Beowulf

This text is a revised and corrected version of the fourth edition of Harrison and Sharp in its entirety. It comes in two basic versions. The base version (available in plain-text and HTML) presents the original text as printed. It preserves the source-text’s idiosyncratic use of accented vowels with the exception of y-circumflex (Å·), which is replaced by y-acute (ý) to fit within the Latin-1 character set. Manifestly unintentional errors in the text have been corrected. In general, this has only been done when the text is internally inconsistent (e.g., a quotation in the glossary does not match the main text). Forms that represent deliberate editorial choice have not been altered, even where they appear wrong. (For example, some of the markings of vowel length do not reflect current scholarly consensus.) In a few instances, quotations in the glossary use the correct vowel length where the main text does not. These have not been altered. Where an uncorrected problem may confuse the reader, I have inserted a note explaining the difficulty, signed KTH. A complete list of the changes made is appended at the end of the file. In order to make the text more useful to modern readers, I have also produced a revised edition (HTML only). The file you are reading is this revised version. Notes from the source text that indicate changes adopted in later editions have been incorporated directly into the text and apparatus. Further, long vowels are indicated with macrons, as is the common practice of most modern editions. Finally, the quantity of some words has been altered to the values currently accepted as correct. Quantities have not been changed when the difference is a matter of editorial interpretation (e.g., gæst vs. gÇ£st in l. 102, etc.) A list of these altered quantities appears at the end of the list of corrections. Your browser must support the Unicode character set to use this file. To tell if your browser supports the necessary characters, check the table of vowel equivalents below. If you see any empty boxes or question marks in the “revised” columns, you should use the basic version.

Explanation of the Vowel Accenting

In general, Harrison and Sharp use circumflex accents over vowels to mark long vowels. For ash, however, the actual character ‘æ’ represents the long vowel. Short ash is rendered with a-umlaut (ä). The long diphthongs (ēo, ēa, etc.) are indicated with an acute accent over the second vowel (eó, eá, etc.).

Vowel Equivalents in Different Versions:

Orig. Revised Orig. Revised
ä æ Ô Ō
Ä Æ û ū
æ ǣ Û Ū
Æ Ǣ ý ȳ
â ā Ý Ȳ
 Ā eá ēa
ê ē Eá Ēa
Ê Ē eó ēo
î ī Eó Ēo
Î Ī ié īe
ô ō ió īo

** End of PG Preface **

I. BĒOWULF:

AN ANGLO-SAXON POEM.

II. THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURH:

A FRAGMENT.

WITH TEXT AND GLOSSARY ON THE

BASIS OF M. HEYNE.

EDITED, CORRECTED, AND ENLARGED, BY

JAMES A. HARRISON, LL.D., LITT. D.,

PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND MODERN LANGUAGES, WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,

AND

ROBERT SHARP (PH.D. LIPS.),
PROFESSOR OF GREEK AND ENGLISH,
TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA.

FOURTH EDITION. REVISED, WITH NOTES.

GINN & COMPANY
BOSTON-NEW YORK-CHICAGO-LONDON

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1883, by JAMES ALBERT HARRISON AND ROBERT SHARP
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

DEDICATED

TO

PROFESSOR F. A. MARCH,
OF LAFAYETTE COLLEGE, PA.,

AND

FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, ESQ.
FOUNDER OF THE “NEW SHAKSPERE SOCIETY,” THE “CHAUCER SOCIETY,” ETC., ETC.

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

The favor with which the successive editions of “Bēowulf” have been received during the past thirteen years emboldens the editors to continue the work of revision in a fourth issue, the most noticeable feature of which is a considerable body of explanatory Notes, now for the first time added. These Notes mainly concern themselves with new textual readings, with here and there grammatical, geographical, and archæological points that seemed worthy of explanation. Parallelisms and parallel passages are constantly compared, with the view of making the poem illustrate and explain itself. A few emendations and textual changes are suggested by the editors with all possible diffidence; numerous corrections have been made in the Glossary and List of Names; and the valuable parts of former Appendices have been embodied in the Notes.

For the Notes, the editors are much indebted to the various German periodicals mentioned on page 116, to the recent publications of Professors Earle and J. L. Hall, to Mr. S. A. Brooke, and to the Heyne-Socin edition of “Bēowulf.” No change has been made in the system of accentuation, though a few errors in quantity have been corrected. The editors are looking forward to an eventual fifth edition, in which an entirely new text will be presented.

October, 1893.

NOTE TO THE THIRD EDITION.

This third edition of the American issue of Bēowulf will, the editors hope, be found more accurate and useful than either of the preceding editions. Further corrections in text and glossary have been made, and some additional new readings and suggestions will be found in two brief appendices at the back of the book. 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, hwÄ«le wið Hrōðgār;– hete-nīðas wæg, fyrene and fÇ£hðe 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 fÅ«slÄ«cu; hine fyrwyt bræc mōd-gehygdum, hwæt þā men wÇ£ron. Gewāt him þā tō waroðe wicge rÄ«dan 235 þegn Hrōðgāres, þrymmum cwehte mægen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frægn: “Hwæt syndon gē searo-hæbbendra
“byrnum werede, þē þus brontne cēol “ofer lagu-strÇ£te lÇ£dan cwōmon,
240 “hider ofer holmas helmas bÇ£ron? “Ic wæs ende-sÇ£ta, Ç£g-wearde hēold, “þæt on land Dena lāðra nÇ£nig
“mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte. “Nō hēr cūðlÄ«cor cuman ongunnon 245 “lind-hæbbende; nē gē lēafnes-word “gūð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson, “māga gemēdu. NÇ£fre ic māran geseah “eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is ēower sum, “secg on searwum; nis þæt seld-guma 250 “wÇ£pnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite lēoge, “Ç£nlÄ«c an-sȳn. NÅ« ic ēower sceal “frum-cyn witan, Ç£r gē fyr heonan “lēase scēaweras on land Dena
“furður fēran. NÅ« gē feor-bÅ«end, 255 “mere-līðende, mÄ«nne gehȳrað “ān-fealdne geþōht: ofost is sēlest “tō gecȳðanne, hwanan ēowre cyme syndon.”

V. THE ERRAND.

Him se yldesta andswarode,
werodes wÄ«sa, word-hord onlēac: 260 “Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode “and Higelāces heorð-genēatas.
“Wæs mÄ«n fæder folcum gecȳðed, “æðele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten; “gebād wintra worn, Ç£r hē on weg hwurfe, 265 “gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman “witena wēl-hwylc wÄ«de geond eorðan.- “Wē þurh holdne hige hlāford þinne, “sunu Healfdenes, sēcean cwōmon,
“lēod-gebyrgean: wes þū Å«s lārena gōd! 270 “Habbað wē tō þǣm mÇ£ran micel Ç£rende “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 dÇ£d-hata, deorcum nihtum “ēaweð þurh egsan uncūðne nīð, “hȳnðu and hrā-fyl. Ic þæs Hrōðgār mæg “þurh rÅ«mne sefan rÇ£d gelÇ£ran,
“hÅ« hē frōd and gōd fēond oferswȳðeð, 280 “gyf him ed-wendan Ç£fre 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 hÅ«sa sēlest.”
Weard maðelode, þǣr on wicge sæt ombeht unforht: “Ç¢ghwæðres sceal “scearp scyld-wiga gescād witan,
“worda and worca, sē þe wēl þenceð. 290 “Ic þæt gehȳre, þæt þis is hold weorod “frēan Scyldinga. GewÄ«tað forð beran “wÇ£pen and gewÇ£du, ic ēow wÄ«sige: “swylce ic magu-þegnas mÄ«ne hāte “wið fēonda gehwone flotan ēowerne, 295 “nÄ«w-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-rÇ£s hāl gedÄ«geð.” Gewiton him þā fēran (flota stille bād, seomode on sāle sÄ«d-fæðmed scyp, on ancre fæst); eofor-lÄ«c 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: “MÇ£l is mē tō fēran; fæder alwalda “mid ār-stafum ēowic gehealde
“sīða gesunde! ic tō sÇ£ 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 grÇ£g: wæs se Ä«ren-þrēat wÇ£pnum gewurðad. Þā þǣr wlonc hæleð ōret-mecgas æfter æðelum frægn: “Hwanon ferigeað gē fÇ£tte scyldas, “grÇ£ge syrcan and grÄ«m-helmas,
335 “here-sceafta hēap?– Ic eom Hrōðgāres “ār and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þēodige “þus manige men mōdiglÄ«cran.
“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 mÄ«n nama. “Wille ic āsecgan suna Healfdenes, 345 “mÇ£rum þēodne mÄ«n Ç£rende,
“aldre þīnum, gif hē Å«s geunnan wile, “þæt wē hine swā gōdne grētan mōton.” Wulfgār maðelode (þæt wæs Wendla lēod, wæs his mōd-sefa manegum gecȳðed, 350 wÄ«g and wÄ«s-dōm): “ic þæs wine Deniga, “frēan Scildinga frÄ«nan wille,
“bēaga bryttan, swā þū bēna eart, “þēoden mÇ£rne ymb þīnne sīð ; “and þē þā andsware Ç£dre gecȳðan, 355 “þē mē se gōda āgifan þenceð.” Hwearf þā hrædlÄ«ce, 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 hÄ«e, þēoden mÄ«n, wið þē mōton “wordum wrixlan; nō þū him wearne getēoh, “þīnra gegn-cwida glædnian, Hrōðgār! “Hȳ on wÄ«g-geatwum wyrðe þinceað “eorla geæhtlan; hÅ«ru se aldor dēah, 370 “sē þǣm heaðo-rincum hider wÄ«sade.”

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 nÅ« “heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine. “þonne sægdon þæt sÇ£-līðende, “þā þe gif-sceattas Gēata fyredon “þyder tō þance, þæt hē þrÄ«ttiges 380 “manna mægen-cræft on his mund-grÄ«pe “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 hÄ«e sint wil-cuman “Deniga lēodum.” Þā wið duru healle 390 Wulfgār ēode, word inne ābēad: “Ēow hēt secgan sige-drihten mÄ«n, “aldor Ēast-Dena, þæt hē ēower æðelu can “and gē him syndon ofer sÇ£-wylmas, “heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 “NÅ« gē mōton gangan in ēowrum guð-geatawum, “under here-grÄ«man, Hrōðgār gesēon; “lÇ£tað hilde-bord hēr onbidian,
“wudu wæl-sceaftas, worda geþinges.” Ārās þā se rÄ«ca, ymb hine rinc manig, 400 þrȳðlÄ«c þegna hēap; sume þǣr bidon, heaðo-rēaf hēoldon, swā him se hearda bebēad. Snyredon ætsomne, þā secg wÄ«sode 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 “mÇ£g and mago-þegn; hæbbe ic mÇ£rða fela “ongunnen on geogoðe. Mē wearð Grendles þing 410 “on mÄ«nre ēðel-tyrf undyrne cūð: “secgað sÇ£-līðend, þæt þes sele stande, “reced sēlesta, rinca gehwylcum
“Ä«del and unnyt, siððan Ç£fen-lēoht “under heofenes hādor beholen weorðeð. 415 “Þā mē þæt gelÇ£rdon lēode mÄ«ne, “þā sēlestan, snotere ceorlas,
“þēoden Hrōðgār, þæt ic þē sōhte; “forþan hÄ«e mægenes cræft mÄ«nne cūðon: “selfe ofersāwon, þā ic of searwum cwōm, 420 “fāh from fēondum, þǣr ic fÄ«fe geband, “ȳðde eotena cyn, and on ȳðum slōg “niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe drēah, “wræc Wedera nīð (wēan āhsodon) “forgrand gramum; and nÅ« wið Grendel sceal, 425 “wið þām āglÇ£can, āna gehegan “þing wið þyrse. Ic þē nÅ« þā, “brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
“eodor Scyldinga, ānre bēne; “þæt þū mē ne forwyrne, wÄ«gendra hlēo, 430 “frēo-wine folca, nÅ« ic þus feorran cōm, “þæt ic mōte āna and mÄ«nra eorla gedryht, “þes hearda hēap, Heorot fÇ£lsian. “Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod, þæt se Ç£glÇ£ca “for his won-hȳdum wÇ£pna ne rēceð; 435 “ic þæt þonne forhicge, swā mē Higelāc sÄ«e, “mÄ«n mon-drihten, mōdes blīðe,
“þæt ic sweord bere oððe sÄ«dne 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 mÄ«nne þearft “hafalan hȳdan, ac hē mē habban wile “drēore fāhne, gif mec dēað nimeð; “byreð blōdig wæl, byrgean þenceð, “eteð ān-genga unmurnlÄ«ce,
450 “mearcað mōr-hopu: nō þū ymb mÄ«nes ne þearft “lÄ«ces feorme leng sorgian.
“Onsend Higelāce, gif mec hild nime, “beadu-scrÅ«da betst, þæt mÄ«ne brēost wereð, “hrægla sēlest; þæt is Hrēðlan lāf, 455 “Wēlandes geweorc. Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hÄ«o scel!”

VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.

Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga: “for were-fyhtum þū, wine mÄ«n Bēowulf, “and for ār-stafum Å«sic sōhtest. “Geslōh þin fæder fÇ£hðe mÇ£ste, 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-rÄ«ce “hord-burh hæleða: þā wæs Heregār dēad, “mÄ«n yldra mÇ£g unlifigende,
“bearn Healfdenes. Sē wæs betera þonne ic! 470 “Siððan þā fÇ£hðe fēo þingode; “sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg “ealde mādmas: hē mē āðas swōr. “Sorh is mē tō secganne on sefan mÄ«num “gumena Ç£ngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað 475 “hȳnðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum, “fÇ£r-nīða gefremed. Is mÄ«n flet-werod, “wÄ«g-hēap gewanod; hÄ«e Wyrd forswēop “on Grendles gryre. God ēaðe mæg “þone dol-scaðan dÇ£da getwÇ£fan! 480 “Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne “ofer ealo-wÇ£ge ōret-mecgas,
“þæt hÄ«e in bēor-sele bÄ«dan woldon “Grendles gūðe mid gryrum ecga.
“Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal on morgen-tÄ«d, 485 “driht-sele drēor-fāh, þonne dæg lÄ«xte, “eal benc-þelu blōde bestȳmed,
“heall heoru-drēore: āhte ic holdra þȳ lÇ£s, “dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam. “Site nÅ« tō symle and onsÇ£l 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-rÅ«ne (wæs him Bēowulfes sīð, mōdges mere-faran, micel æf-þunca, forþon þe hē ne ūðe, þæt Ç£nig ōðer man Ç£fre mÇ£rða þon mā middan-geardes 505 gehēdde under heofenum þonne hē sylfa): “Eart þū sē Bēowulf, sē þe wið Brecan wunne, “on sÄ«dne sÇ£ ymb sund flite,
“þǣr git for wlence wada cunnedon “and for dol-gilpe on dēop wæter
510 “aldrum nēðdon? Nē inc Ç£nig mon, “nē lēof nē lāð, belēan mihte “sorh-fullne sīð; þā git on sund rēon, “þǣr git ēagor-strēam earmum þehton, “mÇ£ton mere-strÇ£ta, mundum brugdon, 515 “glidon ofer gār-secg; geofon ȳðum wēol, “wintres wylme. Git on wæteres Ç£ht “seofon niht swuncon; hē þē æt sunde oferflāt, “hæfde māre mægen. Þā hine on morgen-tÄ«d “on Heaðo-rÇ£mas holm up ætbær,
520 “þonon hē gesōhte swÇ£sne ēðel “lēof his lēodum lond Brondinga,
“freoðo-burh fægere, þǣr hē folc āhte, “burg and bēagas. Bēot eal wið þē “sunu Bēanstānes sōðe gelÇ£ste. 525 “Þonne wēne ic tō þē wyrsan geþinges, “þēah þū heaðo-rÇ£sa gehwÇ£r dohte, “grimre gūðe, gif þū Grendles dearst “niht-longne fyrst nēan bÄ«dan!”
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes: 530 “Hwæt! þū worn fela, wine mÄ«n Unferð, “bēore druncen ymb Brecan sprÇ£ce, “sægdest from his sīðe! Sōð ic talige, “þæt ic mere-strengo māran āhte, “earfeðo on ȳðum, þonne Ç£nig ōðer man. 535 “Wit þæt gecwÇ£don cniht-wesende “and gebēotedon (wÇ£ron bēgen þā gÄ«t “on geogoð-feore) þæt wit on gār-secg Å«t “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 sÇ£ wÇ£ron
545 “fÄ«f nihta fyrst, oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf, “wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
“nÄ«pende niht and norðan wind “heaðo-grim andhwearf; hrēo wÇ£ron ȳða, “Wæs mere-fixa mōd onhrēred:
550 “þǣr mē wið lāðum lÄ«c-syrce mÄ«n, “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 āglÇ£can orde gerÇ£hte,
“hilde-bille; heaðo-rÇ£s fornam “mihtig mere-dēor þurh mÄ«ne 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 hÄ«e þǣre fylle gefēan hæfdon, “mān-fordÇ£dlan, þæt hÄ«e mē þēgon, “symbel ymb-sÇ£ton sÇ£-grunde nēah, 565 “ac on mergenne mēcum wunde
“be ȳð-lāfe uppe lÇ£gon,
“sweordum āswefede, þæt syððan nā “ymb brontne ford brim-līðende
“lāde ne letton. Lēoht ēastan cōm, 570 “beorht bēacen godes; brimu swaðredon, “þæt ic sÇ£-næssas gesēon mihte, “windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
“unfÇ£gne eorl, ðonne his ellen dēah! “Hwæðere mē gesÇ£lde, 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 gedÄ«gde, “siðes wērig. Þā mec sÇ£ oðbær, 580 “flōd æfter faroðe, on Finna land, “wadu weallendu. Nō ic wiht fram þē “swylcra searo-nīða secgan hȳrde, “billa brōgan: Breca nÇ£fre gÄ«t
“æt heaðo-lāce, nē gehwæðer incer 585 “swā dēorlÄ«ce dÇ£d gefremede
“fāgum sweordum . . . . . . . “. . . . . . . nō ic þæs gylpe;
“þēah þū þīnum brōðrum tō banan wurde, “hēafod-mÇ£gum; þæs þū in helle scealt 590 “werhðo drēogan, þēah þīn wit duge, “Secge ic þē tō sōðe, sunu Ecglāfes, “þæt nÇ£fre Grendel swā fela gryra gefremede, “atol Ç£glÇ£ca ealdre þīnum,
“hȳnðo on Heorote, gif þīn hige wÇ£re, 595 “sefa swā searo-grim, swā þū self talast. “Ac hē hafað onfunden, þæt hē þā fÇ£hðe ne þearf, “atole ecg-þræce ēower lēode
“swīðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga; “nymeð nȳd-bāde, nÇ£negum ārað 600 “lēode Deniga, ac hē on lust wÄ«geð, “swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wēneð “tō Gār-Denum. Ac him Gēata sceal “eafoð and ellen ungeāra nÅ«
“gūðe gebēodan. Gǣð eft sē þe mōt 605 “tō medo mōdig, siððan morgen-lēoht “ofer ylda bearn ōðres dōgores,
“sunne swegl-wered sūðan scÄ«neð!” 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, “sÇ£-bāt gesæt mid mÄ«nra secga gedriht, 635 “þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda
“willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge, “fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefremman sceal “eorlÄ«c ellen, oððe ende-dæg
“on þisse meodu-healle mÄ«nne gebÄ«dan.” 640 Þām wÄ«fe þā word wēl lÄ«codon, gilp-cwide Gēates; ēode gold-hroden frēolÄ«cu folc-cwēn tō hire frēan sittan. Þā wæs eft swā Ç£r inne on healle þrȳð-word sprecen, þēod on sÇ£lum, 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 hÇ£l ābēad, 655 wÄ«n-ærnes geweald and þæt word ācwæð: “NÇ£fre ic Ç£negum men Ç£r ālȳfde, “siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte, “þrȳð-ærn Dena bÅ«ton þē nÅ« þā. “Hafa nÅ« and geheald hÅ«sa sēlest; 660 “gemyne mÇ£rðo, mægen-ellen cȳð, “waca wið wrāðum! Ne bið þē wilna gād, “gif þū þæt ellen-weorc aldre gedÄ«gest.”

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, Ç£r hē on bed stige: “Nō ic mē an here-wÇ£smum hnāgran talige “gūð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine; 680 “forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle, “aldre benēotan, þēah ic eal mÇ£ge. “Nāt hē þāra gōda, þæt hē mē on-gēan slēa, “rand gehēawe, þēah þe hē rōf sÄ«e “nīð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon 685 “secge ofersittan, gif hē gesēcean dear “wÄ«g ofer wÇ£pen, and siððan wÄ«tig god “on swā hwæðere hond hālig dryhten “mÇ£rðo dēme, swā him gemet þince.” Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor, hlēor-bolster onfēng 690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig snellÄ«c sÇ£-rinc sele-reste gebēah. NÇ£nig heora þōhte þæt hē þanon scolde eft eard-lufan Ç£fre 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. Sigemunde gesprong æfter dēað-dæge dōm unlȳtel, syððan wīges heard wyrm ācwealde, hordes hyrde; hē under hārne stān, æðelinges bearn, āna genēðde
890 frēcne dǣde; ne wæs him Fitela mid. Hwæðre him gesǣlde, þæt þæt swurd þurhwōd wrǣtlīcne wyrm, þæt hit on wealle ætstōd, dryhtlīc īren; draca morðre swealt. Hæfde āglǣca elne gegongen,
895 þæt hē bēah-hordes brūcan mōste selfes dōme: sǣ-bāt gehlōd,
bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa, Wælses eafera; wyrm hāt gemealt.
Sē wæs wreccena wīde mǣrost 900 ofer wer-þēode, wīgendra hlēo
ellen-dǣdum: hē þæs āron þāh. Siððan Heremōdes hild sweðrode
eafoð and ellen. Hē mid eotenum wearð on fēonda geweald forð forlācen, 905 snūde forsended. Hine sorh-wylmas lemede tō lange, hē his lēodum wearð, eallum æðelingum tō aldor-ceare; swylce oft bemearn ǣrran mǣlum
swīð-ferhðes sīð snotor ceorl monig, 910 sē þe him bealwa tō bōte gelȳfde, þæt þæt þēodnes bearn geþēon scolde, fæder-æðelum onfōn, folc gehealdan, hord and hlēo-burh, hæleða rīce, ēðel Scyldinga. Hē þǣr eallum wearð, 915 mǣg Higelāces manna cynne,
frēondum gefægra; hine fyren onwōd.

Hwīlum flītende fealwe strǣte mēarum mǣton. Þā wæs morgen-lēoht scofen and scynded. Ēode scealc monig 920 swīð-hicgende tō sele þām hēan, searo-wundor sēon, swylce self cyning, of brȳd-būre bēah-horda weard,
tryddode tīr-fæst getrume micle, cystum gecȳðed, and his cwēn mid him 925 medo-stīg gemæt mægða hōse.

XV. HROTHGAR’S GRATULATION.

Hrōðgār maðelode (hē tō healle gēong, stōd on stapole, geseah stēapne hrōf golde fāhne and Grendles hond):
“þisse ansȳne al-wealdan þanc 930 “lungre gelimpe! Fela ic lāðes gebād, “grynna æt Grendle: ā mæg god wyrcan “wunder æfter wundre, wuldres hyrde! “Þæt wæs ungeāra, þæt ic Ç£nigra mē “wēana ne wēnde tō wÄ«dan feore
935 “bōte gebÄ«dan þonne blōde fāh “hÅ«sa sēlest heoro-drēorig stōd; “wēa wÄ«d-scofen witena gehwylcne
“þāra þe ne wēndon, þæt hÄ«e wÄ«de-ferhð “lēoda land-geweorc lāðum beweredon 940 “scuccum and scinnum. NÅ« scealc hafað “þurh drihtnes miht dÇ£d gefremede, “þē wē ealle Ç£r ne meahton
“snyttrum besyrwan. Hwæt! þæt secgan mæg “efne swā hwylc mægða, swā þone magan cende 945 “æfter gum-cynnum, gyf hēo gȳt lyfað, “þæt hyre eald-metod ēste wÇ£re
“bearn-gebyrdo. NÅ« ic Bēowulf “þec, secg betsta, mē for sunu wylle “frēogan on ferhðe; heald forð tela 950 “nÄ«we sibbe. Ne bið þē nÇ£nigra gād “worolde wilna, þē ic geweald hæbbe. “Ful-oft ic for lÇ£ssan lēan teohhode “hord-weorðunge hnāhran rince,
“sÇ£mran æt sæcce. Þū þē self hafast 955 “dÇ£dum gefremed, þæt þīn dōm lyfað “āwa tō aldre. Alwalda þec
“gōde forgylde, swā hē nÅ« gȳt dyde!” Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes: “Wē þæt ellen-weorc ēstum miclum, 960 “feohtan fremedon, frēcne genēðdon “eafoð uncūðes; ūðe ic swīðor, “þæt þū hinc selfne gesēon mōste, “fēond on frætewum fyl-wērigne!
“Ic hine hrædlÄ«ce heardan clammum 965 “on wæl-bedde wrīðan þōhte,
“þæt hē for mund-gripe mÄ«num scolde “licgean lÄ«f-bysig, bÅ«tan his lÄ«c swice; “ic hine ne mihte, þā metod nolde, “ganges getwÇ£man, nō ic him þæs georne ætfealh, 970 “feorh-genīðlan; wæs tō fore-mihtig “fēond on fēðe. Hwæðere hē his folme forlēt “tō lÄ«f-wraðe lāst weardian,
“earm and eaxle; nō þǣr Ç£nige swā þēah “fēa-sceaft guma frōfre gebohte:
975 “nō þȳ leng leofað lāð-getēona “synnum geswenced, ac hyne sār hafað “in nȳd-gripe nearwe befongen,
“balwon bendum: þǣr ābÄ«dan sceal “maga māne fāh miclan dōmes,
980 “hÅ« him scÄ«r metod scrÄ«fan wille.” Þā wæs swÄ«gra secg, sunu Ecglāfes, on gylp-sprÇ£ce gūð-geweorca,
siððan æðelingas eorles cræfte ofer hēahne hrōf hand scēawedon, 985 fēondes fingras, foran ǣghwylc;
wæs stēde nægla gehwylc, stȳle gelīcost, hǣðenes hand-sporu hilde-rinces
egle unhēoru; ǣg-hwylc gecwæð, þæt him heardra nān hrīnan wolde 990 īren ǣr-gōd, þæt þæs āhlǣcan blōdge beadu-folme onberan wolde.

XVI. THE BANQUET AND THE GIFTS.

Þā wæs hāten hreðe Heort innan-weard folmum gefrætwod: fela þǣra wæs wera and wīfa, þē þæt wīn-reced, 995 gest-sele gyredon. Gold-fāg scinon web æfter wāgum, wundor-sīona fela secga gehwylcum þāra þe on swylc starað Wæs þæt beorhte bold tōbrocen swīðe eal inne-weard īren-bendum fæst,
1000 heorras tōhlidene; hrōf āna genæs ealles ansund, þā se āglǣca
fyren-dǣdum fāg on flēam gewand, aldres or-wēna. Nō þæt ȳðe byð tō beflēonne (fremme sē þe wille!) 1005 ac gesacan sceal sāwl-berendra
nȳde genȳdde niðða bearna grund-būendra gearwe stōwe,
þǣr his līc-homa leger-bedde fæst swefeð æfter symle. Þā wæs sǣl and mǣl, 1010 þæt tō healle gang Healfdenes sunu; wolde self cyning symbel þicgan.
Ne gefrægen ic þā mǣgðe māran weorode ymb hyra sinc-gyfan sēl gebǣran.
Bugon þā tō bence blǣd-āgende, 1015 fylle gefǣgon. Fægere geþǣgon medo-ful manig māgas þāra
swīð-hicgende on sele þām hēan, Hrōðgār and Hrōðulf. Heorot innan wæs frēondum āfylled; nalles fācen-stafas 1020 Þēod-Scyldingas þenden fremedon. Forgeaf þā Bēowulfe bearn Healfdenes segen gyldenne sigores tō lēane,
hroden hilte-cumbor, helm and byrnan; mǣre māððum-sweord manige gesāwon 1025 beforan beorn beran. Bēowulf geþah ful on flette; nō hē þǣre feoh-gyfte for scēotendum scamigan þorfte,
ne gefrægn ic frēondlīcor fēower mādmas golde gegyrede gum-manna fela
1030 in ealo-bence ōðrum gesellan. Ymb þæs helmes hrōf hēafod-beorge wīrum bewunden walan ūtan hēold, þæt him fēla lāfe frēcne ne meahton scūr-heard sceððan, þonne scyld-freca 1035 ongēan gramum gangan scolde.
Heht þā eorla hlēo eahta mēaras, fǣted-hlēore, on flet tēon
in under eoderas; þāra ānum stōd sadol searwum fāh since gewurðad, 1040 þæt wæs hilde-setl hēah-cyninges, þonne sweorda gelāc sunu Healfdenes efnan wolde; nǣfre on ōre læg
wīd-cūðes wīg, þonne walu fēollon. And þā Bēowulfe bēga gehwæðres 1045 eodor Ingwina onweald getēah,
wicga and wǣpna; hēt hine wēl brūcan. Swā manlīce mǣre þēoden,
hord-weard hæleða heaðo-rǣsas geald mēarum and mādmum, swā hȳ nǣfre man lyhð, 1050 sē þe secgan wile sōð æfter rihte.

XVII. SONG OF HROTHGAR’S POET-THE LAY OF HNAEF AND HENGEST.

Þā gȳt ǣghwylcum eorla drihten þāra þe mid Bēowulfe brim-lāde tēah, on þǣre medu-bence māððum gesealde, yrfe-lāfe, and þone ǣnne heht
1055 golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ǣr māne ācwealde, swā hē hyra mā wolde, nefne him wītig god wyrd forstōde and þæs mannes mōd: metod eallum wēold gumena cynnes, swā hē nū gīt dēð; 1060 forþan bið andgit ǣghwǣr sēlest, ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebīdan lēofes and lāðes, sē þe longe hēr on þyssum win-dagum worolde brūceð. Þǣr wæs sang and swēg samod ætgædere 1065 fore Healfdenes hilde-wīsan,
gomen-wudu grēted, gid oft wrecen, þonne heal-gamen Hrōðgāres scop æfter medo-bence mǣnan scolde
Finnes eaferum, þā hÄ«e se fÇ£r begeat: 1070 “Hæleð Healfdenes, Hnæf Scyldinga, “in Fr..es wæle feallan scolde.
“Nē hÅ«ru Hildeburh herian þorfte “Eotena trēowe: unsynnum wearð
“beloren lēofum æt þām lind-plegan 1075 “bearnum and brōðrum; hÄ«e on gebyrd hruron “gāre wunde; þæt wæs geōmuru ides. “Nalles hōlinga Hōces dōhtor
“meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen cōm, “þā hēo under swegle gesēon meahte 1080 “morðor-bealo māga, þǣr hēo Ç£r mÇ£ste hēold “worolde wynne: wÄ«g ealle fornam
“Finnes þegnas, nemne fēaum ānum, “þæt hē ne mehte on þǣm meðel-stede “wÄ«g Hengeste wiht gefeohtan,
1085 “nē þā wēa-lāfe wÄ«ge forþringan “þōodnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon, “þæt hÄ«e him ōðer flet eal gerȳmdon, “healle and hēah-setl, þæt hÄ«e healfre geweald “wið Eotena bearn āgan mōston,
1090 “and æt feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu “dōgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,
“Hengestes hēap hringum wenede, “efne swā swīðe sinc-gestrēonum “fÇ£ttan goldes, swā hē Frēsena cyn 1095 “on bēor-sele byldan wolde.
“Þā hÄ«e getruwedon on twā healfa “fæste frioðu-wÇ£re; Fin Hengeste “elne unflitme āðum benemde,
“þæt hē þā wēa-lāfe weotena dōme 1100 “ārum heolde, þæt þǣr Ç£nig mon “wordum nē worcum wÇ£re ne brÇ£ce, “nē þurh inwit-searo Ç£fre gemÇ£nden, “þēah hÄ«e hira bēag-gyfan banan folgedon “þēoden-lēase, þā him swā geþearfod wæs: 1105 “gyf þonne Frȳsna hwylc frēcnan sprÇ£ce “þæs morðor-hetes myndgiend wÇ£re, “þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde. “Āð wæs geæfned and icge gold
“āhæfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga 1110 “betst beado-rinca wæs on bÇ£l gearu; “æt þǣm āde wæs ēð-gesȳne
“swāt-fāh syrce, swȳn eal-gylden, “eofer Ä«ren-heard, æðeling manig “wundum āwyrded; sume on wæle crungon. 1115 “Hēt þā Hildeburh æt Hnæfes āde “hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befæstan, “bān-fatu bærnan and on bÇ£l dōn. “Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
“geōmrode giddum; gūð-rinc āstāh. 1120 “Wand tō wolcnum wæl-fȳra mÇ£st, “hlynode for hlāwe; hafelan multon, “ben-geato burston, þonne blōd ætspranc “lāð-bite lÄ«ces. LÄ«g ealle forswealg, “gÇ£sta gÄ«frost, þāra þe þǣr gūð fornam 1125 “bēga folces; wæs hira blÇ£d scacen.

XVIII. THE GLEEMAN’S TALE IS ENDED.

“Gewiton him þā wÄ«gend wÄ«ca nēosian, “frēondum befeallen Frȳsland gesēon, “hāmas and hēa-burh. Hengest þā gȳt “wæl-fāgne winter wunode mid Finne 1130 “ealles unhlitme; eard gemunde,
“þēah þe hē ne meahte on mere drÄ«fan “hringed-stefnan; holm storme wēol, “won wið winde; winter ȳðe belēac “Ä«s-gebinde oð þæt ōðer cōm
1135 “geār in geardas, swā nÅ« gȳt dēð, “þā þe syngales sēle bewitiað, “wuldor-torhtan weder. Þā wæs winter scacen, “fæger foldan bearm; fundode wrecca, “gist of geardum; hē tō gyrn-wræce 1140 “swīðor þōhte, þonne tō sÇ£-lāde, “gif hē torn-gemōt þurhtēon mihte, “þæt hē Eotena bearn inne gemunde. “Swā hē ne forwyrnde worold-rÇ£denne, “þonne him HÅ«nlāfing hilde-lēoman, 1145 “billa sēlest, on bearm dyde:
“þæs wÇ£ron mid Eotenum ecge cūðe. “Swylce ferhð-frecan Fin eft begeat “sweord-bealo slīðen æt his selfes hām, “siððan grimne gripe Gūðlaf ond Ōslāf 1150 “æfter sÇ£-siðe sorge mÇ£ndon,
“ætwiton wēana dÇ£l; ne meahte wÇ£fre mōd “forhabban in hreðre. Þā wæs heal hroden “fēonda fēorum, swilce Fin slægen, “cyning on corðre, and sēo cwēn numen. 1155 “Scēotend Scyldinga tō scypum feredon “eal in-gesteald eorð-cyninges,
“swylce hÄ«e æt Finnes hām findan meahton “sigla searo-gimma. HÄ«e on sÇ£-lāde “drihtlÄ«ce wÄ«f tō Denum feredon, 1160 “lÇ£ddon tō lēodum.” Lēoð wæs āsungen, glēo-mannes gyd. Gamen eft āstāh, beorhtode benc-swēg, byrelas sealdon wÄ«n of wunder-fatum. Þā cwōm Wealhþēo forð gān under gyldnum bēage, þǣr þā gōdan twēgen 1165 sÇ£ton suhter-gefæderan; þā gȳt wæs hiera sib ætgædere Ç£ghwylc ōðrum trȳwe. Swylce þǣr Unferð þyle æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga: gehwylc hiora his ferhðe trēowde, þæt hē hæfde mōd micel, þēah þe hē his māgum nÇ£re ārfæst æt ecga gelācum. Spræc þā ides Scyldinga: 1170 “Onfōh þissum fulle, frēo-drihten mÄ«n, “sinces brytta; þū on sÇ£lum wes, “gold-wine gumena, and tō Gēatum sprec “mildum wordum! Swā sceal man dōn. “Bēo wið Gēatas glæd, geofena gemyndig; 1175 “nēan and feorran þū nÅ« friðu hafast. “Mē man sægde, þæt þū þē for sunu wolde “here-rinc habban. Heorot is gefÇ£lsod, “bēah-sele beorhta; brÅ«c þenden þū mōte “manigra mēda and þīnum māgum lÇ£f 1180 “folc and rÄ«ce, þonne þū forð scyle “metod-sceaft sēon. Ic mÄ«nne can
“glædne Hrōðulf, þæt hē þā geogoðe wile “ārum healdan, gyf þū Ç£r þonne hē, “wine Scildinga, worold oflÇ£test;
1185 “wēne ic, þæt hē mid gōde gyldan wille “uncran eaferan, gif hē þæt eal gemon, “hwæt wit tō willan and tō worð-myndum “umbor wesendum Ç£r ārna gefremedon.” Hwearf þā bÄ« bence, þǣr hyre byre wÇ£ron, 1190 HrēðrÄ«c and Hrōðmund, and hæleða bearn, giogoð ætgædere; þǣr se gōda sæt Bēowulf Gēata be þǣm gebrōðrum twÇ£m.

XIX. BĒOWULF’S JEWELLED COLLAR. THE HEROES REST.

Him wæs ful boren and frēond-laðu wordum bewægned and wunden gold
1195 ēstum geēawed, earm-hrēade twā, hrægl and hringas, heals-bēaga mǣst þāra þe ic on foldan gefrægen hæbbe. Nǣnigne ic under swegle sēlran hȳrde hord-māððum hæleða, syððan Hāma ætwæg 1200 tō þǣre byrhtan byrig Brōsinga mene, sigle and sinc-fæt, searo-nīðas fealh Eormenrīces, gecēas ēcne rǣd.
Þone hring hæfde Higelāc Gēata, nefa Swertinges, nȳhstan sīðe,
1205 siððan hē under segne sinc ealgode, wæl-rēaf werede; hyne Wyrd fornam, syððan hē for wlenco wēan āhsode, fǣhðe tō Frȳsum; hē þā frætwe wæg, eorclan-stānas ofer ȳða ful,
1210 rīce þēoden, hē under rande gecranc; gehwearf þā in Francna fæðm feorh cyninges, brēost-gewǣdu and se bēah somod: wyrsan wīg-frecan wæl rēafedon
æfter gūð-sceare, Gēata lēode 1215 hreā-wÄ«c hēoldon. Heal swēge onfēng. Wealhþēo maðelode, hēo fore þǣm werede spræc: “BrÅ«c þisses bēages, Bēowulf, lēofa “hyse, mid hÇ£le, and þisses hrægles nēot “þēod-gestrēona, and geþēoh tela, 1220 “cen þec mid cræfte and þyssum cnyhtum wes “lāra līðe! ic þē þæs lēan geman. “Hafast þū gefēred, þæt þē feor and nēah “ealne wÄ«de-ferhð weras ehtigað, “efne swā sÄ«de swā sÇ£ bebÅ«geð 1225 “windige weallas. Wes, þenden þū lifige, “æðeling ēadig! ic þē an tela
“sinc-gestrēona. Bēo þū suna mÄ«num “dÇ£dum gedēfe drēam healdende!
“Hēr is Ç£ghwylc eorl ōðrum getrȳwe, 1230 “mōdes milde, man-drihtne hold,
“þegnas syndon geþwÇ£re, þēod eal gearo: “druncne dryht-guman, dōð swā ic bidde!” Ēode þā tō setle. Þǣr wæs symbla cyst, druncon wÄ«n weras: wyrd ne cūðon, 1235 geō-sceaft grimme, swā hit āgangen wearð eorla manegum, syððan Ç£fen cwōm and him Hrōðgār gewāt tō hofe sÄ«num, rÄ«ce tō ræste. Reced weardode
unrīm eorla, swā hīe oft ǣr dydon: 1240 benc-þelu beredon, hit geond-brǣded wearð beddum and bolstrum. Bēor-scealca sum fūs and fǣge flet-ræste gebēag. Setton him tō hēafdum hilde-randas, bord-wudu beorhtan; þǣr on bence wæs 1245 ofer æðelinge ȳð-gesēne
heaðo-stēapa helm, hringed byrne, þrec-wudu þrymlīc. Wæs þēaw hyra, þæt hīe oft wǣron an wīg gearwe, gē æt hām gē on herge, gē gehwæðer þāra 1250 efne swylce mǣla, swylce hira man-dryhtne þearf gesǣlde; wæs sēo þēod tilu.

XX. GRENDEL’S MOTHER ATTACKS THE RING-DANES.

Sigon þā tō slǣpe. Sum sāre angeald ǣfen-ræste, swā him ful-oft gelamp, siððan gold-sele Grendel warode,
1255 unriht æfnde, oð þæt ende becwōm, swylt æfter synnum. Þæt gesȳne wearð, wīd-cūð werum, þætte wrecend þā gȳt lifde æfter lāðum, lange þrāge æfter gūð-ceare; Grendles mōdor, 1260 ides āglǣc-wīf yrmðe gemunde, sē þe wæter-egesan wunian scolde, cealde strēamas, siððan Cain wearð tō ecg-banan āngan brēðer,
fæderen-mǣge; hē þā fāg gewāt, 1265 morðre gemearcod man-drēam flēon, wēsten warode. Þanon wōc fela
geōsceaft-gāsta; wæs þǣra Grendel sum, heoro-wearh hetelīc, sē æt Heorote fand wæccendne wer wīges bīdan,
1270 þǣr him āglǣca æt-grǣpe wearð; hwæðre hē gemunde mægenes strenge, gim-fæste gife, þē him god sealde, and him tō anwaldan āre gelȳfde, frōfre and fultum: þȳ hē þone fēond ofercwōm, 1275 gehnǣgde helle gāst: þā hē hēan gewāt, drēame bedǣled dēað-wīc sēon, man-cynnes fēond. And his mōdor þā gȳt gīfre and galg-mōd gegān wolde
sorh-fulne sīð, suna dēað wrecan. 1280 Cōm þā tō Heorote, þǣr Hring-Dene geond þæt sæld swǣfun. Þā þǣr sōna wearð ed-hwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh Grendles mōdor; wæs se gryre lǣssa efne swā micle, swā bið mægða cræft, 1285 wīg-gryre wīfes be wǣpned-men, þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren, sweord swāte fāh swīn ofer helme, ecgum dyhtig andweard scireð.
Þā wæs on healle heard-ecg togen, 1290 sweord ofer setlum, sīd-rand manig hafen handa fæst; helm ne gemunde, byrnan sīde, þe hine se brōga angeat. Hēo wæs on ofste, wolde ūt þanon fēore beorgan, þā hēo onfunden wæs; 1295 hraðe hēo æðelinga ānne hæfde fæste befangen, þā hēo tō fenne gang; sē wæs Hrōðgāre hæleða lēofost on gesīðes hād be sǣm tweonum,
rīce rand-wiga, þone þe hēo on ræste ābrēat, 1300 blǣd-fæstne beorn. Næs Bēowulf þǣr, ac wæs ōðer in ǣr geteohhod
æfter māððum-gife mǣrum Gēate. Hrēam wearð on Heorote. Hēo under heolfre genam cūðe folme; cearu wæs genīwod
1305 geworden in wīcum: ne wæs þæt gewrixle til, þæt hīe on bā healfa bicgan scoldon frēonda fēorum. Þā wæs frōd cyning, hār hilde-rinc, on hrēon mōde,
syððan hē aldor-þegn unlyfigendne, 1310 þone dēorestan dēadne wisse.
Hraðe wæs tō būre Bēowulf fetod, sigor-ēadig secg. Samod ǣr-dæge
ēode eorla sum, æðele cempa self mid gesīðum, þǣr se snottra bād, 1315 hwæðre him al-walda ǣfre wille æfter wēa-spelle wyrpe gefremman. Gang þā æfter flōre fyrd-wyrðe man mid his hand-scale (heal-wudu dynede) þæt hē þone wīsan wordum hnǣgde 1320 frēan Ingwina; frægn gif him wǣre æfter nēod-laðu niht getǣse.

XXI. SORROW AT HEOROT: AESCHERE’S DEATH

Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scildinga: “Ne frÄ«n þū æfter sÇ£lum! Sorh is genÄ«wod “Denigea lēodum. Dēad is Æsc-here, 1325 “Yrmenlāfes yldra brōðor,
“mÄ«n rÅ«n-wita and mÄ«n rÇ£d-bora, “eaxl-gestealla, þonne wē on orlege “hafelan weredon, þonne hniton fēðan, “eoferas cnysedan; swylc scolde eorl wesan 1330 “æðeling Ç£r-gōd, swylc Æsc-here wæs. “Wearð him on Heorote tō hand-banan “wæl-gÇ£st wÇ£fre; ic ne wāt hwæder “atol Ç£se wlanc eft-sīðas tēah, “fylle gefrÇ£gnod. Hēo þā fÇ£hðe wræc, 1335 “þē þū gystran niht Grendel cwealdest “þurh hÇ£stne hād heardum clammum, “forþan hē tō lange lēode mÄ«ne “wanode and wyrde. Hē æt wÄ«ge gecrang “ealdres scyldig, and nÅ« ōðer cwōm 1340 “mihtig mān-scaða, wolde hyre mÇ£g wrecan, “gē feor hafað fÇ£hðe gestÇ£led, “þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum, “sē þe æfter sinc-gyfan on sefan grēoteð, “hreðer-bealo hearde; nÅ« sēo hand ligeð, 1345 “sē þe ēow wēl-hwylcra wilna dohte. “Ic þæt lond-bÅ«end lēode mÄ«ne
“sele-rÇ£dende secgan hȳrde, “þæt hÄ«e gesāwon swylce twēgen “micle mearc-stapan mōras healdan, 1350 “ellor-gÇ£stas: þǣra ōðer wæs, “þæs þe hÄ«e gewislÄ«cost gewitan meahton, “idese onlÄ«cnes, ōðer earm-sceapen “on weres wæstmum wræc-lāstas træd, “næfne hē wæs māra þonne Ç£nig man ōðer, 1355 “þone on geār-dagum Grendel nemdon “fold-bÅ«ende: nō hÄ«e fæder cunnon, “hwæðer him Ç£nig wæs Ç£r ācenned “dyrnra gāsta. HÄ«e dȳgel lond
“warigeað, wulf-hleoðu, windige næssas, 1360 “frēcne fen-gelād, þǣr fyrgen-strēam “under næssa genipu niðer gewÄ«teð, “flōd under foldan; nis þæt feor heonon “mÄ«l-gemearces, þæt se mere standeð, “ofer þǣm hongiað hrÄ«mge bearwas, 1365 “wudu wyrtum fæst, wæter oferhelmað. “Þǣr mæg nihta gehwÇ£m nīð-wundor sēon, “fȳr on flōde; nō þæs frōd leofað “gumena bearna, þæt þone grund wite; “þēah þe hǣð-stapa hundum geswenced, 1370 “heorot hornum trum holt-wudu sēce, “feorran geflȳmed, Ç£r hē feorh seleð, “aldor on ōfre, Ç£r hē in wille,
“hafelan hȳdan. Nis þæt hēoru stōw: “þonon ȳð-geblond up āstÄ«geð 1375 “won tō wolcnum, þonne wind styreð “lāð gewidru, oð þæt lyft drysmað, “roderas rēotað. NÅ« is rÇ£d gelang “eft æt þē ānum! Eard gÄ«t ne const, “frēcne stōwe, þǣr þū findan miht 1380 “sinnigne secg: sēc gif þū dyrre! “Ic þē þā fÇ£hðe fēo lēanige, “eald-gestrēonum, swā ic Ç£r dyde, “wundnum golde, gyf þū on weg cymest.”

XXII. BĒOWULF SEEKS THE MONSTER IN THE HAUNTS OF THE NIXIES.

Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes: 1385 “Ne sorga, snotor guma! sēlre bið Ç£ghwÇ£m, “þæt hē his frēond wrece, þonne hē fela murne; “Å«re Ç£ghwylc sceal ende gebÄ«dan
“worolde lÄ«fes; wyrce sē þe mōte “dōmes Ç£r dēaðe! þæt bið driht-guman 1390 “unlifgendum æfter sēlest.
“ĀrÄ«s, rÄ«ces weard; uton hraðe fēran, “Grendles māgan gang scēawigan!
“Ic hit þē gehāte: nō hē on helm losað, “nē on foldan fæðm, nē on fyrgen-holt, 1395 “nē on gyfenes grund, gā þǣr hē wille. “Þȳs dōgor þū geþyld hafa
“wēana gehwylces, swā ic þē wēne tō!” Āhlēop þā se gomela, gode þancode, mihtigan drihtne, þæs se man gespræc. 1400 Þā wæs Hrōðgāre hors gebÇ£ted, wicg wunden-feax. WÄ«sa fengel
geatolīc gengde; gum-fēða stōp lind-hæbbendra. Lāstas wǣron
æfter wald-swaðum wīde gesȳne, 1405 gang ofer grundas; gegnum fōr þā ofer myrcan mōr, mago-þegna bær
þone sēlestan sāwol-lēasne, þāra þe mid Hrōðgāre hām eahtode. Ofer-ēode þā æðelinga bearn
1410 stēap stān-hliðo, stīge nearwe, enge ān-paðas, un-cūð gelād,
neowle næssas, nicor-hūsa fela; hē fēara sum beforan gengde
wīsra monna, wong scēawian,
1415 oð þæt hē fǣringa fyrgen-bēamas ofer hārne stān hleonian funde,
wyn-lēasne wudu; wæter under stōd drēorig and gedrēfed. Denum eallum wæs, winum Scyldinga, weorce on mōde,
1420 tō geþolianne þegne monegum, oncȳð eorla gehwǣm, syððan Æsc-heres on þām holm-clife hafelan mētton. Flōd blōde wēol (folc tō sǣgon) hātan heolfre. Horn stundum song
1425 fūslīc fyrd-lēoð. Fēða eal gesæt; gesāwon þā æfter wætere wyrm-cynnes fela, sellīce sǣ-dracan sund cunnian,
swylce on næs-hleoðum nicras licgean, þā on undern-mǣl oft bewitigað
1430 sorh-fulne sīð on segl-rāde, wyrmas and wil-dēor; hīe on weg hruron bitere and gebolgne, bearhtm ongeāton, gūð-horn galan. Sumne Gēata lēod of flān-bogan fēores getwǣfde,
1435 ȳð-gewinnes, þæt him on aldre stōd here-strǣl hearda; hē on holme wæs sundes þē sǣnra, þē hyne swylt fornam. Hræðe wearð on ȳðum mid eofer-sprēotum heoro-hōcyhtum hearde genearwod,
1440 nīða genǣged and on næs togen wundorlīc wǣg-bora; weras scēawedon gryrelīcne gist. Gyrede hine Bēowulf eorl-gewǣdum, nalles for ealdre mearn: scolde here-byrne hondum gebrōden, 1445 sīd and searo-fāh, sund cunnian, sēo þe bān-cofan beorgan cūðe, þæt him hilde-grāp hreðre ne mihte, eorres inwit-feng, aldre gesceððan; ac se hwīta helm hafelan werede,
1450 sē þe mere-grundas mengan scolde, sēcan sund-gebland since geweorðad, befongen frēa-wrāsnum, swā hine fyrn-dagum worhte wǣpna smið, wundrum tēode, besette swīn-līcum, þæt hine syððan nō 1455 brond nē beado-mēcas bītan ne meahton. Næs þæt þonne mǣtost mægen-fultuma, þæt him on þearfe lāh þyle Hrōðgāres; wæs þǣm hæft-mēce Hrunting nama, þæt wæs ān foran eald-gestrēona; 1460 ecg wæs īren āter-tēarum fāh, āhyrded heaðo-swāte; nǣfre hit æt hilde ne swāc manna ǣngum þāra þe hit mid mundum bewand, sē þe gryre-sīðas gegān dorste, folc-stede fāra; næs þæt forma sīð, 1465 þæt hit ellen-weorc æfnan scolde. Hūru ne gemunde mago Ecglāfes
eafoðes cræftig, þæt hē ǣr gespræc wīne druncen, þā hē þæs wǣpnes onlāh sēlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste 1470 under ȳða gewin aldre genēðan, driht-scype drēogan; þǣr hē dōme forlēas, ellen-mǣrðum. Ne wæs þǣm ōðrum swā, syððan hē hine tō gūðe gegyred hæfde.

XXIII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER-DRAKE.

Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes: 1475 “geþenc nÅ«, se mÇ£ra maga Healfdenes, “snottra fengel, nÅ« ic eom sīðes fÅ«s, “gold-wine gumena, hwæt wit geō sprÇ£con, “gif ic æt þearfe þīnre scolde
“aldre linnan, þæt þū mē ā wÇ£re 1480 “forð-gewitenum on fæder stÇ£le; “wes þū mund-bora mÄ«num mago-þegnum, “hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime:
“swylce þū þā mādmas, þē þū mē sealdest, “Hrōðgār lēofa, Higelāce onsend. 1485 “Mæg þonne on þǣm golde ongitan Gēata dryhten, “gesēon sunu Hrēðles, þonne hē on þæt sinc starað, “þæt ic gum-cystum gōdne funde
“bēaga bryttan, brēac þonne mōste. “And þū Unferð lÇ£t ealde lāfe, 1490 “wrÇ£tlÄ«c wÇ£g-sweord wÄ«d-cūðne man “heard-ecg habban; ic mē mid Hruntinge “dōm gewyrce, oððe mec dēað nimeð.” Æfter þǣm wordum Weder-Gēata lēod efste mid elne, nalas andsware
1495 bīdan wolde; brim-wylm onfēng hilde-rince. Þā wæs hwīl dæges, ǣr hē þone grund-wong ongytan mehte. Sōna þæt onfunde, sē þe flōda begong heoro-gīfre behēold hund missēra, 1500 grim and grǣdig, þæt þǣr gumena sum æl-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grāp þā tōgēanes, gūð-rinc gefēng atolan clommum; nō þȳ ǣr in gescōd hālan līce: hring ūtan ymb-bearh, 1505 þæt hēo þone fyrd-hom þurh-fōn ne mihte, locene leoðo-syrcan lāðan fingrum. Bær þā sēo brim-wylf, þā hēo tō botme cōm,