untȳdras ealle onwōcon,
eotenas and ylfe and orcnēas,
swylce gīgantas, þā wið gode wunnon
lange þrāge; hē him þæs lēan forgeald.
III. GRENDEL'S VISITS.
115 Gewāt þā nēosian, syððan niht becōm,
hēan hūses, hū hit Hring-Dene
æfter bēor-þege gebūn hæfdon.
Fand þā þǣr inne æðelinga gedriht
swefan æfter symble; sorge ne cūðon,
120 won-sceaft wera. Wiht unhǣlo
grim and grǣdig gearo sōna wæs,
rēoc and rēðe, and on ræste genam
þrītig þegna: þanon eft gewāt
hūðe hrēmig tō hām faran,
125 mid þǣre wæl-fylle wīca nēosan.
Þā wæs on ūhtan mid ǣr-dæge
Grendles gūð-cræft gumum undyrne:
þā wæs æfter wiste wōp up āhafen,
micel morgen-swēg. Mǣre þēoden,
130 æðeling ǣr-gōd, unblīðe sæt,
þolode þrȳð-swȳð, þegn-sorge drēah,
syððan hīe þæs lāðan lāst scēawedon,
wergan gāstes; wæs þæt gewin tō strang,
lāð and longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst,
135 ac ymb āne niht eft gefremede
morð-beala māre and nō mearn fore
fǣhðe and fyrene; wæs tō fæst on þām.
Þā wæs ēað-fynde, þē him elles hwǣr
gerūmlīcor ræste sōhte,
140 bed æfter būrum, þā him gebēacnod wæs,
gesægd sōðlīce sweotolan tācne
heal-þegnes hete; hēold hine syððan
fyr and fæstor, sē þǣm fēonde ætwand.
Swā rīxode and wið rihte wan
145 āna wið eallum, oð þæt īdel stōd
hūsa sēlest. Wæs sēo hwīl micel:
twelf wintra tīd torn geþolode
wine Scyldinga, wēana gehwelcne,
sīdra sorga; forþām syððan wearð
150 ylda bearnum undyrne cūð,
gyddum geōmore, þætte Grendel wan,
hwīle wið Hrōðgār;-- hete-nīðas wæg,
fyrene and fǣhðe fela missēra,
singāle sæce, sibbe ne wolde
155 wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga
feorh-bealo feorran, fēo þingian,
nē þǣr nǣnig witena wēnan þorfte
beorhtre bōte tō banan folmum;
atol ǣglǣca ēhtende wæs,
160 deorc dēað-scūa duguðe and geogoðe
seomade and syrede. Sin-nihte hēold
mistige mōras; men ne cunnon,
hwyder hel-rūnan hwyrftum scrīðað.
Swā fela fyrena fēond man-cynnes,
165 atol ān-gengea, oft gefremede
heardra hȳnða; Heorot eardode,
sinc-fāge sel sweartum nihtum
(nō hē þone gif-stōl grētan mōste,
māððum for metode, nē his myne wisse);
170 þæt wæs wrǣc micel wine Scyldinga,
mōdes brecða. Monig-oft gesæt
rīce tō rūne; rǣd eahtedon,
hwæt swīð-ferhðum sēlest wǣre
wið fǣr-gryrum tō gefremmanne.
175 Hwīlum hīe gehēton æt hærg-trafum
wīg-weorðunga, wordum bǣdon,
þæt him gāst-bona gēoce gefremede
wið þēod-þrēaum.
Swylc wæs þēaw hyra,
hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon,
dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god,
nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon,
wuldres waldend. Wā bið þǣm þe sceal
þurh slīðne nīð sāwle bescūfan
185 in fȳres fæðm, frōfre ne wēnan,
wihte gewendan; wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
æfter dēað-dæge drihten sēcean
and tō fæder fæðmum freoðo wilnian.
IV. HYGELAC'S THANE.
Swā þā mǣl-ceare maga Healfdenes
190 singāla sēað; ne mihte snotor hæleð
wēan onwendan: wæs þæt gewin tō swȳð,
lāð and longsum, þē on þā lēode becōm,
nȳd-wracu nīð-grim, niht-bealwa mǣst.
Þæt fram hām gefrægn Higelāces þegn,
195 gōd mid Gēatum, Grendles dǣda:
sē wæs mon-cynnes mægenes strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes,
æðele and ēacen. Hēt him ȳð-lidan
gōdne gegyrwan; cwæð hē gūð-cyning
200 ofer swan-rāde sēcean wolde,
mǣrne þēoden, þā him wæs manna þearf.
Þone sīð-fæt him snotere ceorlas
lȳt-hwōn lōgon, þēah hē him lēof wǣre;
hwetton higerōfne, hǣl scēawedon.
205 Hæfde se gōda Gēata lēoda
cempan gecorone, þāra þe hē cēnoste
findan mihte; fīftȳna sum
sund-wudu sōhte; secg wīsade,
lagu-cræftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
210 Fyrst forð gewāt: flota wæs on ȳðum,
bāt under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; strēamas wundon
sund wið sande; secgas bǣron
on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe,
215 gūð-searo geatolīc; guman ūt scufon,
weras on wil-sīð wudu bundenne.
Gewāt þā ofer wǣg-holm winde gefȳsed
flota fāmig-heals fugle gelīcost,
oð þæt ymb ān-tīd ōðres dōgores
220 wunden-stefna gewaden hæfde,
þæt þā līðende land gesāwon,
brim-clifu blīcan, beorgas stēape,
sīde sǣ-næssas: þā wæs sund liden,
eoletes æt ende. Þanon up hraðe
225 Wedera lēode on wang stigon,
sǣ-wudu sǣldon (syrcan hrysedon,
gūð-gewǣdo); gode þancedon,
þæs þe him ȳð-lāde ēaðe wurdon.
Þā of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
230 sē þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fūslīcu; hine fyrwyt bræc
mōd-gehygdum, hwæt þā men wǣron.
Gewāt him þā tō waroðe wicge rīdan
235 þegn Hrōðgāres, þrymmum cwehte
mægen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frægn:
"Hwæt syndon gē searo-hæbbendra
"byrnum werede, þē þus brontne cēol
"ofer lagu-strǣte lǣdan cwōmon,
240 "hider ofer holmas helmas bǣron?
"Ic wæs ende-sǣta, ǣg-wearde hēold,
"þæt on land Dena lāðra nǣnig
"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
"Nō hēr cūðlīcor cuman ongunnon
245 "lind-hæbbende; nē gē lēafnes-word
"gūð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
"māga gemēdu. Nǣfre ic māran geseah
"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is ēower sum,
"secg on searwum; nis þæt seld-guma
250 "wǣpnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite lēoge,
"ǣnlīc an-sȳn. Nū ic ēower sceal
"frum-cyn witan, ǣr gē fyr heonan
"lēase scēaweras on land Dena
"furður fēran. Nū gē feor-būend,
255 "mere-līðende, mīnne gehȳrað
"ān-fealdne geþōht: ofost is sēlest
"tō gecȳðanne, hwanan ēowre cyme syndon. "
V. THE ERRAND.
Him se yldesta andswarode,
werodes wīsa, word-hord onlēac:
260 "Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode
"and Higelāces heorð-genēatas.
"Wæs mīn fæder folcum gecȳðed,
"æðele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten;
"gebād wintra worn, ǣr hē on weg hwurfe,
265 "gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman
"witena wēl-hwylc wīde geond eorðan. -
"Wē þurh holdne hige hlāford þinne,
"sunu Healfdenes, sēcean cwōmon,
"lēod-gebyrgean: wes þū ūs lārena gōd!
270 "Habbað wē tō þǣm mǣran micel ǣrende
"Deniga frēan; ne sceal þǣr dyrne sum
"wesan, þæs ic wēne. Þū wāst, gif hit is,
"swā wē sōðlice secgan hȳrdon,
"þæt mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nāt hwylc,
275 "dēogol dǣd-hata, deorcum nihtum
"ēaweð þurh egsan uncūðne nīð,
"hȳnðu and hrā-fyl. Ic þæs Hrōðgār mæg
"þurh rūmne sefan rǣd gelǣran,
"hū hē frōd and gōd fēond oferswȳðeð,
280 "gyf him ed-wendan ǣfre scolde
"bealuwa bisigu, bōt eft cuman
"and þā cear-wylmas cōlran wurðað;
"oððe ā syððan earfoð-þrāge,
"þrēa-nȳd þolað, þenden þǣr wunað
285 "on hēah-stede hūsa sēlest. "
Weard maðelode, þǣr on wicge sæt
ombeht unforht: "Ǣghwæðres sceal
"scearp scyld-wiga gescād witan,
"worda and worca, sē þe wēl þenceð.
290 "Ic þæt gehȳre, þæt þis is hold weorod
"frēan Scyldinga. Gewītað forð beran
"wǣpen and gewǣdu, ic ēow wīsige:
"swylce ic magu-þegnas mīne hāte
"wið fēonda gehwone flotan ēowerne,
295 "nīw-tyrwedne nacan on sande
"ārum healdan, oð þæt eft byreð
"ofer lagu-strēamas lēofne mannan
"wudu wunden-hals tō Weder-mearce.
"Gūð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,
300 "þæt þone hilde-rǣs hāl gedīgeð. "
Gewiton him þā fēran (flota stille bād,
seomode on sāle sīd-fæðmed scyp,
on ancre fæst); eofor-līc scionon
ofer hlēor-beran gehroden golde
305 fāh and fȳr-heard, ferh wearde hēold.
Gūðmōde grummon, guman ōnetton,
sigon ætsomne, oð þæt hȳ sæl timbred
geatolīc and gold-fāh ongytan mihton;
þæt wæs fore-mǣrost fold-būendum
310 receda under roderum, on þǣm se rīca bād;
līxte se lēoma ofer landa fela.
Him þā hilde-dēor hof mōdigra
torht getǣhte, þæt hīe him tō mihton
gegnum gangan; gūð-beorna sum
315 wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð:
"Mǣl is mē tō fēran; fæder alwalda
"mid ār-stafum ēowic gehealde
"sīða gesunde! ic tō sǣ wille,
"wið wrāð werod wearde healdan. "
VI. BĒOWULF'S SPEECH.
320 Strǣt wæs stān-fāh, stīg wīsode
gumum ætgædere. Gūð-byrne scān
heard hond-locen, hring-īren scīr
song in searwum, þā hīe tō sele furðum
in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwōmon.
325 Setton sǣ-mēðe sīde scyldas,
rondas regn-hearde wið þæs recedes weal,
bugon þā tō bence; byrnan hringdon,
gūð-searo gumena; gāras stōdon,
sǣ-manna searo, samod ætgædere,
330 æsc-holt ufan grǣg: wæs se īren-þrēat
wǣpnum gewurðad. Þā þǣr wlonc hæleð
ōret-mecgas æfter æðelum frægn:
"Hwanon ferigeað gē fǣtte scyldas,
"grǣge syrcan and grīm-helmas,
335 "here-sceafta hēap? -- Ic eom Hrōðgāres
"ār and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þēodige
"þus manige men mōdiglīcran.
"Wēn' ic þæt gē for wlenco, nalles for wræc-sīðum,
"ac for hige-þrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton. "
340 Him þā ellen-rōf andswarode,
wlanc Wedera lēod word æfter spræc,
heard under helme: "Wē synt Higelāces
"bēod-genēatas; Bēowulf is mīn nama.
"Wille ic āsecgan suna Healfdenes,
345 "mǣrum þēodne mīn ǣrende,
"aldre þīnum, gif hē ūs geunnan wile,
"þæt wē hine swā gōdne grētan mōton. "
Wulfgār maðelode (þæt wæs Wendla lēod,
wæs his mōd-sefa manegum gecȳðed,
350 wīg and wīs-dōm): "ic þæs wine Deniga,
"frēan Scildinga frīnan wille,
"bēaga bryttan, swā þū bēna eart,
"þēoden mǣrne ymb þīnne sīð ;
"and þē þā andsware ǣdre gecȳðan,
355 "þē mē se gōda āgifan þenceð. "
Hwearf þā hrædlīce, þǣr Hrōðgār sæt,
eald and unhār mid his eorla gedriht;
ēode ellen-rōf, þæt hē for eaxlum gestōd
Deniga frēan, cūðe hē duguðe þēaw.
360 Wulfgār maðelode tō his wine-drihtne:
"Hēr syndon geferede feorran cumene
"ofer geofenes begang Gēata lēode:
"þone yldestan ōret-mecgas
"Bēowulf nemnað. Hȳ bēnan synt,
365 "þæt hīe, þēoden mīn, wið þē mōton
"wordum wrixlan; nō þū him wearne getēoh,
"þīnra gegn-cwida glædnian, Hrōðgār!
"Hȳ on wīg-geatwum wyrðe þinceað
"eorla geæhtlan; hūru se aldor dēah,
370 "sē þǣm heaðo-rincum hider wīsade. "
VII. HROTHGAR'S WELCOME.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"Ic hine cūðe cniht-wesende.
"Wæs his eald-fæder Ecgþēo hāten,
"þǣm tō hām forgeaf Hrēðel Gēata
375 "āngan dōhtor; is his eafora nū
"heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine.
"þonne sægdon þæt sǣ-līðende,
"þā þe gif-sceattas Gēata fyredon
"þyder tō þance, þæt hē þrīttiges
380 "manna mægen-cræft on his mund-grīpe
"heaðo-rōf hæbbe. Hine hālig god
"for ār-stafum us onsende,
"tō West-Denum, þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
"wið Grendles gryre: ic þǣm gōdan sceal
385 "for his mōd-þræce mādmas bēodan.
"Bēo þū on ofeste, hāt hig in gān,
"sēon sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere;
"gesaga him ēac wordum, þæt hīe sint wil-cuman
"Deniga lēodum. " Þā wið duru healle
390 Wulfgār ēode, word inne ābēad:
"Ēow hēt secgan sige-drihten mīn,
"aldor Ēast-Dena, þæt hē ēower æðelu can
"and gē him syndon ofer sǣ-wylmas,
"heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 "Nū gē mōton gangan in ēowrum guð-geatawum,
"under here-grīman, Hrōðgār gesēon;
"lǣtað hilde-bord hēr onbidian,
"wudu wæl-sceaftas, worda geþinges. "
Ārās þā se rīca, ymb hine rinc manig,
400 þrȳðlīc þegna hēap; sume þǣr bidon,
heaðo-rēaf hēoldon, swā him se hearda bebēad.
Snyredon ætsomne, þā secg wīsode
under Heorotes hrōf; hyge-rōf ēode,
heard under helme, þæt hē on heoðe gestōd.
405 Bēowulf maðelode (on him byrne scān,
searo-net sēowed smiðes or-þancum):
"Wes þū Hrōðgār hāl! ic eom Higelāces
"mǣg and mago-þegn; hæbbe ic mǣrða fela
"ongunnen on geogoðe. Mē wearð Grendles þing
410 "on mīnre ēðel-tyrf undyrne cūð:
"secgað sǣ-līðend, þæt þes sele stande,
"reced sēlesta, rinca gehwylcum
"īdel and unnyt, siððan ǣfen-lēoht
"under heofenes hādor beholen weorðeð.
415 "Þā mē þæt gelǣrdon lēode mīne,
"þā sēlestan, snotere ceorlas,
"þēoden Hrōðgār, þæt ic þē sōhte;
"forþan hīe mægenes cræft mīnne cūðon:
"selfe ofersāwon, þā ic of searwum cwōm,
420 "fāh from fēondum, þǣr ic fīfe geband,
"ȳðde eotena cyn, and on ȳðum slōg
"niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe drēah,
"wræc Wedera nīð (wēan āhsodon)
"forgrand gramum; and nū wið Grendel sceal,
425 "wið þām āglǣcan, āna gehegan
"þing wið þyrse. Ic þē nū þā,
"brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
"eodor Scyldinga, ānre bēne;
"þæt þū mē ne forwyrne, wīgendra hlēo,
430 "frēo-wine folca, nū ic þus feorran cōm,
"þæt ic mōte āna and mīnra eorla gedryht,
"þes hearda hēap, Heorot fǣlsian.
"Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod, þæt se ǣglǣca
"for his won-hȳdum wǣpna ne rēceð;
435 "ic þæt þonne forhicge, swā mē Higelāc sīe,
"mīn mon-drihten, mōdes blīðe,
"þæt ic sweord bere oððe sīdne scyld
"geolo-rand tō gūðe; ac ic mid grāpe sceal
"fōn wið fēonde and ymb feorh sacan,
440 "lāð wið lāðum; þǣr gelȳfan sceal
"dryhtnes dōme sē þe hine dēað nimeð.
"Wēn' ic þæt hē wille, gif hē wealdan mōt,
"in þǣm gūð-sele Gēatena lēode
"etan unforhte, swā hē oft dyde
445 "mægen Hrēðmanna. Nā þū mīnne þearft
"hafalan hȳdan, ac hē mē habban wile
"drēore fāhne, gif mec dēað nimeð;
"byreð blōdig wæl, byrgean þenceð,
"eteð ān-genga unmurnlīce,
450 "mearcað mōr-hopu: nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
"līces feorme leng sorgian.
"Onsend Higelāce, gif mec hild nime,
"beadu-scrūda betst, þæt mīne brēost wereð,
"hrægla sēlest; þæt is Hrēðlan lāf,
455 "Wēlandes geweorc. Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hīo scel! "
VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"for were-fyhtum þū, wine mīn Bēowulf,
"and for ār-stafum ūsic sōhtest.
"Geslōh þin fæder fǣhðe mǣste,
460 "wearð hē Heaðolāfe tō hand-bonan
"mid Wilfingum; þā hine Wedera cyn
"for here-brōgan habban ne mihte.
"Þanon hē gesōhte Sūð-Dena folc
"ofer ȳða gewealc, Ār-Scyldinga;
465 "þā ic furðum wēold folce Deninga,
"and on geogoðe hēold gimme-rīce
"hord-burh hæleða: þā wæs Heregār dēad,
"mīn yldra mǣg unlifigende,
"bearn Healfdenes. Sē wæs betera þonne ic!
470 "Siððan þā fǣhðe fēo þingode;
"sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg
"ealde mādmas: hē mē āðas swōr.
"Sorh is mē tō secganne on sefan mīnum
"gumena ǣngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað
475 "hȳnðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum,
"fǣr-nīða gefremed. Is mīn flet-werod,
"wīg-hēap gewanod; hīe Wyrd forswēop
"on Grendles gryre. God ēaðe mæg
"þone dol-scaðan dǣda getwǣfan!
480 "Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne
"ofer ealo-wǣge ōret-mecgas,
"þæt hīe in bēor-sele bīdan woldon
"Grendles gūðe mid gryrum ecga.
"Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal on morgen-tīd,
485 "driht-sele drēor-fāh, þonne dæg līxte,
"eal benc-þelu blōde bestȳmed,
"heall heoru-drēore: āhte ic holdra þȳ lǣs,
"dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam.
"Site nū tō symle and onsǣl meoto,
490 "sige-hrēð secgum, swā þīn sefa hwette! "
Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgum geador ætsomne
on bēor-sele benc gerȳmed;
þǣr swīð-ferhðe sittan ēodon
þrȳðum dealle. Þegn nytte behēold,
495 sē þe on handa bær hroden ealo-wǣge,
scencte scīr wered. Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote; þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unlȳtel Dena and Wedera.
IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BĒOWULF.
Unferð maðelode, Ecglāfes bearn,
500 þē æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga;
onband beadu-rūne (wæs him Bēowulfes sīð,
mōdges mere-faran, micel æf-þunca,
forþon þe hē ne ūðe, þæt ǣnig ōðer man
ǣfre mǣrða þon mā middan-geardes
505 gehēdde under heofenum þonne hē sylfa):
"Eart þū sē Bēowulf, sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
"on sīdne sǣ ymb sund flite,
"þǣr git for wlence wada cunnedon
"and for dol-gilpe on dēop wæter
510 "aldrum nēðdon? Nē inc ǣnig mon,
"nē lēof nē lāð, belēan mihte
"sorh-fullne sīð; þā git on sund rēon,
"þǣr git ēagor-strēam earmum þehton,
"mǣton mere-strǣta, mundum brugdon,
515 "glidon ofer gār-secg; geofon ȳðum wēol,
"wintres wylme. Git on wæteres ǣht
"seofon niht swuncon; hē þē æt sunde oferflāt,
"hæfde māre mægen. Þā hine on morgen-tīd
"on Heaðo-rǣmas holm up ætbær,
520 "þonon hē gesōhte swǣsne ēðel
"lēof his lēodum lond Brondinga,
"freoðo-burh fægere, þǣr hē folc āhte,
"burg and bēagas. Bēot eal wið þē
"sunu Bēanstānes sōðe gelǣste.
525 "Þonne wēne ic tō þē wyrsan geþinges,
"þēah þū heaðo-rǣsa gehwǣr dohte,
"grimre gūðe, gif þū Grendles dearst
"niht-longne fyrst nēan bīdan! "
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
530 "Hwæt! þū worn fela, wine mīn Unferð,
"bēore druncen ymb Brecan sprǣce,
"sægdest from his sīðe! Sōð ic talige,
"þæt ic mere-strengo māran āhte,
"earfeðo on ȳðum, þonne ǣnig ōðer man.
535 "Wit þæt gecwǣdon cniht-wesende
"and gebēotedon (wǣron bēgen þā gīt
"on geogoð-feore) þæt wit on gār-secg ūt
"aldrum nēðdon; and þæt geæfndon swā.
"Hæfdon swurd nacod, þā wit on sund rēon,
540 "heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas
"werian þōhton. Nō hē wiht fram mē
"flōd-ȳðum feor flēotan meahte,
"hraðor on holme, nō ic fram him wolde.
"Þā wit ætsomne on sǣ wǣron
545 "fīf nihta fyrst, oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
"wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
"nīpende niht and norðan wind
"heaðo-grim andhwearf; hrēo wǣron ȳða,
"Wæs mere-fixa mōd onhrēred:
550 "þǣr mē wið lāðum līc-syrce mīn,
"heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;
"beado-hrægl brōden on brēostum læg,
"golde gegyrwed. Mē tō grunde tēah
"fāh fēond-scaða, fæste hæfde
555 "grim on grāpe: hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
"þæt ic āglǣcan orde gerǣhte,
"hilde-bille; heaðo-rǣs fornam
"mihtig mere-dēor þurh mīne hand.
X. BĒOWULF'S CONTEST WITH BRECA. -THE FEAST.
"Swā mec gelōme lāð-getēonan
560 "þrēatedon þearle. Ic him þēnode
"dēoran sweorde, swā hit gedēfe wæs;
"næs hīe þǣre fylle gefēan hæfdon,
"mān-fordǣdlan, þæt hīe mē þēgon,
"symbel ymb-sǣton sǣ-grunde nēah,
565 "ac on mergenne mēcum wunde
"be ȳð-lāfe uppe lǣgon,
"sweordum āswefede, þæt syððan nā
"ymb brontne ford brim-līðende
"lāde ne letton. Lēoht ēastan cōm,
570 "beorht bēacen godes; brimu swaðredon,
"þæt ic sǣ-næssas gesēon mihte,
"windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
"unfǣgne eorl, ðonne his ellen dēah!
"Hwæðere mē gesǣlde, þæt ic mid sweorde ofslōh
575 "niceras nigene. Nō ic on niht gefrægn
"under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
"nē on ēg-strēamum earmran mannan;
"hwæðere ic fāra feng fēore gedīgde,
"siðes wērig. Þā mec sǣ oðbær,
580 "flōd æfter faroðe, on Finna land,
"wadu weallendu. Nō ic wiht fram þē
"swylcra searo-nīða secgan hȳrde,
"billa brōgan: Breca nǣfre gīt
"æt heaðo-lāce, nē gehwæðer incer
585 "swā dēorlīce dǣd gefremede
"fāgum sweordum . . . . . . .
". . . . . . . nō ic þæs gylpe;
"þēah þū þīnum brōðrum tō banan wurde,
"hēafod-mǣgum; þæs þū in helle scealt
590 "werhðo drēogan, þēah þīn wit duge,
"Secge ic þē tō sōðe, sunu Ecglāfes,
"þæt nǣfre Grendel swā fela gryra gefremede,
"atol ǣglǣca ealdre þīnum,
"hȳnðo on Heorote, gif þīn hige wǣre,
595 "sefa swā searo-grim, swā þū self talast.
"Ac hē hafað onfunden, þæt hē þā fǣhðe ne þearf,
"atole ecg-þræce ēower lēode
"swīðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga;
"nymeð nȳd-bāde, nǣnegum ārað
600 "lēode Deniga, ac hē on lust wīgeð,
"swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wēneð
"tō Gār-Denum. Ac him Gēata sceal
"eafoð and ellen ungeāra nū
"gūðe gebēodan. Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
605 "tō medo mōdig, siððan morgen-lēoht
"ofer ylda bearn ōðres dōgores,
"sunne swegl-wered sūðan scīneð! "
Þā wæs on sālum sinces brytta
gamol-feax and gūð-rōf, gēoce gelȳfde
610 brego Beorht-Dena; gehȳrde on Bēowulfe
folces hyrde fæst-rǣdne geþōht.
Þǣr wæs hæleða hleahtor; hlyn swynsode,
word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,
cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig,
615 grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,
and þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealde
ǣrest Ēast-Dena ēðel-wearde,
bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þege,
lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah
620 symbel and sele-ful, sige-rōf kyning.
Ymb-ēode þā ides Helminga
duguðe and geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne;
sinc-fato sealde, oð þæt sǣl ālamp,
þæt hīo Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,
625 mōde geþungen, medo-ful ætbær;
grētte Gēata lēod, gode þancode
wīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,
þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfde
fyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,
630 wæl-rēow wiga æt Wealhþēon,
and þā gyddode gūðe gefȳsed,
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,
"sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra secga gedriht,
635 "þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda
"willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge,
"fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefremman sceal
"eorlīc ellen, oððe ende-dæg
"on þisse meodu-healle mīnne gebīdan. "
640 Þām wīfe þā word wēl līcodon,
gilp-cwide Gēates; ēode gold-hroden
frēolīcu folc-cwēn tō hire frēan sittan.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healle
þrȳð-word sprecen, þēod on sǣlum,
645 sige-folca swēg, oð þæt semninga
sunu Healfdenes sēcean wolde
ǣfen-ræste; wiste æt þǣm āhlǣcan
tō þǣm hēah-sele hilde geþinged,
siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēon ne meahton,
650 oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,
scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðan cwōman,
wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās.
Grētte þā giddum guma ōðerne,
Hrōðgār Bēowulf, and him hǣl ābēad,
655 wīn-ærnes geweald and þæt word ācwæð:
"Nǣfre ic ǣnegum men ǣr ālȳfde,
"siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte,
"þrȳð-ærn Dena būton þē nū þā.
"Hafa nū and geheald hūsa sēlest;
660 "gemyne mǣrðo, mægen-ellen cȳð,
"waca wið wrāðum! Ne bið þē wilna gād,
"gif þū þæt ellen-weorc aldre gedīgest. "
XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.
Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt mid his hæleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga ūt of healle;
665 wolde wīg-fruma Wealhþēo sēcan,
cwēn tō gebeddan Hæfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tō-gēanes, swā guman gefrungon,
sele-weard āseted, sundor-nytte behēold
ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard ābēad;
670 hūru Gēata lēod georne truwode
mōdgan mægnes, metodes hyldo.
Þā hē him of dyde īsern-byrnan,
helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
īrena cyst ombiht-þegne,
675 and gehealdan hēt hilde-geatwe.
Gespræc þā se gōda gylp-worda sum
Bēowulf Gēata, ǣr hē on bed stige:
"Nō ic mē an here-wǣsmum hnāgran talige
"gūð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
680 "forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
"aldre benēotan, þēah ic eal mǣge.
"Nāt hē þāra gōda, þæt hē mē on-gēan slēa,
"rand gehēawe, þēah þe hē rōf sīe
"nīð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
685 "secge ofersittan, gif hē gesēcean dear
"wīg ofer wǣpen, and siððan wītig god
"on swā hwæðere hond hālig dryhten
"mǣrðo dēme, swā him gemet þince. "
Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor, hlēor-bolster onfēng
690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig
snellīc sǣ-rinc sele-reste gebēah.
Nǣnig heora þōhte þæt hē þanon scolde
eft eard-lufan ǣfre gesēcean,
folc oððe frēo-burh, þǣr hē āfēded wæs,
695 ac hīe hæfdon gefrūnen, þæt hīe ǣr tō fela micles
in þǣm wīn-sele wæl-dēað fornam,
Denigea lēode. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wīg-spēda gewiofu, Wedera lēodum
frōfor and fultum, þæt hīe fēond heora
700 þurh ānes cræft ealle ofercōmon,
selfes mihtum: sōð is gecȳðed,
þæt mihtig god manna cynnes
wēold wīde-ferhð. Cōm on wanre niht
scrīðan sceadu-genga. Scēotend swǣfon,
705 þā þæt horn-reced healdan scoldon,
ealle būton ānum. Þæt wæs yldum cūð,
þæt hīe ne mōste, þā metod nolde,
se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan;
ac hē wæccende wrāðum on andan
710 bād bolgen-mōd beadwa geþinges.
XII. GRENDEL'S RAID.
Þā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær.
Mynte se mān-scaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þām hēan;
715 wōd under wolcnum, tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced,
gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse
fǣttum fāhne. Ne wæs þæt forma sīð,
þæt hē Hrōðgāres hām gesōhte:
nǣfre hē on aldor-dagum ǣr nē siððan
720 heardran hæle, heal-þegnas fand!
Cōm þā tō recede rinc sīðian
drēamum bedǣled. Duru sōna onarn
fȳr-bendum fæst, syððan hē hire folmum hrān;
onbræd þā bealo-hȳdig, þā hē ābolgen wæs,
725 recedes mūðan. Raðe æfter þon
on fāgne flōr fēond treddode,
ēode yrre-mōd; him of ēagum stōd
līge gelīcost lēoht unfǣger.
Geseah hē in recede rinca manige,
730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere,
mago-rinca hēap: þā his mōd āhlōg,
mynte þæt hē gedǣlde, ǣr þon dæg cwōme,
atol āglǣca, ānra gehwylces
līf wið līce, þā him ālumpen wæs
735 wist-fylle wēn. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þā gēn,
þæt hē mā mōste manna cynnes
þicgean ofer þā niht. Þrȳð-swȳð behēold
mǣg Higelāces, hū se mān-scaða
under fǣr-gripum gefaran wolde.
740 Nē þæt se āglǣca yldan þōhte,
ac hē gefēng hraðe forman siðe
slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,
bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,
syn-snǣdum swealh: sōna hæfde
745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod
fēt and folma. Forð nēar ætstōp,
nam þā mid handa hige-þīhtigne
rinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēan
fēond mid folme, hē onfēng hraðe
750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesæt.
Sōna þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þæt hē ne mētte middan-geardes
eorðan scēata on elran men
mund-gripe māran: hē on mōde wearð
755 forht on ferhðe, nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte;
hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,
sēcan dēofla gedræg: ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,
swylce hē on ealder-dagum ǣr gemētte.
Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces
760 ǣfen-sprǣce, up-lang āstōd
and him fæste wiðfēng. Fingras burston;
eoten wæs ūt-weard, eorl furður stōp.
Mynte se mǣra, þǣr hē meahte swā,
wīdre gewindan and on weg þanon
765 flēon on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,
þæt se hearm-scaða tō Heorute ātēah:
dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,
ceaster-būendum, cēnra gehwylcum,
770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgen,
rēðe rēn-weardas. Reced hlynsode;
þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sele
wiðhæfde heaðo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,
fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs
775 innan and ūtan īren-bendum
searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēag
medu-benc monig mīne gefrǣge,
golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;
þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,
780 þæt hit ā mid gemete manna ǣnig
betlīc and bān-fāg tōbrecan meahte,
listum tōlūcan, nymðe līges fæðm
swulge on swaðule. Swēg up āstāg
nīwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stōd
785 atelīc egesa ānra gehwylcum
þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon,
gryre-lēoð galan godes andsacan,
sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigean
helle hæftan. Hēold hine tō fæste
790 sē þe manna wæs mægene strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.
XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL'S ARM.
Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þinga
þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,
nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum
795 nytte tealde. Þǣr genehost brægd
eorl Bēowulfes ealde lāfe,
wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian
mǣres þēodnes, þǣr hīe meahton swā;
hīe þæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,
800 heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,
and on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,
sāwle sēcan, þæt þone syn-scaðan
ǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,
gūð-billa nān grētan nolde;
805 ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,
ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedāl
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes
earmlīc wurðan and se ellor-gāst
on fēonda geweald feor sīðian.
810 Þā þæt onfunde sē þe fela ǣror
mōdes myrðe manna cynne
fyrene gefremede (hē wæs fāg wið god)
þæt him se līc-homa lǣstan nolde,
ac hine se mōdega mǣg Hygelāces
815 hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæðer ōðrum
lifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebād
atol ǣglǣca, him on eaxle wearð
syn-dolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon
burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð
820 gūð-hrēð gyfeðe; scolde Grendel þonan
feorh-sēoc flēon under fen-hleoðu,
sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,
þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen,
dōgera dæg-rīm. Denum eallum wearð
825 æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.
Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,
snotor and swȳð-ferhð sele Hrōðgāres,
genered wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,
ellen-mǣrðum; hæfde Ēast-Denum
830 Gēat-mecga lēod gilp gelǣsted,
swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte,
inwid-sorge, þē hīe ǣr drugon
and for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon,
torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,
835 syððan hilde-dēor hond ālegde,
earm and eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geador
Grendles grāpe) under gēapne hrōf.
XIV. THE JOY AT HEOROT.
Þā wæs on morgen mīne gefrǣge
ymb þā gif-healle gūð-rinc monig:
840 fērdon folc-togan feorran and nēan
geond wīd-wegas wundor scēawian,
lāðes lāstas. Nō his līf-gedāl
sārlīc þūhte secga ǣnegum,
þāra þe tīr-lēases trode scēawode,
845 hū hē wērig-mōd on weg þanon,
nīða ofercumen, on nicera mere
fǣge and geflȳmed feorh-lāstas bær.
Þǣr wæs on blōde brim weallende,
atol ȳða geswing eal gemenged
850 hātan heolfre, heoro-drēore wēol;
dēað-fǣge dēog, siððan drēama lēas
in fen-freoðo feorh ālegde
hǣðene sāwle, þǣr him hel onfēng.
Þanon eft gewiton eald-gesīðas,
855 swylce geong manig of gomen-wāðe,
fram mere mōdge, mēarum rīdan,
beornas on blancum. Þǣr wæs Bēowulfes
mǣrðo mǣned; monig oft gecwæð,
þætte sūð nē norð be sǣm tweonum
860 ofer eormen-grund ōðer nǣnig
under swegles begong sēlra nǣre
rond-hæbbendra, rīces wyrðra.
Nē hīe hūru wine-drihten wiht ne lōgon,
glædne Hrōðgār, ac þæt wæs gōd cyning.
865 Hwīlum heaðo-rōfe hlēapan lēton,
on geflīt faran fealwe mēaras,
þǣr him fold-wegas fægere þūhton,
cystum cūðe; hwīlum cyninges þegn,
guma gilp-hlæden gidda gemyndig,
870 sē þe eal-fela eald-gesegena
worn gemunde, word ōðer fand
sōðe gebunden: secg eft ongan
sīð Bēowulfes snyttrum styrian
and on spēd wrecan spel gerāde,
875 wordum wrixlan, wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt hē fram Sigemunde secgan hȳrde,
ellen-dǣdum, uncūðes fela,
Wælsinges gewin, wīde sīðas,
þāra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
880 fǣhðe and fyrene, būton Fitela mid hine,
þonne hē swylces hwæt secgan wolde
ēam his nefan, swā hīe ā wǣron
æt nīða gehwām nȳd-gesteallan:
hæfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes
885 sweordum gesǣged.
Bēowulf will find ample material for their studies in Sievers' exhaustive
essay on that subject (Beiträge, X. 209-314).
Socin's edition of Heyne's Bēowulf (called the fifth edition) has been
utilized to some extent in this edition, though it unfortunately came too
late to be freely used. While it repeats many of the omissions and
inaccuracies of Heyne's fourth edition, it contains much that is valuable
to the student, particularly in the notes and commentary. Students of the
poem, which has been subjected to much searching criticism during the last
decade, will also derive especial help from the contributions of Sievers
and Kluge on difficult questions appertaining to it. Wülker's new edition
(in the Grein Bibliothek) is of the highest value, however one may dissent
from particular textual views laid down in the 'Berichtigter Text. ' Paul
and Braune's Beiträge contain a varied miscellany of hints, corrections,
and suggestions principally embodying the views of Kluge, Cosijn, Sievers,
and Bugge, some of the more important of which are found in the appendices
to the present and the preceding edition. Holder and Zupitza, Sarrazin and
Hermann Möller (Kiel, 1883), Heinzel (Anzeiger f. d. Alterthum, X. ), Gering
(Zacher's Zeitschrift, XII. ), Brenner (Eng. Studien, IX. ), and the
contributors to Anglia, have assisted materially in the textual and
metrical interpretation of the poem.
The subject of Anglo-Saxon quantity has been discussed in several able
essays by Sievers, Sweet, Ten Brink (Anzeiger, f. d. Alterthum, V. ), Kluge
(Beiträge, XI. ), and others; but so much is uncertain in this field that
the editors have left undisturbed the marking of vowels found in the text
of their original edition, while indicating in the appendices the now
accepted views of scholars on the quantity of the personal pronouns (mē,
wē, þū, þē, gē, hē); the adverb nū, etc. Perhaps it would be best to banish
absolutely all attempts at marking quantities except in cases where the Ms.
has them marked.
An approximately complete Bibliography of Bēowulf literature will be found
in Wülker's Grundriss and in Garnett's translation of the poem.
JAMES A. HARRISON,
ROBERT SHARP.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA. , May, 1888.
NOTE TO THE SECOND REVISED EDITION.
The editors feel so encouraged at the kind reception accorded their edition
of Bēowulf (1883), that, in spite of its many shortcomings, they have
determined to prepare a second revised edition of the book, and thus
endeavor to extend its sphere of usefulness. About twenty errors had,
notwithstanding a vigilant proof-reading, crept into the text,-errors in
single letters, accents, and punctuation. These have been corrected, and it
is hoped that the text has been rendered generally accurate and
trustworthy. In the List of Names one or two corrections have been made,
and in the Glossary numerous mistakes in gender, classification, and
translation, apparently unavoidable in a first edition, have been
rectified. Wherever these mistakes concern single letters, or occupy very
small space, they have been corrected in the plates; where they are longer,
and the expense of correcting them in the plates would have been very
great, the editors have thought it best to include them in an Appendix of
Corrections and Additions, which will be found at the back of the book.
Students are accordingly referred to this Appendix for important longer
corrections and additions. It is believed that the value of the book has
been much enhanced by an Appendix of Recent Readings, based on late
criticisms and essays from the pens of Sievers, Kluge, Cosijn, Holder,
Wülker, and Sweet. A perplexed student, in turning to these suggested
readings, will often find great help in unravelling obscure or corrupt
passages.
The objectionable ä and æ, for the short and the long diphthong, have been
retained in the revised edition, owing to the impossibility of removing
them without entirely recasting the plates.
In conclusion, the editors would acknowledge their great indebtedness to
the friends and critics whose remarks and criticisms have materially aided
in the correction of the text,-particularly to Profs. C. P. G. Scott,
Baskervill, Price, and J. M. Hart; to Prof. J. W. Bright; and to the
authorities of Cornell University, for the loan of periodicals necessary to
the completeness of the revision. While the second revised edition still
contains much that might be improved, the editors cannot but hope that it
is an advance on its predecessor, and that it will continue its work of
extending the study of Old English throughout the land.
JUNE, 1885.
NOTE I.
The present work, carefully edited from Heyne's fourth edition, (Paderborn,
1879), is designed primarily for college classes in Anglo-Saxon, rather
than for independent investigators or for seekers after a restored or ideal
text. The need of an American edition of "Bēowulf" has long been felt, as,
hitherto, students have had either to send to Germany for a text, or
secure, with great trouble, one of the scarce and expensive English
editions. Heyne's first edition came out in 1863, and was followed in 1867
and 1873 by a second and a third edition, all three having essentially the
same text.
So many important contributions to the "Bēowulf" literature were, however,
made between 1873 and 1879 that Heyne found it necessary to put forth a new
edition (1879). In this new, last edition, the text was subjected to a
careful revision, and was fortified by the views, contributions, and
criticisms of other zealous scholars. In it the collation of the unique
"Bēowulf" Ms. (Vitellius A. 15: Cottonian Mss. of the British Museum), as
made by E. Kölbing in Herrig's Archiv (Bd. 56; 1876), was followed wherever
the present condition of the Ms. had to be discussed; and the researches of
Bugge, Bieger, and others, on single passages, were made use of. The
discussion of the metrical structure of the poem, as occurring in the
second and third editions, was omitted in the fourth, owing to the many
controversies in which the subject is still involved. The present editor
has thought it best to do the same, though, happily, the subject of Old
English Metrik is undergoing a steady illumination through the labors of
Schipper and others.
Some errors and misplaced accents in Heyne's text have been corrected in
the present edition, in which, as in the general revision of the text, the
editor has been most kindly aided by Prof. J. M. Garnett, late Principal of
St. John's College, Maryland.
In the preparation of the present school edition it has been thought best
to omit Heyne's notes, as they concern themselves principally with
conjectural emendations, substitutions of one reading for another, and
discussions of the condition of the Ms. Until Wülker's text and the
photographic fac-simile of the original Ms. are in the hands of all
scholars, it will be better not to introduce such matters in the school
room, where they would puzzle without instructing.
For convenience of reference, the editor has added a head-line to each
"fit" of the poem, with a view to facilitate a knowledge of its episodes.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, LEXINGTON, VA. , June, 1882.
NOTE II.
The editors now have the pleasure of presenting to the public a complete
text and a tolerably complete glossary of "Bēowulf. " The edition is the
first published in America, and the first of its special kind presented to
the English public, and it is the initial volume of a "Library of
Anglo-Saxon Poetry," to be edited under the same auspices and with the
coöperation of distinguished scholars in this country. Among these scholars
may be mentioned Professors F. A. March of Lafayette College, T. K. Price of
Columbia College, and W. M. Baskervill of Vanderbilt University.
In the preparation of the Glossary the editors found it necessary to
abandon a literal and exact translation of Heyne for several reasons, and
among others from the fact that Heyne seems to be wrong in the translation
of some of his illustrative quotations, and even translates the same
passage in two or three different ways under different headings. The
orthography of his glossary differs considerably from the orthography of
his text. He fails to discriminate with due nicety the meanings of many of
the words in his vocabulary, while criticism more recent than his latest
edition (1879) has illustrated or overthrown several of his renderings. The
references were found to be incorrect in innumerable instances, and had to
be verified in every individual case so far as this was possible, a few
only, which resisted all efforts at verification, having to be indicated by
an interrogation point (? ). The references are exceedingly numerous, and
the labor of verifying them was naturally great. To many passages in the
Glossary, where Heyne's translation could not be trusted with entire
certainty, the editors have added other translations of phrases and
sentences or of special words; and in this they have been aided by a
careful study of the text and a comparison and utilization of the views of
Kemble and Professor J. M. Garnett (who takes Grein for his foundation).
Many new references have been added; and the various passages in which
Heyne fails to indicate whether a given verb is weak or strong, or fails to
point out the number, etc. , of the illustrative form, have been corrected
and made to harmonize with the general plan of the work. Numerous misprints
in the glossary have also been corrected, and a brief glossary to the
Finnsburh-fragment, prepared by Dr. Wm. Hand Browne, and supplemented and
adapted by the editor-in-chief, has been added.
The editors think that they may without immodesty put forth for themselves
something more than the claim of being re-translators of a translation: the
present edition is, so far as they were able to make it so, an adaptation,
correction, and extension of the work of the great German scholar to whose
loving appreciation of the Anglo-Saxon epic all students of Old English owe
a debt of gratitude. While following his usually sure and cautious
guidance, and in the main appropriating his results, they have thought it
best to deviate from him in the manner above indicated, whenever it seemed
that he was wrong. The careful reader will notice at once the marks of
interrogation which point out these deviations, or which introduce a point
of view illustrative of, or supplementary to, the one given by the German
editor. No doubt the editors are wrong themselves in many places,-"Bēowulf"
is a most difficult poem,-but their view may at least be defended by a
reference to the original text, which they have faithfully and constantly
consulted.
A good many cognate Modern English words have been introduced here and
there in the Glossary with a view to illustration, and other addenda will
be found between brackets and parenthetical marks.
It is hoped that the present edition of the most famous of Old English
poems will do something to promote a valuable and interesting study.
JAMES A. HARRISON, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.
ROBERT SHARP, University of Louisiana, New Orleans.
April, 1883.
The responsibility of the editors is as follows: H. is responsible for the
Text, and for the Glossary from hrīnan on; S. for the List of Names, and
for the Glossary as far as hrīnan.
ARGUMENT.
The only national [Anglo-Saxon] epic which has been preserved entire is
Bēowulf. Its argument is briefly as follows:-The poem opens with a few
verses in praise of the Danish Kings, especially Scild, the son of Sceaf.
His death is related, and his descendants briefly traced down to Hroðgar.
Hroðgar, elated with his prosperity and success in war, builds a
magnificent hall, which he calls Heorot. In this hall Hroðgar and his
retainers live in joy and festivity, until a malignant fiend, called
Grendel, jealous of their happiness, carries off by night thirty of
Hroðgar's men, and devours them in his moorland retreat. These ravages go
on for twelve years. Bēowulf, a thane of Hygelac, King of the Goths,
hearing of Hroðgar's calamities, sails from Sweden with fourteen
warriors-to help him. They reach the Danish coast in safety; and, after an
animated parley with Hroðgar's coastguard, who at first takes them for
pirates, they are allowed to proceed to the royal hall, where they are well
received by Hroðgar. A banquet ensues, during which Bēowulf is taunted by
the envious Hunferhð about his swimming-match with Breca, King of the
Brondings. Bēowulf gives the true account of the contest, and silences
Hunferhð. At night-fall the King departs, leaving Bēowulf in charge of the
hall. Grendel soon breaks in, seizes and devours one of Bēowulf's
companions; is attacked by Bēowulf, and, after losing an arm, which is torn
off by Bēowulf, escapes to the fens. The joy of Hroðgar and the Danes, and
their festivities, are described, various episodes are introduced, and
Bēowulf and his companions receive splendid gifts. The next night Grendel's
mother revenges her son by carrying off AEschere, the friend and councillor
of Hroðgar, during the absence of Bēowulf. Hroðgar appeals to Bēowulf for
vengeance, and describes the haunts of Grendel and his mother. They all
proceed thither; the scenery of the lake, and the monsters that dwell in
it, are described. Bēowulf plunges into the water, and attacks Grendel's
mother in her dwelling at the bottom of the lake. He at length overcomes
her, and cuts off her head, together with that of Grendel, and brings the
heads to Hroðgar. He then takes leave of Hroðgar, sails back to Sweden, and
relates his adventures to Hygelac. Here the first half of the poem ends.
The second begins with the accession of Bēowulf to the throne, after the
fall of Hygelac and his son Heardred. He rules prosperously for fifty
years, till a dragon, brooding over a hidden treasure, begins to ravage the
country, and destroys Bēowulf's palace with fire. Bēowulf sets out in quest
of its hiding-place, with twelve men. Having a presentiment of his
approaching end, he pauses and recalls to mind his past life and exploits.
He then takes leave of his followers, one by one, and advances alone to
attack the dragon. Unable, from the heat, to enter the cavern, he shouts
aloud, and the dragon comes forth. The dragon's scaly hide is proof against
Bēowulf's sword, and he is reduced to great straits. Then Wiglaf, one of
his followers, advances to help him. Wiglaf's shield is consumed by the
dragon's fiery breath, and he is compelled to seek shelter under Bēowulf's
shield of iron. Bēowulf's sword snaps asunder, and he is seized by the
dragon. Wiglaf stabs the dragon from underneath, and Bēowulf cuts it in two
with his dagger. Feeling that his end is near, he bids Wiglaf bring out the
treasures from the cavern, that he may see them before he dies. Wiglaf
enters the dragon's den, which is described, returns to Bēowulf, and
receives his last commands. Bēowulf dies, and Wiglaf bitterly reproaches
his companions for their cowardice. The disastrous consequences of
Bēowulf's death are then foretold, and the poem ends with his funeral. -H.
Sweet, in Warton's History of English Poetry, Vol. II. (ed. 1871). Cf. also
Ten Brink's History of English Literature.
BĒOWULF.
I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.
Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena in geār-dagum
þēod-cyninga þrym gefrūnon,
hū þā æðelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scēfing sceaðena þrēatum,
5 monegum mǣgðum meodo-setla oftēah.
Egsode eorl, syððan ǣrest wearð
fēa-sceaft funden: hē þæs frōfre gebād,
wēox under wolcnum, weorð-myndum ðāh,
oð þæt him ǣghwylc þāra ymb-sittendra
10 ofer hron-rāde hȳran scolde,
gomban gyldan: þæt wæs gōd cyning!
þǣm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone god sende
folce tō frōfre; fyren-þearfe ongeat,
15 þæt hīe ǣr drugon aldor-lēase
lange hwīle. Him þæs līf-frēa,
wuldres wealdend, worold-āre forgeaf;
Bēowulf wæs brēme (blǣd wīde sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.
20 Swā sceal geong guma, gōde gewyrcean,
fromum feoh-giftum on fæder wine,
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wil-gesīðas, þonne wīg cume,
lēode gelǣsten: lof-dǣdum sceal
25 in mǣgða gehwǣre man geþēon.
Him þā Scyld gewāt tō gescæp-hwīle
fela-hrōr fēran on frēan wǣre;
hī hyne þā ætbǣron tō brimes faroðe.
swǣse gesīðas, swā hē selfa bæd,
30 þenden wordum wēold wine Scyldinga,
lēof land-fruma lange āhte.
Þǣr æt hȳðe stōd hringed-stefna,
īsig and ūtfūs, æðelinges fær;
ā-lēdon þā lēofne þēoden,
35 bēaga bryttan on bearm scipes,
mǣrne be mæste. Þǣr wæs mādma fela,
of feor-wegum frætwa gelǣded:
ne hȳrde ic cȳmlīcor cēol gegyrwan
hilde-wǣpnum and heaðo-wǣdum,
40 billum and byrnum; him on bearme læg
mādma mænigo, þā him mid scoldon
on flōdes ǣht feor gewītan.
Nalas hī hine lǣssan lācum tēodan,
þēod-gestrēonum, þonne þā dydon,
45 þē hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon
ǣnne ofer ȳðe umbor wesende:
þā gȳt hīe him āsetton segen gyldenne
hēah ofer hēafod, lēton holm beran,
gēafon on gār-secg: him wæs geōmor sefa,
50 murnende mōd. Men ne cunnon
secgan tō soðe sele-rǣdende,
hæleð under heofenum, hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng.
II. THE HALL HEOROT.
Þā wæs on burgum Bēowulf Scyldinga,
lēof lēod-cyning, longe þrāge
55 folcum gefrǣge (fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), oð þæt him eft onwōc
hēah Healfdene; hēold þenden lifde,
gamol and gūð-rēow, glæde Scyldingas.
Þǣm fēower bearn forð-gerīmed
60 in worold wōcun, weoroda rǣswan,
Heorogār and Hrōðgār and Hālga til;
hȳrde ic, þat Elan cwēn Ongenþēowes wæs
Heaðoscilfinges heals-gebedde.
Þā wæs Hrōðgāre here-spēd gyfen,
65 wīges weorð-mynd, þæt him his wine-māgas
georne hȳrdon, oð þæt sēo geogoð gewēox,
mago-driht micel. Him on mōd bearn,
þæt heal-reced hātan wolde,
medo-ærn micel men gewyrcean,
70 þone yldo bearn ǣfre gefrūnon,
and þǣr on innan eall gedǣlan
geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde,
būton folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Þā ic wīde gefrægn weorc gebannan
75 manigre mǣgðe geond þisne middan-geard,
folc-stede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp
ǣdre mid yldum, þæt hit wearð eal gearo,
heal-ærna mǣst; scōp him Heort naman,
sē þe his wordes geweald wīde hæfde.
80 Hē bēot ne ālēh, bēagas dǣlde,
sinc æt symle. Sele hlīfade
hēah and horn-gēap: heaðo-wylma bād,
lāðan līges; ne wæs hit lenge þā gēn
þæt se ecg-hete āðum-swerian
85 æfter wæl-nīðe wæcnan scolde.
Þā se ellen-gǣst earfoðlīce
þrāge geþolode, sē þe in þȳstrum bād,
þæt hē dōgora gehwām drēam gehȳrde
hlūdne in healle; þǣr wæs hearpan swēg,
90 swutol sang scopes. Sægde sē þe cūðe
frum-sceaft fīra feorran reccan,
cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte,
wlite-beorhtne wang, swā wæter bebūgeð,
gesette sige-hrēðig sunnan and mōnan
95 lēoman tō lēohte land-būendum,
and gefrætwade foldan scēatas
leomum and lēafum; līf ēac gesceōp
cynna gehwylcum, þāra þe cwice hwyrfað.
Swā þā driht-guman drēamum lifdon
100 ēadiglīce, oð þæt ān ongan
fyrene fremman, fēond on helle:
wæs se grimma gæst Grendel hāten,
mǣre mearc-stapa, sē þe mōras hēold,
fen and fæsten; fīfel-cynnes eard
105 won-sǣlig wer weardode hwīle,
siððan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde.
In Caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc,
ēce drihten, þæs þe hē Ābel slōg;
ne gefeah hē þǣre fǣhðe, ac hē hine feor forwræc,
110 metod for þȳ māne man-cynne fram.
Þanon untȳdras ealle onwōcon,
eotenas and ylfe and orcnēas,
swylce gīgantas, þā wið gode wunnon
lange þrāge; hē him þæs lēan forgeald.
III. GRENDEL'S VISITS.
115 Gewāt þā nēosian, syððan niht becōm,
hēan hūses, hū hit Hring-Dene
æfter bēor-þege gebūn hæfdon.
Fand þā þǣr inne æðelinga gedriht
swefan æfter symble; sorge ne cūðon,
120 won-sceaft wera. Wiht unhǣlo
grim and grǣdig gearo sōna wæs,
rēoc and rēðe, and on ræste genam
þrītig þegna: þanon eft gewāt
hūðe hrēmig tō hām faran,
125 mid þǣre wæl-fylle wīca nēosan.
Þā wæs on ūhtan mid ǣr-dæge
Grendles gūð-cræft gumum undyrne:
þā wæs æfter wiste wōp up āhafen,
micel morgen-swēg. Mǣre þēoden,
130 æðeling ǣr-gōd, unblīðe sæt,
þolode þrȳð-swȳð, þegn-sorge drēah,
syððan hīe þæs lāðan lāst scēawedon,
wergan gāstes; wæs þæt gewin tō strang,
lāð and longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst,
135 ac ymb āne niht eft gefremede
morð-beala māre and nō mearn fore
fǣhðe and fyrene; wæs tō fæst on þām.
Þā wæs ēað-fynde, þē him elles hwǣr
gerūmlīcor ræste sōhte,
140 bed æfter būrum, þā him gebēacnod wæs,
gesægd sōðlīce sweotolan tācne
heal-þegnes hete; hēold hine syððan
fyr and fæstor, sē þǣm fēonde ætwand.
Swā rīxode and wið rihte wan
145 āna wið eallum, oð þæt īdel stōd
hūsa sēlest. Wæs sēo hwīl micel:
twelf wintra tīd torn geþolode
wine Scyldinga, wēana gehwelcne,
sīdra sorga; forþām syððan wearð
150 ylda bearnum undyrne cūð,
gyddum geōmore, þætte Grendel wan,
hwīle wið Hrōðgār;-- hete-nīðas wæg,
fyrene and fǣhðe fela missēra,
singāle sæce, sibbe ne wolde
155 wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga
feorh-bealo feorran, fēo þingian,
nē þǣr nǣnig witena wēnan þorfte
beorhtre bōte tō banan folmum;
atol ǣglǣca ēhtende wæs,
160 deorc dēað-scūa duguðe and geogoðe
seomade and syrede. Sin-nihte hēold
mistige mōras; men ne cunnon,
hwyder hel-rūnan hwyrftum scrīðað.
Swā fela fyrena fēond man-cynnes,
165 atol ān-gengea, oft gefremede
heardra hȳnða; Heorot eardode,
sinc-fāge sel sweartum nihtum
(nō hē þone gif-stōl grētan mōste,
māððum for metode, nē his myne wisse);
170 þæt wæs wrǣc micel wine Scyldinga,
mōdes brecða. Monig-oft gesæt
rīce tō rūne; rǣd eahtedon,
hwæt swīð-ferhðum sēlest wǣre
wið fǣr-gryrum tō gefremmanne.
175 Hwīlum hīe gehēton æt hærg-trafum
wīg-weorðunga, wordum bǣdon,
þæt him gāst-bona gēoce gefremede
wið þēod-þrēaum.
Swylc wæs þēaw hyra,
hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon,
dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god,
nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon,
wuldres waldend. Wā bið þǣm þe sceal
þurh slīðne nīð sāwle bescūfan
185 in fȳres fæðm, frōfre ne wēnan,
wihte gewendan; wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
æfter dēað-dæge drihten sēcean
and tō fæder fæðmum freoðo wilnian.
IV. HYGELAC'S THANE.
Swā þā mǣl-ceare maga Healfdenes
190 singāla sēað; ne mihte snotor hæleð
wēan onwendan: wæs þæt gewin tō swȳð,
lāð and longsum, þē on þā lēode becōm,
nȳd-wracu nīð-grim, niht-bealwa mǣst.
Þæt fram hām gefrægn Higelāces þegn,
195 gōd mid Gēatum, Grendles dǣda:
sē wæs mon-cynnes mægenes strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes,
æðele and ēacen. Hēt him ȳð-lidan
gōdne gegyrwan; cwæð hē gūð-cyning
200 ofer swan-rāde sēcean wolde,
mǣrne þēoden, þā him wæs manna þearf.
Þone sīð-fæt him snotere ceorlas
lȳt-hwōn lōgon, þēah hē him lēof wǣre;
hwetton higerōfne, hǣl scēawedon.
205 Hæfde se gōda Gēata lēoda
cempan gecorone, þāra þe hē cēnoste
findan mihte; fīftȳna sum
sund-wudu sōhte; secg wīsade,
lagu-cræftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
210 Fyrst forð gewāt: flota wæs on ȳðum,
bāt under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; strēamas wundon
sund wið sande; secgas bǣron
on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe,
215 gūð-searo geatolīc; guman ūt scufon,
weras on wil-sīð wudu bundenne.
Gewāt þā ofer wǣg-holm winde gefȳsed
flota fāmig-heals fugle gelīcost,
oð þæt ymb ān-tīd ōðres dōgores
220 wunden-stefna gewaden hæfde,
þæt þā līðende land gesāwon,
brim-clifu blīcan, beorgas stēape,
sīde sǣ-næssas: þā wæs sund liden,
eoletes æt ende. Þanon up hraðe
225 Wedera lēode on wang stigon,
sǣ-wudu sǣldon (syrcan hrysedon,
gūð-gewǣdo); gode þancedon,
þæs þe him ȳð-lāde ēaðe wurdon.
Þā of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
230 sē þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fūslīcu; hine fyrwyt bræc
mōd-gehygdum, hwæt þā men wǣron.
Gewāt him þā tō waroðe wicge rīdan
235 þegn Hrōðgāres, þrymmum cwehte
mægen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frægn:
"Hwæt syndon gē searo-hæbbendra
"byrnum werede, þē þus brontne cēol
"ofer lagu-strǣte lǣdan cwōmon,
240 "hider ofer holmas helmas bǣron?
"Ic wæs ende-sǣta, ǣg-wearde hēold,
"þæt on land Dena lāðra nǣnig
"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
"Nō hēr cūðlīcor cuman ongunnon
245 "lind-hæbbende; nē gē lēafnes-word
"gūð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
"māga gemēdu. Nǣfre ic māran geseah
"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is ēower sum,
"secg on searwum; nis þæt seld-guma
250 "wǣpnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite lēoge,
"ǣnlīc an-sȳn. Nū ic ēower sceal
"frum-cyn witan, ǣr gē fyr heonan
"lēase scēaweras on land Dena
"furður fēran. Nū gē feor-būend,
255 "mere-līðende, mīnne gehȳrað
"ān-fealdne geþōht: ofost is sēlest
"tō gecȳðanne, hwanan ēowre cyme syndon. "
V. THE ERRAND.
Him se yldesta andswarode,
werodes wīsa, word-hord onlēac:
260 "Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode
"and Higelāces heorð-genēatas.
"Wæs mīn fæder folcum gecȳðed,
"æðele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten;
"gebād wintra worn, ǣr hē on weg hwurfe,
265 "gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman
"witena wēl-hwylc wīde geond eorðan. -
"Wē þurh holdne hige hlāford þinne,
"sunu Healfdenes, sēcean cwōmon,
"lēod-gebyrgean: wes þū ūs lārena gōd!
270 "Habbað wē tō þǣm mǣran micel ǣrende
"Deniga frēan; ne sceal þǣr dyrne sum
"wesan, þæs ic wēne. Þū wāst, gif hit is,
"swā wē sōðlice secgan hȳrdon,
"þæt mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nāt hwylc,
275 "dēogol dǣd-hata, deorcum nihtum
"ēaweð þurh egsan uncūðne nīð,
"hȳnðu and hrā-fyl. Ic þæs Hrōðgār mæg
"þurh rūmne sefan rǣd gelǣran,
"hū hē frōd and gōd fēond oferswȳðeð,
280 "gyf him ed-wendan ǣfre scolde
"bealuwa bisigu, bōt eft cuman
"and þā cear-wylmas cōlran wurðað;
"oððe ā syððan earfoð-þrāge,
"þrēa-nȳd þolað, þenden þǣr wunað
285 "on hēah-stede hūsa sēlest. "
Weard maðelode, þǣr on wicge sæt
ombeht unforht: "Ǣghwæðres sceal
"scearp scyld-wiga gescād witan,
"worda and worca, sē þe wēl þenceð.
290 "Ic þæt gehȳre, þæt þis is hold weorod
"frēan Scyldinga. Gewītað forð beran
"wǣpen and gewǣdu, ic ēow wīsige:
"swylce ic magu-þegnas mīne hāte
"wið fēonda gehwone flotan ēowerne,
295 "nīw-tyrwedne nacan on sande
"ārum healdan, oð þæt eft byreð
"ofer lagu-strēamas lēofne mannan
"wudu wunden-hals tō Weder-mearce.
"Gūð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,
300 "þæt þone hilde-rǣs hāl gedīgeð. "
Gewiton him þā fēran (flota stille bād,
seomode on sāle sīd-fæðmed scyp,
on ancre fæst); eofor-līc scionon
ofer hlēor-beran gehroden golde
305 fāh and fȳr-heard, ferh wearde hēold.
Gūðmōde grummon, guman ōnetton,
sigon ætsomne, oð þæt hȳ sæl timbred
geatolīc and gold-fāh ongytan mihton;
þæt wæs fore-mǣrost fold-būendum
310 receda under roderum, on þǣm se rīca bād;
līxte se lēoma ofer landa fela.
Him þā hilde-dēor hof mōdigra
torht getǣhte, þæt hīe him tō mihton
gegnum gangan; gūð-beorna sum
315 wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð:
"Mǣl is mē tō fēran; fæder alwalda
"mid ār-stafum ēowic gehealde
"sīða gesunde! ic tō sǣ wille,
"wið wrāð werod wearde healdan. "
VI. BĒOWULF'S SPEECH.
320 Strǣt wæs stān-fāh, stīg wīsode
gumum ætgædere. Gūð-byrne scān
heard hond-locen, hring-īren scīr
song in searwum, þā hīe tō sele furðum
in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwōmon.
325 Setton sǣ-mēðe sīde scyldas,
rondas regn-hearde wið þæs recedes weal,
bugon þā tō bence; byrnan hringdon,
gūð-searo gumena; gāras stōdon,
sǣ-manna searo, samod ætgædere,
330 æsc-holt ufan grǣg: wæs se īren-þrēat
wǣpnum gewurðad. Þā þǣr wlonc hæleð
ōret-mecgas æfter æðelum frægn:
"Hwanon ferigeað gē fǣtte scyldas,
"grǣge syrcan and grīm-helmas,
335 "here-sceafta hēap? -- Ic eom Hrōðgāres
"ār and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þēodige
"þus manige men mōdiglīcran.
"Wēn' ic þæt gē for wlenco, nalles for wræc-sīðum,
"ac for hige-þrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton. "
340 Him þā ellen-rōf andswarode,
wlanc Wedera lēod word æfter spræc,
heard under helme: "Wē synt Higelāces
"bēod-genēatas; Bēowulf is mīn nama.
"Wille ic āsecgan suna Healfdenes,
345 "mǣrum þēodne mīn ǣrende,
"aldre þīnum, gif hē ūs geunnan wile,
"þæt wē hine swā gōdne grētan mōton. "
Wulfgār maðelode (þæt wæs Wendla lēod,
wæs his mōd-sefa manegum gecȳðed,
350 wīg and wīs-dōm): "ic þæs wine Deniga,
"frēan Scildinga frīnan wille,
"bēaga bryttan, swā þū bēna eart,
"þēoden mǣrne ymb þīnne sīð ;
"and þē þā andsware ǣdre gecȳðan,
355 "þē mē se gōda āgifan þenceð. "
Hwearf þā hrædlīce, þǣr Hrōðgār sæt,
eald and unhār mid his eorla gedriht;
ēode ellen-rōf, þæt hē for eaxlum gestōd
Deniga frēan, cūðe hē duguðe þēaw.
360 Wulfgār maðelode tō his wine-drihtne:
"Hēr syndon geferede feorran cumene
"ofer geofenes begang Gēata lēode:
"þone yldestan ōret-mecgas
"Bēowulf nemnað. Hȳ bēnan synt,
365 "þæt hīe, þēoden mīn, wið þē mōton
"wordum wrixlan; nō þū him wearne getēoh,
"þīnra gegn-cwida glædnian, Hrōðgār!
"Hȳ on wīg-geatwum wyrðe þinceað
"eorla geæhtlan; hūru se aldor dēah,
370 "sē þǣm heaðo-rincum hider wīsade. "
VII. HROTHGAR'S WELCOME.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"Ic hine cūðe cniht-wesende.
"Wæs his eald-fæder Ecgþēo hāten,
"þǣm tō hām forgeaf Hrēðel Gēata
375 "āngan dōhtor; is his eafora nū
"heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine.
"þonne sægdon þæt sǣ-līðende,
"þā þe gif-sceattas Gēata fyredon
"þyder tō þance, þæt hē þrīttiges
380 "manna mægen-cræft on his mund-grīpe
"heaðo-rōf hæbbe. Hine hālig god
"for ār-stafum us onsende,
"tō West-Denum, þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
"wið Grendles gryre: ic þǣm gōdan sceal
385 "for his mōd-þræce mādmas bēodan.
"Bēo þū on ofeste, hāt hig in gān,
"sēon sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere;
"gesaga him ēac wordum, þæt hīe sint wil-cuman
"Deniga lēodum. " Þā wið duru healle
390 Wulfgār ēode, word inne ābēad:
"Ēow hēt secgan sige-drihten mīn,
"aldor Ēast-Dena, þæt hē ēower æðelu can
"and gē him syndon ofer sǣ-wylmas,
"heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 "Nū gē mōton gangan in ēowrum guð-geatawum,
"under here-grīman, Hrōðgār gesēon;
"lǣtað hilde-bord hēr onbidian,
"wudu wæl-sceaftas, worda geþinges. "
Ārās þā se rīca, ymb hine rinc manig,
400 þrȳðlīc þegna hēap; sume þǣr bidon,
heaðo-rēaf hēoldon, swā him se hearda bebēad.
Snyredon ætsomne, þā secg wīsode
under Heorotes hrōf; hyge-rōf ēode,
heard under helme, þæt hē on heoðe gestōd.
405 Bēowulf maðelode (on him byrne scān,
searo-net sēowed smiðes or-þancum):
"Wes þū Hrōðgār hāl! ic eom Higelāces
"mǣg and mago-þegn; hæbbe ic mǣrða fela
"ongunnen on geogoðe. Mē wearð Grendles þing
410 "on mīnre ēðel-tyrf undyrne cūð:
"secgað sǣ-līðend, þæt þes sele stande,
"reced sēlesta, rinca gehwylcum
"īdel and unnyt, siððan ǣfen-lēoht
"under heofenes hādor beholen weorðeð.
415 "Þā mē þæt gelǣrdon lēode mīne,
"þā sēlestan, snotere ceorlas,
"þēoden Hrōðgār, þæt ic þē sōhte;
"forþan hīe mægenes cræft mīnne cūðon:
"selfe ofersāwon, þā ic of searwum cwōm,
420 "fāh from fēondum, þǣr ic fīfe geband,
"ȳðde eotena cyn, and on ȳðum slōg
"niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe drēah,
"wræc Wedera nīð (wēan āhsodon)
"forgrand gramum; and nū wið Grendel sceal,
425 "wið þām āglǣcan, āna gehegan
"þing wið þyrse. Ic þē nū þā,
"brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
"eodor Scyldinga, ānre bēne;
"þæt þū mē ne forwyrne, wīgendra hlēo,
430 "frēo-wine folca, nū ic þus feorran cōm,
"þæt ic mōte āna and mīnra eorla gedryht,
"þes hearda hēap, Heorot fǣlsian.
"Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod, þæt se ǣglǣca
"for his won-hȳdum wǣpna ne rēceð;
435 "ic þæt þonne forhicge, swā mē Higelāc sīe,
"mīn mon-drihten, mōdes blīðe,
"þæt ic sweord bere oððe sīdne scyld
"geolo-rand tō gūðe; ac ic mid grāpe sceal
"fōn wið fēonde and ymb feorh sacan,
440 "lāð wið lāðum; þǣr gelȳfan sceal
"dryhtnes dōme sē þe hine dēað nimeð.
"Wēn' ic þæt hē wille, gif hē wealdan mōt,
"in þǣm gūð-sele Gēatena lēode
"etan unforhte, swā hē oft dyde
445 "mægen Hrēðmanna. Nā þū mīnne þearft
"hafalan hȳdan, ac hē mē habban wile
"drēore fāhne, gif mec dēað nimeð;
"byreð blōdig wæl, byrgean þenceð,
"eteð ān-genga unmurnlīce,
450 "mearcað mōr-hopu: nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
"līces feorme leng sorgian.
"Onsend Higelāce, gif mec hild nime,
"beadu-scrūda betst, þæt mīne brēost wereð,
"hrægla sēlest; þæt is Hrēðlan lāf,
455 "Wēlandes geweorc. Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hīo scel! "
VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"for were-fyhtum þū, wine mīn Bēowulf,
"and for ār-stafum ūsic sōhtest.
"Geslōh þin fæder fǣhðe mǣste,
460 "wearð hē Heaðolāfe tō hand-bonan
"mid Wilfingum; þā hine Wedera cyn
"for here-brōgan habban ne mihte.
"Þanon hē gesōhte Sūð-Dena folc
"ofer ȳða gewealc, Ār-Scyldinga;
465 "þā ic furðum wēold folce Deninga,
"and on geogoðe hēold gimme-rīce
"hord-burh hæleða: þā wæs Heregār dēad,
"mīn yldra mǣg unlifigende,
"bearn Healfdenes. Sē wæs betera þonne ic!
470 "Siððan þā fǣhðe fēo þingode;
"sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg
"ealde mādmas: hē mē āðas swōr.
"Sorh is mē tō secganne on sefan mīnum
"gumena ǣngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað
475 "hȳnðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum,
"fǣr-nīða gefremed. Is mīn flet-werod,
"wīg-hēap gewanod; hīe Wyrd forswēop
"on Grendles gryre. God ēaðe mæg
"þone dol-scaðan dǣda getwǣfan!
480 "Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne
"ofer ealo-wǣge ōret-mecgas,
"þæt hīe in bēor-sele bīdan woldon
"Grendles gūðe mid gryrum ecga.
"Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal on morgen-tīd,
485 "driht-sele drēor-fāh, þonne dæg līxte,
"eal benc-þelu blōde bestȳmed,
"heall heoru-drēore: āhte ic holdra þȳ lǣs,
"dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam.
"Site nū tō symle and onsǣl meoto,
490 "sige-hrēð secgum, swā þīn sefa hwette! "
Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgum geador ætsomne
on bēor-sele benc gerȳmed;
þǣr swīð-ferhðe sittan ēodon
þrȳðum dealle. Þegn nytte behēold,
495 sē þe on handa bær hroden ealo-wǣge,
scencte scīr wered. Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote; þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unlȳtel Dena and Wedera.
IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BĒOWULF.
Unferð maðelode, Ecglāfes bearn,
500 þē æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga;
onband beadu-rūne (wæs him Bēowulfes sīð,
mōdges mere-faran, micel æf-þunca,
forþon þe hē ne ūðe, þæt ǣnig ōðer man
ǣfre mǣrða þon mā middan-geardes
505 gehēdde under heofenum þonne hē sylfa):
"Eart þū sē Bēowulf, sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
"on sīdne sǣ ymb sund flite,
"þǣr git for wlence wada cunnedon
"and for dol-gilpe on dēop wæter
510 "aldrum nēðdon? Nē inc ǣnig mon,
"nē lēof nē lāð, belēan mihte
"sorh-fullne sīð; þā git on sund rēon,
"þǣr git ēagor-strēam earmum þehton,
"mǣton mere-strǣta, mundum brugdon,
515 "glidon ofer gār-secg; geofon ȳðum wēol,
"wintres wylme. Git on wæteres ǣht
"seofon niht swuncon; hē þē æt sunde oferflāt,
"hæfde māre mægen. Þā hine on morgen-tīd
"on Heaðo-rǣmas holm up ætbær,
520 "þonon hē gesōhte swǣsne ēðel
"lēof his lēodum lond Brondinga,
"freoðo-burh fægere, þǣr hē folc āhte,
"burg and bēagas. Bēot eal wið þē
"sunu Bēanstānes sōðe gelǣste.
525 "Þonne wēne ic tō þē wyrsan geþinges,
"þēah þū heaðo-rǣsa gehwǣr dohte,
"grimre gūðe, gif þū Grendles dearst
"niht-longne fyrst nēan bīdan! "
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
530 "Hwæt! þū worn fela, wine mīn Unferð,
"bēore druncen ymb Brecan sprǣce,
"sægdest from his sīðe! Sōð ic talige,
"þæt ic mere-strengo māran āhte,
"earfeðo on ȳðum, þonne ǣnig ōðer man.
535 "Wit þæt gecwǣdon cniht-wesende
"and gebēotedon (wǣron bēgen þā gīt
"on geogoð-feore) þæt wit on gār-secg ūt
"aldrum nēðdon; and þæt geæfndon swā.
"Hæfdon swurd nacod, þā wit on sund rēon,
540 "heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas
"werian þōhton. Nō hē wiht fram mē
"flōd-ȳðum feor flēotan meahte,
"hraðor on holme, nō ic fram him wolde.
"Þā wit ætsomne on sǣ wǣron
545 "fīf nihta fyrst, oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
"wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
"nīpende niht and norðan wind
"heaðo-grim andhwearf; hrēo wǣron ȳða,
"Wæs mere-fixa mōd onhrēred:
550 "þǣr mē wið lāðum līc-syrce mīn,
"heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;
"beado-hrægl brōden on brēostum læg,
"golde gegyrwed. Mē tō grunde tēah
"fāh fēond-scaða, fæste hæfde
555 "grim on grāpe: hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
"þæt ic āglǣcan orde gerǣhte,
"hilde-bille; heaðo-rǣs fornam
"mihtig mere-dēor þurh mīne hand.
X. BĒOWULF'S CONTEST WITH BRECA. -THE FEAST.
"Swā mec gelōme lāð-getēonan
560 "þrēatedon þearle. Ic him þēnode
"dēoran sweorde, swā hit gedēfe wæs;
"næs hīe þǣre fylle gefēan hæfdon,
"mān-fordǣdlan, þæt hīe mē þēgon,
"symbel ymb-sǣton sǣ-grunde nēah,
565 "ac on mergenne mēcum wunde
"be ȳð-lāfe uppe lǣgon,
"sweordum āswefede, þæt syððan nā
"ymb brontne ford brim-līðende
"lāde ne letton. Lēoht ēastan cōm,
570 "beorht bēacen godes; brimu swaðredon,
"þæt ic sǣ-næssas gesēon mihte,
"windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
"unfǣgne eorl, ðonne his ellen dēah!
"Hwæðere mē gesǣlde, þæt ic mid sweorde ofslōh
575 "niceras nigene. Nō ic on niht gefrægn
"under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
"nē on ēg-strēamum earmran mannan;
"hwæðere ic fāra feng fēore gedīgde,
"siðes wērig. Þā mec sǣ oðbær,
580 "flōd æfter faroðe, on Finna land,
"wadu weallendu. Nō ic wiht fram þē
"swylcra searo-nīða secgan hȳrde,
"billa brōgan: Breca nǣfre gīt
"æt heaðo-lāce, nē gehwæðer incer
585 "swā dēorlīce dǣd gefremede
"fāgum sweordum . . . . . . .
". . . . . . . nō ic þæs gylpe;
"þēah þū þīnum brōðrum tō banan wurde,
"hēafod-mǣgum; þæs þū in helle scealt
590 "werhðo drēogan, þēah þīn wit duge,
"Secge ic þē tō sōðe, sunu Ecglāfes,
"þæt nǣfre Grendel swā fela gryra gefremede,
"atol ǣglǣca ealdre þīnum,
"hȳnðo on Heorote, gif þīn hige wǣre,
595 "sefa swā searo-grim, swā þū self talast.
"Ac hē hafað onfunden, þæt hē þā fǣhðe ne þearf,
"atole ecg-þræce ēower lēode
"swīðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga;
"nymeð nȳd-bāde, nǣnegum ārað
600 "lēode Deniga, ac hē on lust wīgeð,
"swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wēneð
"tō Gār-Denum. Ac him Gēata sceal
"eafoð and ellen ungeāra nū
"gūðe gebēodan. Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
605 "tō medo mōdig, siððan morgen-lēoht
"ofer ylda bearn ōðres dōgores,
"sunne swegl-wered sūðan scīneð! "
Þā wæs on sālum sinces brytta
gamol-feax and gūð-rōf, gēoce gelȳfde
610 brego Beorht-Dena; gehȳrde on Bēowulfe
folces hyrde fæst-rǣdne geþōht.
Þǣr wæs hæleða hleahtor; hlyn swynsode,
word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,
cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig,
615 grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,
and þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealde
ǣrest Ēast-Dena ēðel-wearde,
bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þege,
lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah
620 symbel and sele-ful, sige-rōf kyning.
Ymb-ēode þā ides Helminga
duguðe and geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne;
sinc-fato sealde, oð þæt sǣl ālamp,
þæt hīo Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,
625 mōde geþungen, medo-ful ætbær;
grētte Gēata lēod, gode þancode
wīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,
þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfde
fyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,
630 wæl-rēow wiga æt Wealhþēon,
and þā gyddode gūðe gefȳsed,
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,
"sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra secga gedriht,
635 "þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda
"willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge,
"fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefremman sceal
"eorlīc ellen, oððe ende-dæg
"on þisse meodu-healle mīnne gebīdan. "
640 Þām wīfe þā word wēl līcodon,
gilp-cwide Gēates; ēode gold-hroden
frēolīcu folc-cwēn tō hire frēan sittan.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healle
þrȳð-word sprecen, þēod on sǣlum,
645 sige-folca swēg, oð þæt semninga
sunu Healfdenes sēcean wolde
ǣfen-ræste; wiste æt þǣm āhlǣcan
tō þǣm hēah-sele hilde geþinged,
siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēon ne meahton,
650 oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,
scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðan cwōman,
wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās.
Grētte þā giddum guma ōðerne,
Hrōðgār Bēowulf, and him hǣl ābēad,
655 wīn-ærnes geweald and þæt word ācwæð:
"Nǣfre ic ǣnegum men ǣr ālȳfde,
"siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte,
"þrȳð-ærn Dena būton þē nū þā.
"Hafa nū and geheald hūsa sēlest;
660 "gemyne mǣrðo, mægen-ellen cȳð,
"waca wið wrāðum! Ne bið þē wilna gād,
"gif þū þæt ellen-weorc aldre gedīgest. "
XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.
Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt mid his hæleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga ūt of healle;
665 wolde wīg-fruma Wealhþēo sēcan,
cwēn tō gebeddan Hæfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tō-gēanes, swā guman gefrungon,
sele-weard āseted, sundor-nytte behēold
ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard ābēad;
670 hūru Gēata lēod georne truwode
mōdgan mægnes, metodes hyldo.
Þā hē him of dyde īsern-byrnan,
helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
īrena cyst ombiht-þegne,
675 and gehealdan hēt hilde-geatwe.
Gespræc þā se gōda gylp-worda sum
Bēowulf Gēata, ǣr hē on bed stige:
"Nō ic mē an here-wǣsmum hnāgran talige
"gūð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
680 "forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
"aldre benēotan, þēah ic eal mǣge.
"Nāt hē þāra gōda, þæt hē mē on-gēan slēa,
"rand gehēawe, þēah þe hē rōf sīe
"nīð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
685 "secge ofersittan, gif hē gesēcean dear
"wīg ofer wǣpen, and siððan wītig god
"on swā hwæðere hond hālig dryhten
"mǣrðo dēme, swā him gemet þince. "
Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor, hlēor-bolster onfēng
690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig
snellīc sǣ-rinc sele-reste gebēah.
Nǣnig heora þōhte þæt hē þanon scolde
eft eard-lufan ǣfre gesēcean,
folc oððe frēo-burh, þǣr hē āfēded wæs,
695 ac hīe hæfdon gefrūnen, þæt hīe ǣr tō fela micles
in þǣm wīn-sele wæl-dēað fornam,
Denigea lēode. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wīg-spēda gewiofu, Wedera lēodum
frōfor and fultum, þæt hīe fēond heora
700 þurh ānes cræft ealle ofercōmon,
selfes mihtum: sōð is gecȳðed,
þæt mihtig god manna cynnes
wēold wīde-ferhð. Cōm on wanre niht
scrīðan sceadu-genga. Scēotend swǣfon,
705 þā þæt horn-reced healdan scoldon,
ealle būton ānum. Þæt wæs yldum cūð,
þæt hīe ne mōste, þā metod nolde,
se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan;
ac hē wæccende wrāðum on andan
710 bād bolgen-mōd beadwa geþinges.
XII. GRENDEL'S RAID.
Þā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær.
Mynte se mān-scaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þām hēan;
715 wōd under wolcnum, tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced,
gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse
fǣttum fāhne. Ne wæs þæt forma sīð,
þæt hē Hrōðgāres hām gesōhte:
nǣfre hē on aldor-dagum ǣr nē siððan
720 heardran hæle, heal-þegnas fand!
Cōm þā tō recede rinc sīðian
drēamum bedǣled. Duru sōna onarn
fȳr-bendum fæst, syððan hē hire folmum hrān;
onbræd þā bealo-hȳdig, þā hē ābolgen wæs,
725 recedes mūðan. Raðe æfter þon
on fāgne flōr fēond treddode,
ēode yrre-mōd; him of ēagum stōd
līge gelīcost lēoht unfǣger.
Geseah hē in recede rinca manige,
730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere,
mago-rinca hēap: þā his mōd āhlōg,
mynte þæt hē gedǣlde, ǣr þon dæg cwōme,
atol āglǣca, ānra gehwylces
līf wið līce, þā him ālumpen wæs
735 wist-fylle wēn. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þā gēn,
þæt hē mā mōste manna cynnes
þicgean ofer þā niht. Þrȳð-swȳð behēold
mǣg Higelāces, hū se mān-scaða
under fǣr-gripum gefaran wolde.
740 Nē þæt se āglǣca yldan þōhte,
ac hē gefēng hraðe forman siðe
slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,
bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,
syn-snǣdum swealh: sōna hæfde
745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod
fēt and folma. Forð nēar ætstōp,
nam þā mid handa hige-þīhtigne
rinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēan
fēond mid folme, hē onfēng hraðe
750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesæt.
Sōna þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þæt hē ne mētte middan-geardes
eorðan scēata on elran men
mund-gripe māran: hē on mōde wearð
755 forht on ferhðe, nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte;
hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,
sēcan dēofla gedræg: ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,
swylce hē on ealder-dagum ǣr gemētte.
Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces
760 ǣfen-sprǣce, up-lang āstōd
and him fæste wiðfēng. Fingras burston;
eoten wæs ūt-weard, eorl furður stōp.
Mynte se mǣra, þǣr hē meahte swā,
wīdre gewindan and on weg þanon
765 flēon on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,
þæt se hearm-scaða tō Heorute ātēah:
dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,
ceaster-būendum, cēnra gehwylcum,
770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgen,
rēðe rēn-weardas. Reced hlynsode;
þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sele
wiðhæfde heaðo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,
fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs
775 innan and ūtan īren-bendum
searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēag
medu-benc monig mīne gefrǣge,
golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;
þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,
780 þæt hit ā mid gemete manna ǣnig
betlīc and bān-fāg tōbrecan meahte,
listum tōlūcan, nymðe līges fæðm
swulge on swaðule. Swēg up āstāg
nīwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stōd
785 atelīc egesa ānra gehwylcum
þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon,
gryre-lēoð galan godes andsacan,
sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigean
helle hæftan. Hēold hine tō fæste
790 sē þe manna wæs mægene strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.
XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL'S ARM.
Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þinga
þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,
nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum
795 nytte tealde. Þǣr genehost brægd
eorl Bēowulfes ealde lāfe,
wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian
mǣres þēodnes, þǣr hīe meahton swā;
hīe þæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,
800 heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,
and on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,
sāwle sēcan, þæt þone syn-scaðan
ǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,
gūð-billa nān grētan nolde;
805 ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,
ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedāl
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes
earmlīc wurðan and se ellor-gāst
on fēonda geweald feor sīðian.
810 Þā þæt onfunde sē þe fela ǣror
mōdes myrðe manna cynne
fyrene gefremede (hē wæs fāg wið god)
þæt him se līc-homa lǣstan nolde,
ac hine se mōdega mǣg Hygelāces
815 hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæðer ōðrum
lifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebād
atol ǣglǣca, him on eaxle wearð
syn-dolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon
burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð
820 gūð-hrēð gyfeðe; scolde Grendel þonan
feorh-sēoc flēon under fen-hleoðu,
sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,
þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen,
dōgera dæg-rīm. Denum eallum wearð
825 æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.
Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,
snotor and swȳð-ferhð sele Hrōðgāres,
genered wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,
ellen-mǣrðum; hæfde Ēast-Denum
830 Gēat-mecga lēod gilp gelǣsted,
swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte,
inwid-sorge, þē hīe ǣr drugon
and for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon,
torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,
835 syððan hilde-dēor hond ālegde,
earm and eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geador
Grendles grāpe) under gēapne hrōf.
XIV. THE JOY AT HEOROT.
Þā wæs on morgen mīne gefrǣge
ymb þā gif-healle gūð-rinc monig:
840 fērdon folc-togan feorran and nēan
geond wīd-wegas wundor scēawian,
lāðes lāstas. Nō his līf-gedāl
sārlīc þūhte secga ǣnegum,
þāra þe tīr-lēases trode scēawode,
845 hū hē wērig-mōd on weg þanon,
nīða ofercumen, on nicera mere
fǣge and geflȳmed feorh-lāstas bær.
Þǣr wæs on blōde brim weallende,
atol ȳða geswing eal gemenged
850 hātan heolfre, heoro-drēore wēol;
dēað-fǣge dēog, siððan drēama lēas
in fen-freoðo feorh ālegde
hǣðene sāwle, þǣr him hel onfēng.
Þanon eft gewiton eald-gesīðas,
855 swylce geong manig of gomen-wāðe,
fram mere mōdge, mēarum rīdan,
beornas on blancum. Þǣr wæs Bēowulfes
mǣrðo mǣned; monig oft gecwæð,
þætte sūð nē norð be sǣm tweonum
860 ofer eormen-grund ōðer nǣnig
under swegles begong sēlra nǣre
rond-hæbbendra, rīces wyrðra.
Nē hīe hūru wine-drihten wiht ne lōgon,
glædne Hrōðgār, ac þæt wæs gōd cyning.
865 Hwīlum heaðo-rōfe hlēapan lēton,
on geflīt faran fealwe mēaras,
þǣr him fold-wegas fægere þūhton,
cystum cūðe; hwīlum cyninges þegn,
guma gilp-hlæden gidda gemyndig,
870 sē þe eal-fela eald-gesegena
worn gemunde, word ōðer fand
sōðe gebunden: secg eft ongan
sīð Bēowulfes snyttrum styrian
and on spēd wrecan spel gerāde,
875 wordum wrixlan, wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt hē fram Sigemunde secgan hȳrde,
ellen-dǣdum, uncūðes fela,
Wælsinges gewin, wīde sīðas,
þāra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
880 fǣhðe and fyrene, būton Fitela mid hine,
þonne hē swylces hwæt secgan wolde
ēam his nefan, swā hīe ā wǣron
æt nīða gehwām nȳd-gesteallan:
hæfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes
885 sweordum gesǣged.
