Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series

by Beowulf

  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 gecy¯ðed,

  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

  fy¯r-bendum fæst, syððan hē hire folmum hrān;

  onbræd þā bealo-hy¯dig, 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. Þry¯ð-swy¯ð 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 þy¯ 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 gehy¯rdon,

  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 swy¯ð-ferhð sele Hrōðgāres,

  genered wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,

  ellen-mǣrðum; hæfde Ēast-Denum

  830 Gēat-mecga lēod gilp gelǣsted,

  swylce oncy¯ððe ealle gebētte,

  inwid-sorge, þē hīe ǣr drugon

  and for þrēa-ny¯dum þolian scoldon,

  torn unly¯tel. 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 gefly¯med feorh-lāstas bær.

  Þǣr wæs on blōde brim weallende,

  atol y¯ða 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 hy¯rde,

  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 ny¯d-gesteallan:

  hæfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes

  885 sweordum gesǣged. Sigemunde gesprong

  æfter dēað-dæge dōm unly¯tel,

  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 gely¯fde,

  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 bry¯d-būre bēah-horda weard,

  tryddode tīr-fæst getrume micle,

  cystum gecy¯ðed, 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 ansy¯ne 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 ǣnigra mē

  “wēana ne wēnde tō wīdan feore

  935 “bōte gebīdan þonne blōde fāh

  “hūsa sēlest heoro-drēorig stōd;

  “wēa wīd-scofen witena gehwylcne

  “þāra þe ne wēndon, þæt hīe wīde-ferhð

  “lēoda land-geweorc lāðum beweredon

  940 “scuccum and scinnum. Nū scealc hafað

  “þurh drihtnes miht dǣd gefremede,

  “þē wē ealle ǣr ne meahton

  “snyttrum besyrwan. Hwæt! þæt secgan mæg

  “efne swā hwylc mægða, swā þone magan cende

  945 “æfter gum-cynnum, gyf hēo gy¯t lyfað,

  “þæt hyre eald-metod ēste wǣre

  “bearn-gebyrdo. Nū ic Bēowulf

  “þec, secg betsta, mē for sunu wylle

  “frēogan on ferhðe; heald forð tela

  950 “nīwe sibbe. Ne bið þē nǣnigra gād

  “worolde wilna, þē ic geweald hæbbe.

  “Ful-oft ic for lǣssan lēan teohhode

  “hord-weorðunge hnāhran rince,

  “sǣmran æt sæcce. Þū þē self hafast

  955 “dǣdum gefremed, þæt þīn dōm lyfað

  “āwa tō aldre. Alwalda þec

  “gōde forgylde, swā hē nū gy¯t 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 hrædlīce heardan clammum

  965 “on wæl-bedde wrīðan þōhte,

  “þæt hē for mund-gripe mīnum scolde

  “licgean līf-bysig, būtan his līc swice;

  “ic hine ne mihte, þā metod nolde,

  “ganges getwǣman, nō ic him þæs georne ætfealh,

  970 “feorh-genīðlan; wæs tō fore-mihtig

  “fēond on fēðe. Hwæðere hē his folme forlēt

  “tō līf-wraðe lāst weardian,

  “earm and eaxle; nō þǣr ǣnige swā þēah

  “fēa-sceaft guma frōfre gebohte:

  975 “nō þy¯ leng leofað lāð-getēona

  “synnum geswenced, ac hyne sār hafað

  “in ny¯d-gripe nearwe befongen,

  “balwon bendum: þǣr ābīdan sceal

  “maga māne fāh miclan dōmes,

  980 “hū him scīr metod scrīfan wille.”

  Þā wæs swīgra secg, sunu Ecglāfes,

  on gylp-sprǣce gūð-geweorca,

  siððan æðelingas eorles cræfte

  ofer hēahne hrōf hand scēawedon,

  985 fēondes fingras, foran ǣghwylc;

  wæs stēde nægla gehwylc, sty¯le 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 y¯ðe byð

  tō beflēonne (fremme sē þe wille!)

  1005 ac gesacan sceal sāwl-berendra

  ny¯de geny¯dde 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 hy¯ nǣfre man lyhð,

  1050 sē þe secgan wile sōð æfter rihte.

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

  Þā gy¯t 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