Poems Opera Omnia

Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena      in geār-dagum
þēod-cyninga      þrym gefrūnon,
hū þā æðelingas      ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scēfing      sceaðena þrēatum,

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

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,

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.

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

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

murnende mōd.      Men ne cunnon
secgan tō soðe      sele-rǣdende,
hæleð under heofenum,      hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng.

Þā wæs on burgum Bēowulf Scyldinga,
lēof lēod-cyning, longe þrāge

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

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,

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,

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

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.

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

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,

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

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

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

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,

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.

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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

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

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

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,

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,

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);

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.

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

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

in fȳres fæðm,      frōfre ne wēnan,
wihte gewendan;      wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
æfter dēað-dæge      drihten sēcean
and tō fæder fæðmum      freoðo wilnian.

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,

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

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.

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.

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,

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

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

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,

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

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,

"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

"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

"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,

"mere-līðende,      mīnne gehȳrað
"ān-fealdne geþōht:      ofost is sēlest
"tō gecȳðanne,      hwanan ēowre cyme syndon."

"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,

"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!

"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,

"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,

"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

"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.

"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,

"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,

"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

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

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

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."

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.

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,

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,

"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."

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,

"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,

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,

"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.

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,

"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,

Hrōðgār maðelode,      helm Scyldinga:
"Ic hine cūðe      cniht-wesende.
"Wæs his eald-fæder      Ecgþēo hāten,
"þǣm tō hām forgeaf      Hrēðel Gēata

"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

"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

"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

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.

"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,

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.

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

"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.

"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,

"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,

"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,

"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;

"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,

"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

"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,

"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,

Hrōðgār maðelode,      helm Scyldinga:
"for were-fyhtum þū,      wine mīn Bēowulf,
"and for ār-stafum      ūsic sōhtest.
"Geslōh þin fæder      fǣhðe mǣste,

"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;

"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!

"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

"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!

"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,

"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,

"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,

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.

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

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

"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,

"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,

"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.

"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:

"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.

"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,

"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

"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:

"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

"grim on grāpe:      hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
"þæt ic āglǣcan      orde gerǣhte,
"hilde-bille;      heaðo-rǣs fornam
"mihtig mere-dēor      þurh mīne hand.

"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,

"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,

"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

"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,

"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

"swā dēorlīce      dǣd gefremede
"fāgum sweordum      . . . . . . .
". . . . . . .      nō ic þæs gylpe;
"þēah þū þīnum brōðrum      tō banan wurde,
"hēafod-mǣgum;      þæs þū in helle scealt

"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,

"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

"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

"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

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,

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

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,

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,

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,

"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."

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,

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,

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,

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;

"gemyne mǣrðo,      mægen-ellen cȳð,
"waca wið wrāðum!      Ne bið þē wilna gād,
"gif þū þæt ellen-weorc      aldre gedīgest."

Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt mid his hæleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga ūt of healle;

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;

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,

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;

"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

"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

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,

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

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,

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

Þā cōm of mōre      under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan,      godes yrre bær.
Mynte se mān-scaða      manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan      in sele þām hēan;

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

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,

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,

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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,

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

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

sē þe manna wæs mægene strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.

Nolde eorla hlēo      ǣnige þinga
þone cwealm-cuman      cwicne forlǣtan,
nē his līf-dagas      lēoda ǣnigum

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,

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;

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.

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

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

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

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

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,

syððan hilde-dēor      hond ālegde,
earm and eaxle      (þǣr wæs eal geador
Grendles grāpe)      under gēapne hrōf.

Þā wæs on morgen mīne gefrǣge
ymb þā gif-healle gūð-rinc monig:

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,

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

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,

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

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.

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,

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,

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,

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

sweordum gesǣged.      Sigemunde gesprong
æfter dēað-dæge      dōm unlȳtel,
syððan wīges heard      wyrm ācwealde,
hordes hyrde;      hē under hārne stān,
æðelinges bearn,      āna genēðde

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,

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

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,

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,

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,

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

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

Hrōðgār maðelode      (hē tō healle gēong,
stōd on stapole,      geseah stēapne hrōf
golde fāhne      and Grendles hond):
"þisse ansȳne      al-wealdan þanc

"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

"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

"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

"æfter gum-cynnum,      gyf hēo gȳt 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

"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

"dǣdum gefremed,      þæt þīn dōm lyfað
"āwa tō aldre.      Alwalda þec
"gōde forgylde,      swā hē nū gȳt dyde!"
Bēowulf maðelode,      bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Wē þæt ellen-weorc      ēstum miclum,

"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

"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,

"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:

"nō þȳ leng leofað      lāð-getēona
"synnum geswenced,      ac hyne sār hafað
"in nȳd-gripe      nearwe befongen,
"balwon bendum:      þǣr ābīdan sceal
"maga māne fāh      miclan dōmes,

"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,

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

īren ǣr-gōd, þæt þæs āhlǣcan
blōdge beadu-folme onberan wolde.

Þā wæs hāten hreðe      Heort innan-weard
folmum gefrætwod:      fela þǣra wæs
wera and wīfa,      þē þæt wīn-reced,

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,

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!)

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,

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,

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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,

Þā gȳt ǣghwylcum      eorla drihten
þāra þe mid Bēowulfe      brim-lāde tēah,
on þǣre medu-bence      māððum gesealde,
yrfe-lāfe,      and þone ǣnne heht

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;

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

fore Healfdenes      hilde-wīsan,
gomen-wudu grēted,      gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamen      Hrōðgāres scop
æfter medo-bence      mǣnan scolde
Finnes eaferum,      þā hīe se fǣr begeat:

"Hæleð Healfdenes,      Hnæf Scyldinga,
"in Fr..es wæle      feallan scolde.
"Nē hūru Hildeburh      herian þorfte
"Eotena trēowe:      unsynnum wearð
"beloren lēofum      æt þām lind-plegan

"bearnum and brōðrum;      hīe 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

"morðor-bealo māga,      þǣr hēo ǣr mǣste hēold
"worolde wynne:      wīg ealle fornam
"Finnes þegnas,      nemne fēaum ānum,
"þæt hē ne mehte      on þǣm meðel-stede
"wīg Hengeste      wiht gefeohtan,

"nē þā wēa-lāfe      wīge forþringan
"þōodnes þegne;       ac hig him geþingo budon,
"þæt hīe him ōðer flet      eal gerȳmdon,
"healle and hēah-setl,      þæt hīe healfre geweald
"wið Eotena bearn      āgan mōston,

"and æt feoh-gyftum      Folcwaldan sunu
"dōgra gehwylce      Dene weorðode,
"Hengestes hēap      hringum wenede,
"efne swā swīðe      sinc-gestrēonum
"fǣttan goldes,      swā hē Frēsena cyn

"on bēor-sele      byldan wolde.
"Þā hīe getruwedon      on twā healfa
"fæste frioðu-wǣre;      Fin Hengeste
"elne unflitme      āðum benemde,
"þæt hē þā wēa-lāfe      weotena dōme

"ārum heolde,      þæt þǣr ǣnig mon
"wordum nē worcum      wǣre ne brǣce,
"nē þurh inwit-searo      ǣfre gemǣnden,
"þēah hīe hira bēag-gyfan      banan folgedon
"þēoden-lēase,      þā him swā geþearfod wæs:

"gyf þonne Frȳsna hwylc      frēcnan sprǣce
"þæs morðor-hetes      myndgiend wǣre,
"þonne hit sweordes ecg      syððan scolde.
"Āð wæs geæfned      and icge gold
"āhæfen of horde.      Here-Scyldinga

"betst beado-rinca      wæs on bǣl gearu;
"æt þǣm āde wæs      ēð-gesȳne
"swāt-fāh syrce,      swȳn eal-gylden,
"eofer īren-heard,      æðeling manig
"wundum āwyrded;      sume on wæle crungon.

"Hēt þā Hildeburh      æt Hnæfes āde
"hire selfre sunu      sweoloðe befæstan,
"bān-fatu bærnan      and on bǣl dōn.
"Earme on eaxle      ides gnornode,
"geōmrode giddum;      gūð-rinc āstāh.

"Wand tō wolcnum      wæl-fȳra mǣst,
"hlynode for hlāwe;      hafelan multon,
"ben-geato burston,      þonne blōd ætspranc
"lāð-bite līces.      Līg ealle forswealg,
"gǣsta gīfrost,      þāra þe þǣr gūð fornam

"Gewiton him þā wīgend      wīca nēosian,
"frēondum befeallen      Frȳsland gesēon,
"hāmas and hēa-burh.      Hengest þā gȳt
"wæl-fāgne winter      wunode mid Finne

"ealles unhlitme;      eard gemunde,
"þēah þe hē ne meahte      on mere drīfan
"hringed-stefnan;      holm storme wēol,
"won wið winde;      winter ȳðe belēac
"īs-gebinde      oð þæt ōðer cōm

"geār in geardas,      swā nū 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

"swīðor þōhte,      þonne tō sǣ-lāde,
"gif hē torn-gemōt      þurhtēon mihte,
"þæt hē Eotena bearn      inne gemunde.
"Swā hē ne forwyrnde      worold-rǣdenne,
"þonne him Hūnlāfing      hilde-lēoman,

"billa sēlest,      on bearm dyde:
"þæs wǣron mid Eotenum      ecge cūðe.
"Swylce ferhð-frecan      Fin eft begeat
"sweord-bealo slīðen      æt his selfes hām,
"siððan grimne gripe      Gūðlaf ond Ōslāf

"æfter sǣ-siðe      sorge mǣndon,
"ætwiton wēana dǣl;      ne meahte wǣfre mōd
"forhabban in hreðre.      Þā wæs heal hroden
"fēonda fēorum,      swilce Fin slægen,
"cyning on corðre,      and sēo cwēn numen.

"Scēotend Scyldinga      tō scypum feredon
"eal in-gesteald      eorð-cyninges,
"swylce hīe æt Finnes hām      findan meahton
"sigla searo-gimma.      Hīe on sǣ-lāde
"drihtlīce wīf      tō Denum feredon,

"lǣddon tō lēodum."      Lēoð wæs āsungen,
glēo-mannes gyd.      Gamen eft āstāh,
beorhtode benc-swēg,      byrelas sealdon
wīn of wunder-fatum.      Þā cwōm Wealhþēo forð
gān under gyldnum bēage,      þǣr þā gōdan twēgen

sǣton suhter-gefæderan;      þā gȳt wæs hiera sib ætgædere
ǣghwylc 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 nǣre
ārfæst æt ecga gelācum.      Spræc þā ides Scyldinga:

"Onfōh þissum fulle,      frēo-drihten mīn,
"sinces brytta;      þū on sǣlum wes,
"gold-wine gumena,      and tō Gēatum sprec
"mildum wordum!      Swā sceal man dōn.
"Bēo wið Gēatas glæd,      geofena gemyndig;

"nēan and feorran      þū nū friðu hafast.
"Mē man sægde,      þæt þū þē for sunu wolde
"here-rinc habban.      Heorot is gefǣlsod,
"bēah-sele beorhta;      brūc þenden þū mōte
"manigra mēda      and þīnum māgum lǣf

"folc and rīce,      þonne þū forð scyle
"metod-sceaft sēon.      Ic mīnne can
"glædne Hrōðulf,      þæt hē þā geogoðe wile
"ārum healdan,      gyf þū ǣr þonne hē,
"wine Scildinga,      worold oflǣtest;

"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 ǣr      ārna gefremedon."
Hwearf þā bī bence,      þǣr hyre byre wǣron,

Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund,      and hæleða bearn,
giogoð ætgædere;      þǣr se gōda sæt
Bēowulf Gēata      be þǣm gebrōðrum twǣm.

Him wæs ful boren and frēond-laðu
wordum bewægned and wunden gold

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

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,

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,

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

hreā-wīc hēoldon.      Heal swēge onfēng.
Wealhþēo maðelode,      hēo fore þǣm werede spræc:
"Brūc þisses bēages,      Bēowulf, lēofa
"hyse, mid hǣle,      and þisses hrægles nēot
"þēod-gestrēona,      and geþēoh tela,

"cen þec mid cræfte      and þyssum cnyhtum wes
"lāra līðe!      ic þē þæs lēan geman.
"Hafast þū gefēred,      þæt þē feor and nēah
"ealne wīde-ferhð      weras ehtigað,
"efne swā sīde      swā sǣ bebūgeð

"windige weallas.      Wes, þenden þū lifige,
"æðeling ēadig!      ic þē an tela
"sinc-gestrēona.      Bēo þū suna mīnum
"dǣdum gedēfe      drēam healdende!
"Hēr is ǣghwylc eorl      ōðrum getrȳwe,

"mōdes milde,      man-drihtne hold,
"þegnas syndon geþwǣre,      þēod eal gearo:
"druncne dryht-guman,      dōð swā ic bidde!"
Ēode þā tō setle.      Þǣr wæs symbla cyst,
druncon wīn weras:      wyrd ne cūðon,

geō-sceaft grimme,      swā hit āgangen wearð
eorla manegum,      syððan ǣfen cwōm
and him Hrōðgār gewāt      tō hofe sīnum,
rīce tō ræste.      Reced weardode
unrīm eorla,      swā hīe oft ǣr dydon:

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

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

efne swylce mǣla, swylce hira man-dryhtne
þearf gesǣlde; wæs sēo þēod tilu.

Sigon þā tō slǣpe.      Sum sāre angeald
ǣfen-ræste,      swā him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-sele      Grendel warode,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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.

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,

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,

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;

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,

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

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,

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,

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

frēan Ingwina; frægn gif him wǣre
æfter nēod-laðu niht getǣse.

Hrōðgār maðelode,      helm Scildinga:
"Ne frīn þū æfter sǣlum!      Sorh is genīwod
"Denigea lēodum.      Dēad is Æsc-here,

"Yrmenlāfes      yldra brōðor,
"mīn rūn-wita      and mīn rǣd-bora,
"eaxl-gestealla,      þonne wē on orlege
"hafelan weredon,      þonne hniton fēðan,
"eoferas cnysedan;      swylc scolde eorl wesan

"æðeling ǣr-gōd,      swylc Æsc-here wæs.
"Wearð him on Heorote      tō hand-banan
"wæl-gǣst wǣfre;      ic ne wāt hwæder
"atol ǣse wlanc      eft-sīðas tēah,
"fylle gefrǣgnod.      Hēo þā fǣhðe wræc,

"þē þū gystran niht      Grendel cwealdest
"þurh hǣstne hād      heardum clammum,
"forþan hē tō lange      lēode mīne
"wanode and wyrde.      Hē æt wīge gecrang
"ealdres scyldig,      and nū ōðer cwōm

"mihtig mān-scaða,      wolde hyre mǣg wrecan,
"gē feor hafað      fǣhðe gestǣled,
"þæs þe þincean mæg      þegne monegum,
"sē þe æfter sinc-gyfan      on sefan grēoteð,
"hreðer-bealo hearde;      nū sēo hand ligeð,

"sē þe ēow wēl-hwylcra      wilna dohte.
"Ic þæt lond-būend      lēode mīne
"sele-rǣdende      secgan hȳrde,
"þæt hīe gesāwon      swylce twēgen
"micle mearc-stapan      mōras healdan,

"ellor-gǣstas:      þǣra ōðer wæs,
"þæs þe hīe gewislīcost      gewitan meahton,
"idese onlīcnes,      ōðer earm-sceapen
"on weres wæstmum      wræc-lāstas træd,
"næfne hē wæs māra      þonne ǣnig man ōðer,

"þone on geār-dagum      Grendel nemdon
"fold-būende:      nō hīe fæder cunnon,
"hwæðer him ǣnig wæs      ǣr ācenned
"dyrnra gāsta.      Hīe dȳgel lond
"warigeað, wulf-hleoðu,      windige næssas,

"frēcne fen-gelād,      þǣr fyrgen-strēam
"under næssa genipu      niðer gewīteð,
"flōd under foldan;      nis þæt feor heonon
"mīl-gemearces,      þæt se mere standeð,
"ofer þǣm hongiað      hrīmge bearwas,

"wudu wyrtum fæst,      wæter oferhelmað.
"Þǣr mæg nihta gehwǣm      nīð-wundor sēon,
"fȳr on flōde;      nō þæs frōd leofað
"gumena bearna,      þæt þone grund wite;
"þēah þe hǣð-stapa      hundum geswenced,

"heorot hornum trum      holt-wudu sēce,
"feorran geflȳmed,      ǣr hē feorh seleð,
"aldor on ōfre,      ǣr hē in wille,
"hafelan hȳdan.      Nis þæt hēoru stōw:
"þonon ȳð-geblond      up āstīgeð

"won tō wolcnum,      þonne wind styreð
"lāð gewidru,      oð þæt lyft drysmað,
"roderas rēotað.      Nū is rǣd gelang
"eft æt þē ānum!      Eard gīt ne const,
"frēcne stōwe,      þǣr þū findan miht

"sinnigne secg:      sēc gif þū dyrre!
"Ic þē þā fǣhðe      fēo lēanige,
"eald-gestrēonum,      swā ic ǣr dyde,
"wundnum golde,      gyf þū on weg cymest."

"Ne sorga, snotor guma!      sēlre bið ǣghwǣm,
"þæt hē his frēond wrece,      þonne hē fela murne;
"ūre ǣghwylc sceal      ende gebīdan
"worolde līfes;      wyrce sē þe mōte
"dōmes ǣr dēaðe!      þæt bið driht-guman

"unlifgendum      æfter sēlest.
"Ārīs, rīces 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,

"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.

Þā wæs Hrōðgāre      hors gebǣted,
wicg wunden-feax.      Wīsa fengel
geatolīc gengde;      gum-fēða stōp
lind-hæbbendra.      Lāstas wǣron
æfter wald-swaðum      wīde gesȳne,

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

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,

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,

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

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

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,

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,

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,

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,

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

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;

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,

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

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.

"geþenc nū, se mǣra      maga Healfdenes,
"snottra fengel,      nū ic eom sīðes fūs,
"gold-wine gumena,      hwæt wit geō sprǣcon,
"gif ic æt þearfe      þīnre scolde
"aldre linnan,      þæt þū mē ā wǣre

"forð-gewitenum      on fæder stǣle;
"wes þū mund-bora mīnum      mago-þegnum,
"hond-gesellum,      gif mec hild nime:
"swylce þū þā mādmas,      þē þū mē sealdest,
"Hrōðgār lēofa,      Higelāce onsend.

"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 lǣt      ealde lāfe,

"wrǣtlīc wǣg-sweord      wīd-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

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,

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,

þæt hēo þone fyrd-hom      þurh-fōn ne mihte,
locene leoðo-syrcan      lāðan fingrum.
Bær þā sēo brim-wylf,      þā hēo tō botme cōm,
hringa þengel      tō hofe sīnum,
swā hē ne mihte nō      (hē þæs mōdig wæs)

wǣpna gewealdan,      ac hine wundra þæs fela
swencte on sunde,      sǣ-dēor monig
hilde-tūxum      here-syrcan bræc,
ēhton āglǣcan.      Þā se eorl ongeat,
þæt hē in nið-sele      nāt-hwylcum wæs,

þǣr him nǣnig wæter      wihte ne sceðede,
nē him for hrōf-sele      hrīnan ne mehte
fǣr-gripe flōdes:      fȳr-lēoht geseah,
blācne lēoman      beorhte scīnan.
Ongeat þā se gōda      grund-wyrgenne,

mere-wīf mihtig;      mægen-rǣs forgeaf
hilde-bille,      hond swenge ne oftēah,
þæt hire on hafelan      hring-mǣl āgōl
grǣdig gūð-lēoð.      Þā se gist onfand,
þæt se beado-lēoma      bītan nolde,

aldre sceððan,      ac sēo ecg geswāc
þēodne æt þearfe:      þolode ǣr fela
hond-gemōta,      helm oft gescær,
fǣges fyrd-hrægl:      þæt wæs forma sīð
dēorum māðme,      þæt his dōm ālæg.

Eft wæs ān-rǣd,      nalas elnes læt,
mǣrða gemyndig      mǣg Hygelāces;
wearp þā wunden-mǣl      wrǣttum gebunden
yrre ōretta,      þæt hit on eorðan læg,
stīð and stȳl-ecg;      strenge getruwode,

mund-gripe mægenes.      Swā sceal man dōn,
þonne hē æt gūðe      gegān þenceð
longsumne lof,      nā ymb his līf cearað.
Gefēng þā be eaxle      (nalas for fǣhðe mearn)
Gūð-Gēata lēod      Grendles mōdor;

brægd þā beadwe heard,      þā hē gebolgen wæs,
feorh-genīðlan,      þæt hēo on flet gebēah.
Hēo him eft hraðe      and-lēan forgeald
grimman grāpum      and him tōgēanes fēng;
oferwearp þā wērig-mōd      wigena strengest,

fēðe-cempa,      þæt hē on fylle wearð.
Ofsæt þā þone sele-gyst      and hyre seaxe getēah,
brād and brūn-ecg      wolde hire bearn wrecan,
āngan eaferan.      Him on eaxle læg
brēost-net brōden;      þæt gebearh fēore,

wið ord and wið ecge      ingang forstōd.
Hæfde þā forsīðod      sunu Ecgþēowes
under gynne grund,      Gēata cempa,
nemne him heaðo-byrne      helpe gefremede,
here-net hearde,      and hālig god

gewēold wīg-sigor,      wītig drihten;
rodera rǣdend      hit on ryht gescēd,
ȳðelīce      syððan hē eft āstōd.

Geseah þā on searwum sige-ēadig bil,
eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þȳhtig,

wigena weorð-mynd:      þæt wæs wǣpna cyst,
būton hit wæs māre      þonne ǣnig mon ōðer
tō beadu-lāce      ætberan meahte
gōd and geatolīc      gīganta geweorc.
Hē gefēng þā fetel-hilt,      freca Scildinga,

hrēoh and heoro-grim      hring-mǣl gebrægd,
aldres orwēna,      yrringa slōh,
þæt hire wið halse      heard grāpode,
bān-hringas bræc,      bil eal þurh-wōd
fǣgne flǣsc-homan,      hēo on flet gecrong;

sweord wæs swātig,      secg weorce gefeh.
Līxte se lēoma,      lēoht inne stōd,
efne swā of hefene      hādre scīneð
rodores candel.      Hē æfter recede wlāt,
hwearf þā be wealle,      wǣpen hafenade

heard be hiltum      Higelāces þegn,
yrre and ān-rǣd.      Næs sēo ecg fracod
hilde-rince,      ac hē hraðe wolde
Grendle forgyldan      gūð-rǣsa fela
þāra þe hē geworhte      tō West-Denum

oftor micle      þonne on ǣnne sīð,
þonne hē Hrōðgāres      heorð-genēatas
slōh on sweofote,      slǣpende fræt
folces Denigea      fȳf-tȳne men
and ōðer swylc      ūt of-ferede,

lāðlīcu lāc.      Hē him þæs lēan forgeald,
rēðe cempa,      tō þæs þe hē on ræste geseah
gūð-wērigne      Grendel licgan,
aldor-lēasne,      swā him ǣr gescōd
hild æt Heorote;      hrā wīde sprong,

syððan hē æfter dēaðe      drepe þrowade,
heoro-sweng heardne,      and hine þā hēafde becearf,
Sōna þæt gesāwon      snottre ceorlas,
þā þe mid Hrōðgāre      on holm wliton,
þæt wæs ȳð-geblond      eal gemenged,

brim blōde fāh:      blonden-feaxe
gomele ymb gōdne      ongeador sprǣcon,
þæt hig þæs æðelinges      eft ne wēndon,
þæt hē sige-hrēðig      sēcean cōme
mǣrne þēoden;      þā þæs monige gewearð,

þæt hine sēo brim-wylf      ābroten hæfde.
Þā cōm nōn dæges.      Næs ofgēafon
hwate Scyldingas; gewāt him hām þonon
gold-wine gumena.      Gistas sētan,
mōdes sēoce,      and on mere staredon,

wiston and ne wēndon,      þæt hīe heora wine-drihten
selfne gesāwon.      Þā þæt sweord ongan
æfter heaðo-swāte      hilde-gicelum
wīg-bil wanian;      þæt wæs wundra sum,
þæt hit eal gemealt      īse gelīcost,

þonne forstes bend      fæder onlǣteð,
onwindeð wæl-rāpas,      sē þe geweald hafað
sǣla and mǣla;      þæt is sōð metod.
Ne nom hē in þǣm wīcum,      Weder-Gēata lēod,
māðm-ǣhta mā,      þēh hē þǣr monige geseah,

būton þone hafelan      and þā hilt somod,
since fāge;      sweord ǣr gemealt,
forbarn brōden mǣl:      wæs þæt blōd tō þæs hāt,
ǣttren ellor-gǣst,      sē þǣr inne swealt.
Sōna wæs on sunde,      sē þe ǣr æt sæcce gebād

wīg-hryre wrāðra,      wæter up þurh-dēaf;
wǣron ȳð-gebland      eal gefǣlsod,
ēacne eardas,      þā se ellor-gāst
oflēt līf-dagas      and þās lǣnan gesceaft.
Cōm þā tō lande      lid-manna helm

swīð-mōd swymman,      sǣ-lāce gefeah,
mægen-byrðenne      þāra þe hē him mid hæfde.
Ēodon him þā tōgēanes,      gode þancodon,
þrȳðlīc þegna hēap,      þēodnes gefēgon,
þæs þe hī hyne gesundne      gesēon mōston.

Þā wæs of þǣm hrōran      helm and byrne
lungre ālȳsed:      lagu drūsade,
wæter under wolcnum,      wæl-drēore fāg.
Fērdon forð þonon      fēðe-lāstum
ferhðum fægne,      fold-weg mǣton,

cūðe strǣte;      cyning-balde men
from þǣm holm-clife      hafelan bǣron
earfoðlīce      heora ǣghwæðrum
fela-mōdigra:      fēower scoldon
on ðæm wæl-stenge      weorcum geferian

tō þǣm gold-sele      Grendles hēafod,
oð þæt semninga      tō sele cōmon
frome fyrd-hwate      fēower-tȳne
Gēata gongan;      gum-dryhten mid
mōdig on gemonge      meodo-wongas træd.

Þā cōm in gān      ealdor þegna,
dǣd-cēne mon      dōme gewurðad,
hæle hilde-dēor.      Hrōðgār grētan:
Þā wæs be feaxe      on flet boren
Grendles hēafod,      þǣr guman druncon,

egeslīc for eorlum and þǣre idese mid:
wlite-sēon wrǣtlīc weras onsāwon.

Bēowulf maðelode,      bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Hwæt! wē þē þās sǣ-lāc,      sunu Healfdenes,
"lēod Scyldinga,      lustum brōhton,

"tīres tō tācne,      þē þū hēr tō lōcast.
"Ic þæt unsōfte      ealdre gedīgde:
"wigge under wætere      weorc genēðde
"earfoðlīce,      æt-rihte wæs
"gūð getwǣfed,      nymðe mec god scylde.

"Ne meahte ic æt hilde      mid Hruntinge
"wiht gewyrcan,      þēah þæt wǣpen duge,
"ac mē geūðe      ylda waldend,
"þæt ic on wāge geseah      wlitig hangian
"eald sweord ēacen      (oftost wīsode

"winigea lēasum)      þæt ic þȳ wǣpne gebrǣ.
"Ofslōh þā æt þǣre sæcce      (þā mē sǣl āgeald)
"hūses hyrdas.      Þā þæt hilde-bil
"forbarn, brogden mǣl,      swā þæt blōd gesprang,
"hātost heaðo-swāta:      ic þæt hilt þanan

"fēondum ætferede;      fyren-dǣda wræc,
"dēað-cwealm Denigea,      swā hit gedēfe wæs.
"Ic hit þē þonne gehāte,      þæt þū on Heorote mōst
"sorh-lēas swefan      mid þīnra secga gedryht,
"and þegna gehwylc      þīnra lēoda,

"duguðe and iogoðe,      þæt þū him ondrǣdan ne þearft,
"þēoden Scyldinga,      on þā healfe,
"aldor-bealu eorlum,      swā þū ǣr dydest."
Þā wæs gylden hilt      gamelum rince.
hārum hild-fruman,      on hand gyfen,

enta ǣr-geweorc,      hit on ǣht gehwearf
æfter dēofla hryre      Denigea frēan,
wundor-smiða geweorc,      and þā þās worold ofgeaf
grom-heort guma,      godes andsaca,
morðres scyldig,      and his mōdor ēac;

on geweald gehwearf      worold-cyninga
þǣm sēlestan      be sǣm twēonum
þāra þe on Sceden-igge      sceattas dǣlde.
Hrōðgār maðelode,      hylt scēawode,
ealde lāfe,      on þǣm wæs ōr writen

fyrn-gewinnes:      syððan flōd ofslōh,
gifen gēotende,      gīganta cyn,
frēcne gefērdon:      þæt wæs fremde þēod
ēcean dryhtne,      him þæs ende-lēan
þurh wæteres wylm      waldend sealde.

Swā wæs on þǣm scennum      scīran goldes
þurh rūn-stafas      rihte gemearcod,
geseted and gesǣd,      hwām þæt sweord geworht,
īrena cyst      ǣrest wǣre,
wreoðen-hilt and wyrm-fāh.      þā se wīsa spræc

sunu Healfdenes      (swīgedon ealle):
"Þæt lā mæg secgan,      sē þe sōð and riht
"fremeð on folce,      (feor eal gemon
"eald ēðel-weard),      þæt þes eorl wǣre
"geboren betera!      Blǣd is ārǣred

"geond wīd-wegas,      wine mīn Bēowulf,
"þīn ofer þēoda gehwylce.      Eal þū hit geþyldum healdest,
"mægen mid mōdes snyttrum.      Ic þē sceal mīne gelǣstan
"frēode, swā wit furðum sprǣcon;      þū scealt tō frōfre weorðan
"eal lang-twidig      lēodum þīnum,

"hæleðum tō helpe.      Ne wearð Heremōd swā
"eaforum Ecgwelan,      Ār-Scyldingum;
"ne gewēox hē him tō willan,      ac tō wæl-fealle
"and tō dēað-cwalum      Deniga lēodum;
"brēat bolgen-mōd      bēod-genēatas,

"eaxl-gesteallan,      oð þæt hē āna hwearf,
"mǣre þēoden.      mon-drēamum from:
"þēah þe hine mihtig god      mægenes wynnum,
"eafeðum stēpte,      ofer ealle men
"forð gefremede,      hwæðere him on ferhðe grēow

"brēost-hord blōd-rēow:      nallas bēagas geaf
"Denum æfter dōme;      drēam-lēas gebād,
"þæt hē þæs gewinnes      weorc þrowade,
"lēod-bealo longsum.      Þū þē lǣr be þon,
"gum-cyste ongit!      ic þis gid be þē

"āwræc wintrum frōd.      Wundor is tō secganne,
"hū mihtig god      manna cynne
"þurh sīdne sefan      snyttru bryttað,
"eard and eorl-scipe,      hē āh ealra geweald.
"Hwīlum hē on lufan      lǣteð hworfan

"monnes mōd-geþonc      mǣran cynnes,
"seleð him on ēðle      eorðan wynne,
"tō healdanne      hlēo-burh wera,
"gedēð him swā gewealdene      worolde dǣlas,
"sīde rīce,      þæt hē his selfa ne mæg

"for his un-snyttrum      ende geþencean;
"wunað hē on wiste,      nō hine wiht dweleð,
"ādl nē yldo,      nē him inwit-sorh
"on sefan sweorceð,      nē gesacu ōhwǣr,
"ecg-hete ēoweð,      ac him eal worold

"wendeð on willan;      hē þæt wyrse ne con,
"oð þæt him on innan      ofer-hygda dǣl
"weaxeð and wridað,      þonne se weard swefeð,
"sāwele hyrde:      bið se slǣp tō fæst,
"bisgum gebunden,      bona swīðe nēah,

"Þonne bið on hreðre      under helm drepen
"biteran strǣle:      him bebeorgan ne con
"wom wundor-bebodum      wergan gāstes;
"þinceð him tō lȳtel,      þæt hē tō lange hēold,

"gȳtsað grom-hȳdig,      nallas on gylp seleð
"fǣtte bēagas      and hē þā forð-gesceaft
"forgyteð and forgȳmeð,      þæs þe him ǣr god sealde
"wuldres waldend,      weorð-mynda dǣl.
"Hit on ende-stæf      eft gelimpeð,

"þæt se līc-homa      lǣne gedrēoseð,
"fǣge gefealleð;      fēhð ōðer tō,
"sē þe unmurnlīce      mādmas dǣleð,
"eorles ǣr-gestrēon,      egesan ne gȳmeð.
"Bebeorh þē þone bealo-nīð,      Bēowulf lēofa,

"secg se betsta,      and þē þæt sēlre gecēos,
"ēce rǣdas;      oferhȳda ne gȳm,
"mǣre cempa!      Nū is þīnes mægnes blǣd
"āne hwīle;      eft sōna bið,
"þæt þec ādl oððe ecg      eafoðes getwǣfeð,

"oððe fȳres feng      oððe flōdes wylm,
"oððe gripe mēces      oððe gāres fliht,
"oððe atol yldo,      oððe ēagena bearhtm
"forsiteð and forsworceð;      semninga bið,
"þæt þec, dryht-guma,      dēað oferswȳðeð.

"Swā ic Hring-Dena      hund missēra
"wēold under wolcnum,      and hig wigge belēac
"manigum mǣgða      geond þysne middan-geard,
"æscum and ecgum,      þæt ic mē ǣnigne
"under swegles begong      gesacan ne tealde.

"Hwæt! mē þæs on ēðle      edwenden cwōm,
"gyrn æfter gomene,      seoððan Grendel wearð,
"eald-gewinna,      in-genga mīn:
"ic þǣre sōcne      singāles wæg
"mōd-ceare micle.      Þæs sig metode þanc,

"ēcean drihtne,      þæs þe ic on aldre gebād,
"þæt ic on þone hafelan      heoro-drēorigne
"ofer eald gewin      ēagum starige!
"Gā nū tō setle,      symbel-wynne drēoh
"wīgge weorðad:      unc sceal worn fela

"māðma gemǣnra,      siððan morgen bið."
Gēat wæs glæd-mōd,      gēong sōna tō,
setles nēosan,      swā se snottra heht.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr      ellen-rōfum,
flet-sittendum      fægere gereorded

nīowan stefne.      Niht-helm geswearc
deorc ofer dryht-gumum.      Duguð eal ārās;
wolde blonden-feax      beddes nēosan,
gamela Scylding.      Gēat ungemetes wēl,
rōfne rand-wigan      restan lyste:

sōna him sele-þegn      sīðes wērgum,
feorran-cundum      forð wīsade,
se for andrysnum      ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe,      swylce þȳ dōgore
hēaðo-līðende      habban scoldon.

Reste hine þā rūm-heort;      reced hlīfade
gēap and gold-fāh,      gæst inne swæf,
oð þæt hrefn blaca      heofones wynne
blīð-heort bodode.      Þā cōm beorht sunne
scacan ofer grundas;      scaðan ōnetton,

wǣron æðelingas      eft tō lēodum
fūse tō farenne,      wolde feor þanon
cuma collen-ferhð      cēoles nēosan.
Heht þā se hearda      Hrunting beran,
sunu Ecglāfes,      heht his sweord niman,

lēoflīc īren;      sægde him þæs lēanes þanc,
cwæð hē þone gūð-wine      gōdne tealde,
wīg-cræftigne,      nales wordum lōg
mēces ecge:      þæt wæs mōdig secg.
And þā sīð-frome      searwum gearwe

wīgend wǣron,      ēode weorð Denum
æðeling tō yppan,      þǣr se ōðer wæs
hæle hilde-dēor,      Hrōðgār grētte.

Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Nū wē sǣ-līðend secgan wyllað

"feorran cumene,      þæt wē fundiað
"Higelāc sēcan.      Wǣron hēr tela
"willum bewenede;      þū ūs wēl dohtest.
"Gif ic þonne on eorðan      ōwihte mæg
"þīnre mōd-lufan      māran tilian,

"gumena dryhten,      þonne ic gȳt dyde,
"gūð-geweorca      ic bēo gearo sōna.
"Gif ic þæt gefricge      ofer flōda begang,
"þæt þec ymbe-sittend      egesan þȳwað,
"swā þec hetende      hwīlum dydon,

"ic þē þūsenda      þegna bringe,
"hæleða tō helpe.      Ic on Higelāce wāt,
"Gēata dryhten,      þēah þe hē geong sȳ,
"folces hyrde,      þæt hē mec fremman wile
"wordum and worcum,      þæt ic þē wēl herige,

"and þē tō gēoce      gār-holt bere
"mægenes fultum,      þǣr þē bið manna þearf;
"gif him þonne Hrēðrīc      tō hofum Gēata
"geþingeð, þēodnes bearn,      hē mæg þǣr fela
"frēonda findan:      feor-cȳððe bēoð

"sēlran gesōhte      þǣm þe him selfa dēah."
Hrōðgār maðelode      him on andsware:
"Þē þā word-cwydas      wittig drihten
"on sefan sende!      ne hȳrde ic snotorlīcor
"on swā geongum feore      guman þingian:

"þū eart mægenes strang      and on mōde frōd,
"wīs word-cwida.      Wēn ic talige,
"gif þæt gegangeð,      þæt þe gār nymeð,
"hild heoru-grimme      Hrēðles eaferan,
"ādl oððe īren      ealdor þīnne,

"folces hyrde,      and þū þīn feorh hafast,
"þæt þe Sǣ-Gēatas      sēlran næbben
"tō gecēosenne      cyning ǣnigne,
"hord-weard hæleða,      gif þū healdan wylt
"māga rīce.      Mē þīn mōd-sefa

"līcað leng swā wēl,      lēofa Bēowulf:
"hafast þū gefēred,      þæt þām folcum sceal,
"Gēata lēodum      and Gār-Denum
"sib gemǣnum      and sacu restan,
"inwit-nīðas,      þē hīe ǣr drugon;

"wesan, þenden ic wealde      wīdan rīces,
"māðmas gemǣne,      manig ōðerne
"gōdum gegrētan      ofer ganotes bæð;
"sceal hring-naca      ofer hēaðu bringan
"lāc and luf-tācen.      Ic þā lēode wāt

"gē wið fēond gē wið frēond      fæste geworhte
"ǣghwæs untǣle      ealde wīsan."
Þā gīt him eorla hlēo      inne gesealde,
mago Healfdenes      māðmas twelfe,
hēt hine mid þǣm lācum      lēode swǣse

sēcean on gesyntum,      snūde eft cuman.
Gecyste þā      cyning æðelum gōd,
þēoden Scildinga,      þegen betstan
and be healse genam;      hruron him tēaras,
blonden-feaxum:      him wæs bēga wēn,

ealdum infrōdum,      ōðres swīðor,
þæt hī seoððan      gesēon mōston
mōdige on meðle.      Wæs him se man tō þon lēof,
þæt hē þone brēost-wylm      forberan ne mehte,
ac him on hreðre      hyge-bendum fæst

æfter dēorum men      dyrne langað
beorn wið blōde.      Him Bēowulf þanan,
gūð-rinc gold-wlanc      græs-moldan træd,
since hrēmig:      sǣ-genga bād
āgend-frēan,      sē þe on ancre rād.

Þā wæs on gange      gifu Hrōðgāres
oft geæhted:      þæt wæs ān cyning
ǣghwæs orleahtre,      oð þæt hine yldo benam
mægenes wynnum,      sē þe oft manegum scōd.

hæg-stealdra hēap;      hring-net bǣron,
locene leoðo-syrcan.      Land-weard onfand
eft-sīð eorla,      swā hē ǣr dyde;
nō hē mid hearme      of hlīðes nosan
gæstas grētte,      ac him tōgēanes rād;

cwæð þæt wilcuman      Wedera lēodum
scawan scīr-hame      tō scipe fōron.
Þā wæs on sande      sǣ-gēap naca
hladen here-wǣdum,      hringed-stefna
mēarum and māðmum:      mæst hlīfade

ofer Hrōðgāres      hord-gestrēonum.
Hē þǣm bāt-wearde      bunden golde
swurd gesealde,      þæt hē syððan wæs
on meodu-bence      māðme þȳ weorðra,
yrfe-lāfe.      Gewāt him on ȳð-nacan,

drēfan dēop wæter,      Dena land ofgeaf.
Þā wæs be mæste      mere-hrægla sum,
segl sāle fæst.      Sund-wudu þunede,
nō þǣr wēg-flotan      wind ofer ȳðum
sīðes getwǣfde;      sǣ-genga fōr,

flēat fāmig-heals      forð ofer ȳðe,
bunden-stefna      ofer brim-strēamas,
þæt hīe Gēata clifu      ongitan meahton,
cūðe næssas.      Cēol up geþrang,
lyft-geswenced      on lande stōd.

Hraðe wæs æt holme      hȳð-weard gearo,
sē þe ǣr lange tīd,      lēofra manna
fūs, æt faroðe      feor wlātode;
sǣlde tō sande      sīd-fæðme scip
oncer-bendum fæst,      þȳ lǣs hym ȳða þrym

wudu wynsuman      forwrecan meahte.
Hēt þā up beran      æðelinga gestrēon,
frætwe and fǣt-gold;      næs him feor þanon
tō gesēcanne      sinces bryttan:
Higelāc Hrēðling      þǣr æt hām wunað,

selfa mid gesīðum      sǣ-wealle nēah;
bold wæs betlīc,      brego-rōf cyning,
hēa on healle,      Hygd swīðe geong,
wīs, wēl-þungen,      þēah þe wintra lȳt
under burh-locan      gebiden hæbbe

Hæreðes dōhtor:      næs hīo hnāh swā þēah,
nē tō gnēað gifa      Gēata lēodum,
māðm-gestrēona.      Mod Þrȳðo wæg,
fremu folces cwēn,      firen ondrysne:
nǣnig þæt dorste      dēor genēðan

swǣsra gesīða,      nefne sin-frēa,
þæt hire an dæges      ēagum starede;
ac him wæl-bende      weotode tealde,
hand-gewriðene:      hraðe seoððan wæs
æfter mund-gripe      mēce geþinged,

þæt hit sceaðen-mǣl      scȳran mōste,
cwealm-bealu cȳðan.      Ne bið swylc cwēnlīc þēaw
idese tō efnanne,      þēah þe hīo ǣnlīcu sȳ,
þætte freoðu-webbe      fēores onsæce
æfter līge-torne      lēofne mannan.

Hūru þæt onhōhsnode      Heminges mǣg;
ealo drincende      ōðer sǣdan,
þæt hīo lēod-bealewa      lǣs gefremede,
inwit-nīða,      syððan ǣrest wearð
gyfen gold-hroden      geongum cempan,

æðelum dīore,      syððan hīo Offan flet
ofer fealone flōd      be fæder lāre
sīðe gesōhte,      þǣr hīo syððan wēl
in gum-stōle,      gōde mǣre,
līf-gesceafta      lifigende brēac,

hīold hēah-lufan      wið hæleða brego,
ealles mon-cynnes      mīne gefrǣge
þone sēlestan      bī sǣm twēonum
eormen-cynnes;      forþām Offa wæs
geofum and gūðum      gār-cēne man,

wīde geweorðod;      wīsdōme hēold
ēðel sīnne,      þonon Ēomǣr wōc
hæleðum tō helpe,      Heminges mǣg,
nefa Gārmundes,      nīða cræftig.

sylf æfter sande      sǣ-wong tredan,
wīde waroðas.      Woruld-candel scān,
sigel sūðan fūs:      hī sīð drugon,
elne geēodon,      tō þæs þe eorla hlēo,
bonan Ongenþēowes      burgum on innan,

geongne gūð-cyning      gōdne gefrūnon
hringas dǣlan.      Higelāce wæs
sīð Bēowulfes      snūde gecȳðed,
þæt þǣr on worðig      wīgendra hlēo,
lind-gestealla      lifigende cwōm,

heaðo-lāces hāl      tō hofe gongan.
Hraðe wæs gerȳmed,      swā se rīca bebēad,
fēðe-gestum      flet innan-weard.
Gesæt þā wið sylfne,      sē þā sæcce genæs,
mǣg wið mǣge,      syððan man-dryhten

þurh hlēoðor-cwyde      holdne gegrētte
mēaglum wordum.      Meodu-scencum
hwearf geond þæt reced      Hæreðes dōhtor:
lufode þā lēode,      līð-wǣge bær
hǣlum tō handa.      Higelāc ongan

sīnne geseldan      in sele þām hēan
fægre fricgean,      hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwylce Sǣ-Gēata      sīðas wǣron:
"Hū lomp ēow on lāde,      lēofa Bīowulf,
"þā þū fǣringa      feorr gehogodest,

"sæcce sēcean      ofer sealt wæter,
"hilde tō Hiorote?      Ac þū Hrōðgāre
"wīd-cūðne wēan      wihte gebēttest,
"mǣrum þēodne?      Ic þæs mōd-ceare
"sorh-wylmum sēað,      sīðe ne truwode

"lēofes mannes;      ic þē lange bæd,
"þæt þū þone wæl-gǣst      wihte ne grētte,
"lēte Sūð-Dene      sylfe geweorðan
"gūðe wið Grendel.      Gode ic þanc secge,
"þæs þe ic þē gesundne      gesēon mōste."

Bīowulf maðelode,      bearn Ecgþīowes:
"Þæt is undyrne,      dryhten Higelāc,
"mǣre gemēting      monegum fīra,
"hwylc orleg-hwīl      uncer Grendles
"wearð on þām wange,      þǣr hē worna fela

"Sige-Scildingum      sorge gefremede,
"yrmðe tō aldre;      ic þæt eal gewræc,
"swā ne gylpan þearf      Grendeles māga
"ǣnig ofer eorðan      ūht-hlem þone,
"sē þe lengest leofað      lāðan cynnes,

"fenne bifongen.      Ic þǣr furðum cwōm,
"tō þām hring-sele      Hrōðgār grētan:
"sōna mē se mǣra      mago Healfdenes,
"syððan hē mōd-sefan      mīnne cūðe,
"wið his sylfes sunu      setl getǣhte.

"Weorod wæs on wynne;      ne seah ic wīdan feorh
"under heofenes hwealf      heal-sittendra
"medu-drēam māran.      Hwīlum mǣru cwēn,
"friðu-sibb folca      flet eall geond-hwearf,
"bǣdde byre geonge;      oft hīo bēah-wriðan

"secge sealde,      ǣr hīo tō setle gēong.
"Hwīlum for duguðe      dōhtor Hrōðgāres
"eorlum on ende      ealu-wǣge bær,
"þā ic Frēaware      flet-sittende
"nemnan hȳrde,      þǣr hīo nægled sinc

"hæleðum sealde:      sīo gehāten wæs,
"geong gold-hroden,      gladum suna Frōdan;
"hafað þæs geworden      wine Scyldinga
"rīces hyrde      and þæt rǣd talað,
"þæt hē mid þȳ wīfe      wæl-fǣhða dǣl,

"sæcca gesette.      Oft nō seldan hwǣr
"æfter lēod-hryre      lȳtle hwīle
"bon-gār būgeð,      þēah sēo brȳd duge!

"Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan þēoden Heaðobeardna
"and þegna gehwām þāra lēoda,

"þonne hē mid fǣmnan      on flett gǣð,
"dryht-bearn Dena      duguða biwenede:
"on him gladiað      gomelra lāfe
"heard and hring-mǣl,      Heaðobeardna gestrēon,
"þenden hīe þām wǣpnum      wealdan mōston,

"oð þæt hīe forlǣddan      tō þām lind-plegan
"swǣse gesīðas      ond hyra sylfra feorh.
"Þonne cwið æt bēore,      sē þe bēah gesyhð,
"eald æsc-wiga,      sē þe eall geman
"gār-cwealm gumena      (him bið grim sefa),

"onginneð geōmor-mōd      geongne cempan
"þurh hreðra gehygd      higes cunnian,
"wīg-bealu weccean      and þæt word ācwyð:
"'Meaht þū, mīn wine,      mēce gecnāwan,
"'þone þin fæder      tō gefeohte bær

"'under here-grīman      hindeman sīðe,
"'dȳre īren,      þǣr hyne Dene slōgon,
"'wēoldon wæl-stōwe,      syððan wiðer-gyld læg,
"'æfter hæleða hryre,      hwate Scyldungas?
"'Nu hēr þāra banena      byre nāt-hwylces,

"'frætwum hrēmig      on flet gǣð,
"'morðres gylpeð      and þone māððum byreð,
"'þone þe þū mid rihte      rǣdan sceoldest!'"
"Manað swā and myndgað      mǣla gehwylce
"sārum wordum,      oð þæt sǣl cymeð,

"þæt se fǣmnan þegn      fore fæder dǣdum
"æfter billes bite      blōd-fāg swefeð,
"ealdres scyldig;      him se ōðer þonan
"losað lifigende,      con him land geare.
"Þonne bīoð brocene      on bā healfe

"āð-sweord eorla;      syððan Ingelde
"weallað wæl-nīðas      and him wīf-lufan
"æfter cear-wælmum      cōlran weorðað.
"Þȳ ic Heaðobeardna      hyldo ne telge,
"dryht-sibbe dǣl      Denum unfǣcne,

"frēond-scipe fæstne.      Ic sceal forð sprecan
"gēn ymbe Grendel,      þæt þū geare cunne,
"sinces brytta,      tō hwan syððan wearð
"hond-rǣs hæleða.      Syððan heofones gim
"glād ofer grundas,      gæst yrre cwōm,

"eatol ǣfen-grom,      ūser nēosan,
"þǣr wē gesunde      sæl weardodon;
"þǣr wæs Hondscīo      hild onsǣge,
"feorh-bealu fǣgum,      hē fyrmest læg,
"gyrded cempa;      him Grendel wearð,

"mǣrum magu-þegne      tō mūð-bonan,
"lēofes mannes      līc eall forswealg.
"Nō þȳ ǣr ūt þā gēn      īdel-hende
"bona blōdig-tōð      bealewa gemyndig,
"of þām gold-sele      gongan wolde,

"ac hē mægnes rōf      mīn costode,
"grāpode gearo-folm.      Glōf hangode
"sīd and syllīc      searo-bendum fæst,
"sīo wæs orþoncum      eall gegyrwed
"dēofles cræftum      and dracan fellum:

"hē mec þǣr on innan      unsynnigne,
"dīor dǣd-fruma,      gedōn wolde,
"manigra sumne:      hyt ne mihte swā,
"syððan ic on yrre      upp-riht āstōd.
"Tō lang ys tō reccenne,      hū ic þām lēod-sceaðan

"yfla gehwylces      ond-lēan forgeald;
"þǣr ic, þēoden mīn,      þīne lēode
"weorðode weorcum.      Hē on weg losade,
"lȳtle hwīle      līf-wynna brēac;
"hwæðre him sīo swīðre      swaðe weardade

"hand on Hiorte      and hē hēan þonan,
"mōdes geōmor      mere-grund gefēoll.
"Mē þone wæl-rǣs      wine Scildunga
"fǣttan golde      fela lēanode,
"manegum māðmum,      syððan mergen cōm

"and wē tō symble      geseten hæfdon.
"Þǣr wæs gidd and glēo;      gomela Scilding
"fela fricgende      feorran rehte;
"hwīlum hilde-dēor      hearpan wynne,
"gomen-wudu grētte;      hwīlum gyd āwræc

"sōð and sārlīc;      hwīlum syllīc spell
"rehte æfter rihte      rūm-heort cyning.
"Hwīlum eft ongan      eldo gebunden,
"gomel gūð-wiga      gioguðe cwīðan
"hilde-strengo;      hreðer inne wēoll,

"þonne hē wintrum frōd      worn gemunde.
"Swā wē þǣr inne      andlangne dæg
"nīode nāman,      oð þæt niht becwōm
"ōðer tō yldum.      Þā wæs eft hraðe
"gearo gyrn-wræce      Grendeles mōdor,

"sīðode sorh-full;      sunu dēað fornam,
"wīg-hete Wedra.      Wīf unhȳre
"hyre bearn gewræc,      beorn ācwealde
"ellenlīce;      þǣr wæs Æsc-here,
"frōdan fyrn-witan,      feorh ūðgenge;

"nōðer hȳ hine ne mōston,      syððan mergen cwōm,
"dēað-wērigne      Denia lēode
"bronde forbærnan,      nē on bǣl hladan
"lēofne mannan:      hīo þæt līc ætbær
"fēondes fæðmum      under firgen-strēam.

"Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre      hrēowa tornost
"þāra þe lēod-fruman      lange begeāte;
"þā se þēoden mec      þīne līfe
"healsode hrēoh-mōd,      þæt ic on holma geþring
"eorl-scipe efnde,      ealdre genēðde,

"mǣrðo fremede:      hē mē mēde gehēt.
"Ic þā þæs wælmes,      þē is wīde cūð,
"grimne gryrelīcne      grund-hyrde fond.
"Þǣr unc hwīle wæs      hand gemǣne;
"holm heolfre wēoll      and ic hēafde becearf

"in þām grund-sele      Grendeles mōdor
"ēacnum ecgum,      unsōfte þonan
"feorh oðferede;      næs ic fǣge þā gȳt,
"ac mē eorla hlēo      eft gesealde
"māðma menigeo,      maga Healfdenes.

"Swā se þēod-kyning      þēawum lyfde;
"nealles ic þām lēanum      forloren hæfde,
"mægnes mēde,      ac hē mē māðmas geaf,
"sunu Healfdenes,      on sīnne sylfes dōm;
"þā ic þē, beorn-cyning,      bringan wylle,

"ēstum geȳwan.      Gēn is eall æt þē
"lissa gelong:      ic lȳt hafo
"hēafod-māga,      nefne Hygelāc þec!"
Hēt þā in beran      eafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm,      hāre byrnan,

gūð-sweord geatolīc,      gyd æfter wræc:
"Mē þis hilde-sceorp      Hrōðgār sealde,
"snotra fengel,      sume worde hēt,
"þæt ic his ǣrest      þē eft gesægde,
"cwæð þæt hyt hæfde      Hiorogār cyning,

"lēod Scyldunga      lange hwīle:
"nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnum      syllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde,      þēah hē him hold wǣre,
"brēost-gewǣdu.      Brūc ealles well!"
Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwum      fēower mēaras

lungre gelīce      lāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe;      hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma.      Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-net      ōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræfte      dēað rēnian

hond-gesteallan.      Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum,      nefa swȳðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrum      hrōðra gemyndig.
Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah      Hygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum,      þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,

þēodnes dōhtor,      þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht;      hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þege      brēost geweorðod.
Swā bealdode      bearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð,      gōdum dǣdum,

drēah æfter dōme,      nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas;      næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnes      mǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife,      þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor.      Hēan wæs lange,

swā hyne Gēata bearn      gōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bence      micles wyrðne
drihten wereda      gedōn wolde;
swȳðe oft sægdon,      þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom:      edwenden cwōm

tīr-ēadigum menn      torna gehwylces.
Hēt þā eorla hlēo      in gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning,      Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede;      næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlra      on sweordes hād;

þæt hē on Bīowulfes      bearm ālegde,
and him gesealde      seofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl.      Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipe      lond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht,      ōðrum swīðor

sīde rīce,      þām þǣr sēlra wæs.
Eft þæt geīode      ufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum,      syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēde      hilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðan      tō bonan wurdon,

þā hyne gesōhtan      on sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan,      Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdan      nefan Hererīces.
Syððan Bēowulfe      brāde rīce
on hand gehwearf:      hē gehēold tela

fīftig wintru      (wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard),      oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtum      draca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðe      hord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne:      stīg under læg,

eldum uncūð.      Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylces      nēode gefēng
hǣðnum horde      hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fāhne,      hē þæt syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g

slǣpende be fȳre,      fyrena hyrde
þēofes cræfte,      þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn,      þæt hē gebolgen wæs.

Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd,

ac for þrēa-nēdlan      þēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearna      hete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfe      and þǣr inne fealh
secg syn-bysig.      Sōna in þā tīde
þæt . . . . . þām gyste      . . . . br . g . stōd,

hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat,
sinc-fæt geseah:      þǣr wæs swylcra fela
in þām eorð-scræfe      ǣr-gestrēona,
swā hȳ on geār-dagum      gumena nāt-hwylc

eormen-lāfe      æðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende      þǣr gehȳdde,
dēore māðmas.      Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum,      and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe,      sē þǣr lengest hwearf,

weard wine-geōmor      wīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē lȳtel fæc      long-gestrēona
brūcan mōste.      Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge      wæter-ȳðum nēah,
nīwe be næsse      nearo-cræftum fæst:

þǣr on innan bær      eorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrde      hard-fyrdne dǣl
fǣttan goldes,      fēa worda cwæð:
"Heald þū nū, hrūse,      nū hæleð ne mōston,
"eorla ǣhte.      Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē

"gōde begeāton;      gūð-dēað fornam,
"feorh-bealo frēcne      fȳra gehwylcne,
"lēoda mīnra,      þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
"gesāwon sele-drēam.      Nāh hwā sweord wege
"oððe fetige      fǣted wǣge,

"drync-fæt dēore:      duguð ellor scōc.
"Sceal se hearda helm      hyrsted golde
"fǣtum befeallen:      feormiend swefað,
"þā þe beado-grīman      bȳwan sceoldon,
"gē swylce sēo here-pād,      sīo æt hilde gebād

"ofer borda gebræc      bite īrena,
"brosnað æfter beorne.      Ne mæg byrnan hring
"æfter wīg-fruman      wīde fēran
"hæleðum be healfe;      næs hearpan wyn,
"gomen glēo-bēames,      nē gōd hafoc

"geond sæl swingeð,      nē se swifta mearh
"burh-stede bēateð.      Bealo-cwealm hafað
"fela feorh-cynna      feorr onsended!"
Swā giōmor-mōd      giohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallum      unblīðe hwēop,

dæges and nihtes,      oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan.      Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaða      opene standan,
sē þe byrnende      biorgas sēceð
nacod nīð-draca,      nihtes flēogeð

fȳre befangen;      hyne fold-būend
wīde gesāwon.      Hē gēwunian sceall
hlāw under hrūsan,      þǣr hē hǣðen gold
warað wintrum frōd;      ne byð him wihte þē sēl.
Swā se þēod-sceaða      þrēo hund wintra

hēold on hrūsan      hord-ærna sum
ēacen-cræftig,      oð þæt hyne ān ābealh
mon on mōde:      man-dryhtne bær
fǣted wǣge,      frioðo-wǣre bæd
hlāford sīnne.      Þā wæs hord rāsod,

onboren bēaga hord,      bēne getīðad
fēa-sceaftum men.      Frēa scēawode
fīra fyrn-geweorc      forman sīðe.
Þā se wyrm onwōc,      wrōht wæs genīwad;
stonc þā æfter stāne,      stearc-heort onfand

fēondes fōt-lāst;      hē tō forð gestōp,
dyrnan cræfte,      dracan hēafde nēah.
Swā mæg unfǣge      ēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð,      sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð.      Hord-weard sōhte

georne æfter grunde,      wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote      sāre getēode:
hāt and hrēoh-mōd      hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ūtan-weardne;      nē þǣr ǣnig mon
wæs on þǣre wēstenne.      Hwæðre hilde gefeh,

beado-weorces:      hwīlum on beorh æthwearf,
sinc-fæt sōhte;      hē þæt sōna onfand,
þæt hæfde gumena sum      goldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona.      Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce,      oð þæt ǣfen cwōm;

wæs þā gebolgen      beorges hyrde,
wolde se lāða      līge forgyldan
drinc-fæt dȳre.      Þā wæs dæg sceacen
wyrme on willan,      nō on wealle leng
bīdan wolde,      ac mid bǣle fōr,

fȳre gefȳsed.      Wæs se fruma egeslīc
lēodum on lande,      swā hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan      sāre geendod.

Þā se gæst ongan glēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan; bryne-lēoma stōd

eldum on andan;      nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-floga      lǣfan wolde.
Wæs þæs wyrmes wīg      wīde gesȳne,
nearo-fāges nīð      nēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaða      Gēata lēode

hatode and hȳnde:      hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnne      ǣr dæges hwīle.
Hæfde land-wara      līge befangen,
bǣle and bronde;      beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles:      him sēo wēn gelēah.

Þā wæs Bīowulfe      brōga gecȳðed
snūde tō sōðe,      þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlest      bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stōl Gēata.      Þæt þām gōdan wæs
hrēow on hreðre,      hyge-sorga mǣst:

wēnde se wīsa,      þæt hē wealdende,
ofer ealde riht,      ēcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge:      brēost innan wēoll
þēostrum geþoncum,      swā him geþȳwe ne wæs.
Hæfde līg-draca      lēoda fæsten,

ēa-lond ūtan,      eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden.      Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden,      wræce leornode.
Heht him þā gewyrcean      wīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne,      eorla dryhten

wīg-bord wrǣtlīc;      wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wudu      helpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge.      Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōd      ende gebīdan
worulde līfes      and se wyrm somod;

þēah þe hord-welan      hēolde lange.
Oferhogode þā      hringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-flogan      weorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge;      nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīg      for wiht dyde,

eafoð and ellen;      forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðende      nīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma,      syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg,      sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāp      Grendeles mǣgum,

lāðan cynnes.      Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota,      þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyning      gūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folces      Frēslondum on,
Hrēðles eafora      hioro-dryncum swealt,

bille gebēaten;      þonan Bīowulf cōm
sylfes cræfte,      sund-nytte drēah;
hæfde him on earme      ... XXX
hilde-geatwa,      þā hē tō holme stāg.
Nealles Hetware      hrēmge þorfton

fēðe-wīges,      þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron:      lȳt eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecan      hāmes nīosan.
Oferswam þā sioleða bigong      sunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-haga      eft tō lēodum,

þǣr him Hygd gebēad      hord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl:      bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcum      ēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe,      þā wæs Hygelāc dēad.
Nō þȳ ǣr fēa-sceafte      findan meahton

æt þām æðelinge      ǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēde      hlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōm      cīosan wolde;
hwæðre hē him on folce      frēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre,      oð þæt hē yldra wearð,

Weder-Gēatum wēold.      Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan,      suna Ōhteres:
hæfdon hȳ forhealden      helm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestan      sǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīce      sinc brytnade,

mǣrne þēoden.      Him þæt tō mearce wearð;
hē þǣr orfeorme      feorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum,      sunu Hygelāces;
and him eft gewāt      Ongenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan,      syððan Heardrēd læg;

lēt þone brego-stōl Bīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan: þæt wæs gōd cyning.

Sē þæs lēod-hryres      lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum,      Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond.      Folce gestepte

ofer sǣ sīde      sunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum:      hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum,      cyning ealdre binēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane      genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta,      sunu Ecgþīowes,

ellen-weorca,      oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrme      gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa sum      torne gebolgen
dryhten Gēata      dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen,      hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,

bealo-nīð biorna;      him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣre      þurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēate      þreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orleges      ōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor,      sceolde hēan þonon

wong wīsian:      hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-sele      ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan      holm-wylme nēh,
ȳð-gewinne,      sē wæs innan full
wrǣtta and wīra:      weard unhīore,

gearo gūð-freca,      gold-māðmas hēold,
eald under eorðan;      næs þæt ȳðe cēap,
tō gegangenne      gumena ǣnigum.
Gesæt þā on næsse      nīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēad      heorð-genēatum

gold-wine Gēata:      him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs,      Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelan      grētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord,      sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce:      nō þon lange wæs

feorh æðelinges      flǣsce bewunden.
Bīowulf maðelade,      bearn Ecgþēowes:
"Fela ic on giogoðe      guð-rǣsa genæs,
"orleg-hwīla:      ic þæt eall gemon.
"Ic wæs syfan-wintre,      þā mec sinca baldor,

"frēa-wine folca      æt mīnum fæder genam,
"hēold mec and hæfde      Hrēðel cyning,
"geaf mē sinc and symbel,      sibbe gemunde;
"næs ic him tō līfe      lāðra ōwihte
"beorn in burgum,      þonne his bearna hwylc,

"Herebeald and Hæðcyn,      oððe Hygelāc mīn.
"Wæs þām yldestan      ungedēfelīce
"mǣges dǣdum      morðor-bed strēd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcyn      of horn-bogan,
"his frēa-wine      flāne geswencte,

"miste mercelses      and his mǣg ofscēt,
"brōðor ōðerne,      blōdigan gāre:
"þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht,      fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mēðe;      sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
"æðeling unwrecen      ealdres linnan.

"Swā bið geōmorlīc      gomelum ceorle
"tō gebīdanne,      þæt his byre rīde
"giong on galgan,      þonne hē gyd wrece,
"sārigne sang,      þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tō hrōðre      and hē him helpe ne mæg,

"eald and in-frōd,      ǣnige gefremman.
"Symble bið gemyndgad      morna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sīð;      ōðres ne gȳmeð
"tō gebīdanne      burgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes,      þonne se ān hafað

"þurh dēaðes nȳd      dǣda gefondad.
"Gesyhð sorh-cearig      on his suna būre
"wīn-sele wēstne,      wind-gereste,
"rēote berofene;      rīdend swefað
"hæleð in hoðman;      nis þǣr hearpan swēg,

"Gewīteð þonne on sealman,      sorh-lēoð gæleð
"ān æfter ānum:      þūhte him eall tō rūm,
"wongas and wīc-stede.      Swā Wedra helm
"æfter Herebealde      heortan sorge

"weallende wæg,      wihte ne meahte
"on þām feorh-bonan      fǣhðe gebētan:
"nō þȳ ǣr hē þone heaðo-rinc      hatian ne meahte
"lāðum dǣdum,      þēah him lēof ne wæs.
"Hē þā mid þǣre sorge,      þē him sīo sār belamp,

"gum-drēam ofgeaf,      godes lēoht gecēas;
"eaferum lǣfde,      swā dēð ēadig mon,
"lond and lēod-byrig,      þā hē of līfe gewāt.
"Þā wæs synn and sacu      Swēona and Gēata,
"ofer wīd wæter      wrōht gemǣne,

"here-nīð hearda,      syððan Hrēðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþēowes      eaferan wǣran
"frome fyrd-hwate,      frēode ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan,      ac ymb Hrēosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scear      oft gefremedon.

"Þæt mǣg-wine      mīne gewrǣcan,
"fǣhðe and fyrene,      swā hyt gefrǣge wæs,
"þēah þe ōðer hit      ealdre gebohte,
"heardan cēape:      Hæðcynne wearð,
"Gēata dryhtne,      gūð onsǣge.

"Þā ic on morgne gefrægn      mǣg ōðerne
"billes ecgum      on bonan stǣlan,
"þǣr Ongenþēow      Eofores nīosade:
"gūð-helm tōglād,      gomela Scylfing
"hrēas heoro-blāc;      hond gemunde

"fǣhðo genōge,      feorh-sweng ne oftēah.
"Ic him þā māðmas,      þē hē mē sealde,
"geald æt gūðe,      swā mē gifeðe wæs,
"lēohtan sweorde:      hē mē lond forgeaf,
"eard ēðel-wyn.      Næs him ǣnig þearf,

"þæt hē tō Gifðum      oððe tō Gār-Denum
"oððe in Swīo-rīce      sēcean þurfe
"wyrsan wīg-frecan,      weorðe gecȳpan;
"symle ic him on fēðan      beforan wolde,
"āna on orde,      and swā tō aldre sceall

"sæcce fremman,      þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þæt mec ǣr and sīð      oft gelǣste,
"syððan ic for dugeðum      Dæghrefne wearð
"tō hand-bonan,      Hūga cempan:
"nalles hē þā frætwe      Frēs-cyninge,

"brēost-weorðunge      bringan mōste,
"ac in campe gecrong      cumbles hyrde,
"æðeling on elne.      Ne wæs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grāp      heortan wylmas,
"bān-hūs gebræc.      Nū sceall billes ecg,

"hond and heard sweord      ymb hord wīgan."
Bēowulf maðelode,      bēot-wordum spræc
nīehstan sīðe:      "Ic genēðde fela
"gūða on geogoðe;      gȳt ic wylle,
"frōd folces weard,      fǣhðe sēcan,

"mǣrðum fremman,      gif mec se mān-sceaða
"of eorð-sele      ūt gesēceð!"
Gegrētte þā      gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend      hindeman sīðe,
swǣse gesīðas:      "Nolde ic sweord beran,

"wǣpen tō wyrme,      gif ic wiste hū
"wið þām āglǣcean      elles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrīpan,      swā ic giō wið Grendle dyde;
"ac ic þǣr heaðu-fȳres      hātes wēne,
"rēðes and-hāttres:      forþon ic mē on hafu

"bord and byrnan.      Nelle ic beorges weard
"oferflēon fōtes trem,      fēond unhȳre,
"ac unc sceal weorðan æt wealle,      swā unc Wyrd getēoð,
"metod manna gehwæs.      Ic eom on mōde from,
"þæt ic wið þone gūð-flogan      gylp ofersitte.

"Gebīde gē on beorge      byrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum,      hwæðer sēl mǣge
"æfter wæl-rǣse      wunde gedȳgan
"uncer twēga.      Nis þæt ēower sīð,
"nē gemet mannes,      nefne mīn ānes,

"þæt hē wið āglǣcean      eofoðo dǣle,
"eorl-scype efne.      Ic mid elne sceall
"gold gegangan      oððe gūð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frēcne,      frēan ēowerne!"
Ārās þā bī ronde      rōf ōretta,

heard under helm,      hioro-sercean bær
under stān-cleofu,      strengo getruwode
ānes mannes:      ne bið swylc earges sīð.
Geseah þā be wealle,      sē þe worna fela,
gum-cystum gōd,      gūða gedīgde,

hilde-hlemma,      þonne hnitan fēðan,
(stōd on stān-bogan)      strēam ūt þonan
brecan of beorge;      wæs þǣre burnan wælm
heaðo-fȳrum hāt:      ne meahte horde nēah
unbyrnende      ǣnige hwīle

dēop gedȳgan      for dracan lēge.
Lēt þā of brēostum,      þā hē gebolgen wæs,
Weder-Gēata lēod      word ūt faran,
stearc-heort styrmde;      stefn in becōm
heaðo-torht hlynnan      under hārne stān.

Hete wæs onhrēred,      hord-weard oncnīow
mannes reorde;      næs þǣr māra fyrst,
frēode tō friclan.      From ǣrest cwōm
oruð āglǣcean      ūt of stāne,
hāt hilde-swāt;      hrūse dynede.

Biorn under beorge      bord-rand onswāf
wið þām gryre-gieste,      Gēata dryhten:
þā wæs hring-bogan      heorte gefȳsed
sæcce tō sēceanne.      Sweord ǣr gebrǣ
gōd gūð-cyning      gomele lāfe,

ecgum unglēaw,      ǣghwæðrum wæs
bealo-hycgendra      brōga fram ōðrum.
Stīð-mōd gestōd      wið stēapne rond
winia bealdor,      þā se wyrm gebēah
snūde tōsomne:      hē on searwum bād.

Gewāt þā byrnende      gebogen scrīðan tō,
gescīfe scyndan.      Scyld wēl gebearg
līfe and līce      lǣssan hwīle
mǣrum þēodne,      þonne his myne sōhte,
þǣr hē þȳ fyrste      forman dōgore

wealdan mōste,      swā him Wyrd ne gescrāf
hrēð æt hilde.      Hond up ābræd
Gēata dryhten,      gryre-fāhne slōh
incge lāfe,      þæt sīo ecg gewāc
brūn on bāne,      bāt unswīðor,

þonne his þīod-cyning      þearfe hæfde,
bysigum gebǣded.      Þā wæs beorges weard
æfter heaðu-swenge      on hrēoum mōde,
wearp wæl-fȳre,      wīde sprungon
hilde-lēoman:      hrēð-sigora ne gealp

gold-wine Gēata,      gūð-bill geswāc
nacod æt nīðe,      swā hyt nō sceolde,
īren ǣr-gōd.      Ne wæs þæt ēðe sīð,
þæt se mǣra      maga Ecgþēowes
grund-wong þone      ofgyfan wolde;

sceolde wyrmes willan      wīc eardian
elles hwergen,      swā sceal ǣghwylc mon
ālǣtan lǣn-dagas.      Næs þā long tō þon,
þæt þā āglǣcean      hȳ eft gemētton.
Hyrte hyne hord-weard,      hreðer ǣðme wēoll,

nīwan stefne:      nearo þrowode
fȳre befongen      sē þe ǣr folce wēold.
Nealles him on hēape      hand-gesteallan,
æðelinga bearn      ymbe gestōdon
hilde-cystum,      ac hȳ on holt bugon,

ealdre burgan.      Hiora in ānum wēoll
sefa wið sorgum:      sibb ǣfre ne mæg
wiht onwendan,      þām þe wēl þenceð.

Wīglāf wæs hāten Wēoxstānes sunu,
lēoflīc lind-wiga, lēod Scylfinga,

mǣg Ælfheres:      geseah his mon-dryhten
under here-grīman      hāt þrowian.
Gemunde þā þā āre,      þē hē him ǣr forgeaf
wīc-stede weligne      Wǣgmundinga,
folc-rihta gehwylc,      swā his fæder āhte;

ne mihte þā forhabban,      hond rond gefēng,
geolwe linde,      gomel swyrd getēah,
þæt wæs mid eldum      Ēanmundes lāf,
suna Ōhteres,      þām æt sæcce wearð
wracu wine-lēasum      Wēohstānes bana

mēces ecgum,      and his māgum ætbær
brūn-fāgne helm,      hringde byrnan,
eald sweord eotonisc,      þæt him Onela forgeaf,
his gædelinges      gūð-gewǣdu,
fyrd-searo fūslīc:      nō ymbe þā fǣhðe spræc,

þēah þe hē his brōðor      bearn ābredwade.
Hē frætwe gehēold      fela missēra,
bill and byrnan,      oð þæt his byre mihte
eorl-scipe efnan,      swā his ǣr-fæder;
geaf him þā mid Gēatum      gūð-gewǣda

ǣghwæs unrīm;      þā hē of ealdre gewāt,
frōd on forð-weg.      Þā wæs forma sīð
geongan cempan,      þæt hē gūðe rǣs
mid his frēo-dryhtne      fremman sceolde;
ne gemealt him se mōd-sefa,      nē his mǣges lāf

gewāc æt wīge:      þæt se wyrm onfand,
syððan hīe tōgædre      gegān hæfdon.
Wīglāf maðelode      word-rihta fela,
sægde gesīðum,      him wæs sefa geōmor:
"Ic þæt mǣl geman,      þǣr wē medu þēgun,

"þonne wē gehēton      ūssum hlāforde
"in bīor-sele,      þē ūs þās bēagas geaf,
"þæt wē him þā gūð-geatwa      gyldan woldon,
"gif him þyslīcu      þearf gelumpe,
"helmas and heard sweord:      þē hē ūsic on herge gecēas

"tō þyssum sīð-fate      sylfes willum,
"onmunde ūsic mǣrða      and mē þās māðmas geaf,
"þē hē ūsic gār-wīgend      gōde tealde,
"hwate helm-berend,      þēah þe hlāford ūs
"þis ellen-weorc      āna āþōhte

"tō gefremmanne,      folces hyrde,
"forþām hē manna mǣst      mǣrða gefremede,
"dǣda dollīcra.      Nū is sē dæg cumen,
"þæt ūre man-dryhten      mægenes behōfað
"gōdra gūð-rinca:      wutun gangan tō,

"helpan hild-fruman,      þenden hyt sȳ,
"glēd-egesa grim!      God wāt on mec,
"þæt mē is micle lēofre,      þæt mīnne līc-haman
"mid mīnne gold-gyfan      glēd fæðmie.
"Ne þynceð mē gerysne,      þæt wē rondas beren

"eft tō earde,      nemne wē ǣror mǣgen
"fāne gefyllan,      feorh ealgian
"Wedra þīodnes.      Ic wāt geare,
"þæt nǣron eald-gewyrht,      þæt hē āna scyle
"Gēata duguðe      gnorn þrowian,

"gesīgan æt sæcce:      sceal ūrum þæt sweord and helm,
"byrne and byrdu-scrūd      bām gemǣne."
Wōd þā þurh þone wæl-rēc,      wīg-heafolan bær
frēan on fultum,      fēa worda cwæð:
"Lēofa Bīowulf,      lǣst eall tela,

"swā þū on geoguð-fēore      geāra gecwǣde,
"þæt þū ne ālǣte      be þē lifigendum
"dōm gedrēosan:      scealt nū dǣdum rōf,
"æðeling ān-hȳdig,      ealle mægene
"feorh ealgian;      ic þē fullǣstu!"

Æfter þām wordum      wyrm yrre cwōm,
atol inwit-gæst      ōðre sīðe,
fȳr-wylmum fāh      fīonda nīosan,
lāðra manna;      līg-ȳðum forborn
bord wið ronde:      byrne ne meahte

geongum gār-wigan      gēoce gefremman:
ac se maga geonga      under his mǣges scyld
elne geēode,      þā his āgen wæs
glēdum forgrunden.      Þā gēn gūð-cyning
mǣrða gemunde,      mægen-strengo,

slōh hilde-bille,      þæt hyt on heafolan stōd
nīðe genȳded:      Nægling forbærst,
geswāc æt sæcce      sweord Bīowulfes
gomol and grǣg-mǣl.      Him þæt gifeðe ne wæs,
þæt him īrenna      ecge mihton

helpan æt hilde;      wæs sīo hond tō strong,
sē þe mēca gehwane      mīne gefrǣge
swenge ofersōhte,      þonne hē tō sæcce bær
wǣpen wundrum heard,      næs him wihte þē sēl.
Þā wæs þēod-sceaða      þriddan sīðe,

frēcne fȳr-draca      fǣhða gemyndig,
rǣsde on þone rōfan,      þā him rūm āgeald,
hāt and heaðo-grim,      heals ealne ymbefēng
biteran bānum;      hē geblōdegod wearð
sāwul-drīore;      swāt ȳðum wēoll.

Þā ic æt þearfe gefrægn      þēod-cyninges
and-longne eorl      ellen cȳðan,
cræft and cēnðu,      swā him gecynde wæs;
ne hēdde hē þæs heafolan,      ac sīo hand gebarn
mōdiges mannes,      þǣr hē his mǣges healp,

þæt hē þone nīð-gæst      nioðor hwēne slōh,
secg on searwum,      þæt þæt sweord gedēaf
fāh and fǣted,      þæt þæt fȳr ongon
sweðrian syððan.      Þā gēn sylf cyning
gewēold his gewitte,      wæll-seaxe gebrǣ,

biter and beadu-scearp,      þæt hē on byrnan wæg:
forwrāt Wedra helm       wyrm on middan.
Fēond gefyldan      (ferh ellen wræc),
and hī hyne þā bēgen      ābroten hæfdon,
sib-æðelingas:      swylc sceolde secg wesan,

þegn æt þearfe.      Þæt þām þēodne wæs
sīðast sīge-hwīle      sylfes dǣdum,
worlde geweorces.      Þā sīo wund ongon,
þē him se eorð-draca      ǣr geworhte,
swelan and swellan.      Hē þæt sōna onfand,

þæt him on brēostum      bealo-nīð wēoll,
attor on innan.      Þā se æðeling gīong,
þæt hē bī wealle,      wīs-hycgende,
gesæt on sesse;      seah on enta geweorc,
hū þā stān-bogan      stapulum fæste

ēce eorð-reced      innan hēoldon.
Hyne þā mid handa      heoro-drēorigne
þēoden mǣrne      þegn ungemete till,
wine-dryhten his      wætere gelafede,
hilde-sædne      and his helm onspēon.

Bīowulf maðelode,      hē ofer benne spræc,
wunde wæl-blēate      (wisse hē gearwe,
þæt hē dæg-hwīla      gedrogen hæfde
eorðan wynne;      þā wæs eall sceacen
dōgor-gerīmes,      dēað ungemete nēah):

"Nū ic suna mīnum      syllan wolde
"gūð-gewǣdu,      þǣr mē gifeðe swā
"ǣnig yrfe-weard      æfter wurde,
"līce gelenge.      Ic þās lēode hēold
"fīftig wintra:      næs se folc-cyning

"ymbe-sittendra      ǣnig þāra,
"þē mec gūð-winum      grētan dorste,
"egesan þēon.      Ic on earde bād
"mǣl-gesceafta,      hēold mīn tela,
"ne sōhte searo-nīðas,      nē mē swōr fela

"āða on unriht.      Ic þæs ealles mæg,
"feorh-bennum sēoc,      gefēan habban:
"forþām mē wītan ne þearf      waldend fīra
"morðor-bealo māga,      þonne mīn sceaceð
"līf of līce.      Nū þū lungre

"geong, hord scēawian      under hārne stān,
"Wīglāf lēofa,      nū se wyrm ligeð,
"swefeð sāre wund,      since berēafod.
"Bīo nū on ofoste,      þæt ic ǣr-welan,
"gold-ǣht ongite,      gearo scēawige

"swegle searo-gimmas,      þæt ic þȳ sēft mǣge
"æfter māððum-welan      mīn ālǣtan
"līf and lēod-scipe,      þone ic longe hēold."

Þā ic snūde gefrægn sunu Wīhstānes
æfter word-cwydum wundum dryhtne

hȳran heaðo-sīocum,      hring-net beran,
brogdne beadu-sercean      under beorges hrōf.
Geseah þā sige-hrēðig,      þā hē bī sesse gēong,
mago-þegn mōdig      māððum-sigla fela,
gold glitinian      grunde getenge,

wundur on wealle      and þæs wyrmes denn,
ealdes ūht-flogan,      orcas stondan,
fyrn-manna fatu      feormend-lēase,
hyrstum behrorene:      þǣr wæs helm monig,
eald and ōmig,      earm-bēaga fela,

searwum gesǣled.      Sinc ēaðe mæg,
gold on grunde,      gumena cynnes
gehwone ofer-hīgian,      hȳde sē þe wylle!
Swylce hē siomian geseah      segn eall-gylden
hēah ofer horde,      hond-wundra mǣst,

gelocen leoðo-cræftum:      of þām lēoma stōd,
þæt hē þone grund-wong      ongitan meahte,
wrǣte giond-wlītan.      Næs þæs wyrmes þǣr
onsȳn ǣnig,      ac hyne ecg fornam.
Þā ic on hlǣwe      gefrægn hord rēafian,

eald enta geweorc      ānne mannan,
him on bearm hladan      bunan and discas
sylfes dōme,      segn ēac genom,
bēacna beorhtost;      bill ǣr-gescōd
(ecg wæs īren)      eald-hlāfordes

þām þāra māðma      mund-bora wæs
longe hwīle,      līg-egesan wæg
hātne for horde,      hioro-weallende,
middel-nihtum,      oð þæt hē morðre swealt.
Ār wæs on ofoste      eft-sīðes georn,

frætwum gefyrðred:      hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwæðer collen-ferð      cwicne gemētte
in þām wong-stede      Wedra þēoden,
ellen-sīocne,      þǣr hē hine ǣr forlēt.
Hē þā mid þām māðmum      mǣrne þīoden,

dryhten sīnne      drīorigne fand
ealdres æt ende:      hē hine eft ongon
wæteres weorpan,      oð þæt wordes ord
brēost-hord þurhbræc.      Bēowulf maðelode,
gomel on giohðe      (gold scēawode):

"Ic þāra frætwa      frēan ealles þanc
"wuldur-cyninge      wordum secge,
"ēcum dryhtne,      þē ic hēr on starie,
"þæs þe ic mōste      mīnum lēodum
"ǣr swylt-dæge      swylc gestrȳnan.

"Nū ic on māðma hord      mīne bebohte
"frōde feorh-lege,      fremmað gē nū
"lēoda þearfe;      ne mæg ic hēr leng wesan.
"Hātað heaðo-mǣre      hlǣw gewyrcean,
"beorhtne æfter bǣle      æt brimes nosan;

"se scel tō gemyndum      mīnum lēodum
"hēah hlīfian      on Hrones næsse,
"þæt hit sǣ-līðend      syððan hātan
"Bīowulfes biorh,      þā þe brentingas
"ofer flōda genipu      feorran drīfað."

Dyde him of healse      hring gyldenne
þīoden þrīst-hȳdig,      þegne gesealde,
geongum gār-wigan,      gold-fāhne helm,
bēah and byrnan,      hēt hyne brūcan well:
"Þū eart ende-lāf      ūsses cynnes,

"Wǣgmundinga;      ealle Wyrd forswēof,
"mīne māgas      tō metod-sceafte,
"eorlas on elne:      ic him æfter sceal."
Þæt wæs þām gomelan      gingeste word
brēost-gehygdum,      ǣr hē bǣl cure,

hāte heaðo-wylmas: him of hreðre gewāt
sāwol sēcean sōð-fæstra dōm.

Þā wæs gegongen      guman unfrōdum
earfoðlīce,      þæt hē on eorðan geseah
þone lēofestan      līfes æt ende

blēate gebǣran.      Bona swylce læg,
egeslīc eorð-draca,      ealdre berēafod,
bealwe gebǣded:      bēah-hordum leng
wyrm wōh-bogen      wealdan ne mōste,
ac him īrenna      ecga fornāmon,

hearde heaðo-scearpe      homera lāfe,
þæt se wīd-floga      wundum stille
hrēas on hrūsan      hord-ærne nēah,
nalles æfter lyfte      lācende hwearf
middel-nihtum,      māðm-ǣhta wlonc

ansȳn ȳwde:      ac hē eorðan gefēoll
for þæs hild-fruman      hond-geweorce.
Hūru þæt on lande      lȳt manna þāh
mægen-āgendra      mīne gefrǣge,
þēah þe hē dǣda gehwæs      dyrstig wǣre,

þæt hē wið attor-sceaðan      oreðe gerǣsde,
oððe hring-sele      hondum styrede,
gif hē wæccende      weard onfunde
būan on beorge.      Bīowulfe wearð
dryht-māðma dǣl      dēaðe forgolden;

hæfde ǣghwæðer      ende gefēred
lǣnan līfes.      Næs þā lang tō þon,
þæt þā hild-latan      holt ofgēfan,
tȳdre trēow-logan      tȳne ætsomne,
þā ne dorston ǣr      dareðum lācan

on hyra man-dryhtnes      miclan þearfe;
ac hȳ scamiende      scyldas bǣran,
gūð-gewǣdu,      þǣr se gomela læg:
wlitan on Wīglāf.      Hē gewērgad sæt,
fēðe-cempa      frēan eaxlum nēah,

wehte hyne wætre;      him wiht ne spēow;
ne meahte hē on eorðan,      þēah hē ūðe wēl,
on þām frum-gāre      feorh gehealdan,
nē þæs wealdendes willan      wiht oncirran;
wolde dōm godes      dǣdum rǣdan

gumena gehwylcum,      swā hē nū gēn dēð.
Þā wæs æt þām geongan      grim andswaru
ēð-begēte þām þe ǣr      his elne forlēas.
Wīglāf maðelode,      Wēohstānes sunu,
secg sārig-ferð      seah on unlēofe:

"Þæt lā mæg secgan,      sē þe wyle sōð sprecan,
"þæt se mon-dryhten,      se ēow þā māðmas geaf,
"ēored-geatwe,      þē gē þǣr on standað,
"þonne hē on ealu-bence      oft gesealde
"heal-sittendum      helm and byrnan,

"þēoden his þegnum,      swylce hē þrȳðlīcost
"ōhwǣr feor oððe nēah      findan meahte,
"þæt hē gēnunga      gūð-gewǣdu
"wrāðe forwurpe.      Þā hyne wīg beget,
"nealles folc-cyning      fyrd-gesteallum

"gylpan þorfte;      hwæðre him god ūðe,
"sigora waldend,      þæt hē hyne sylfne gewræc
"āna mid ecge,      þā him wæs elnes þearf,
"Ic him līf-wraðe      lȳtle meahte
"ætgifan æt gūðe      and ongan swā þēah

"ofer mīn gemet      mǣges helpan:
"symle wæs þȳ sǣmra,      þonne ic sweorde drep
"ferhð-genīðlan,      fȳr unswīðor
"wēoll of gewitte.      Wergendra tō lȳt
"þrong ymbe þēoden,      þā hyne sīo þrāg becwōm.

"Nū sceal sinc-þego      and swyrd-gifu
"eall ēðel-wyn      ēowrum cynne,
"lufen ālicgean:      lond-rihtes mōt
"þǣre mǣg-burge      monna ǣghwylc
"īdel hweorfan,      syððan æðelingas

"feorran gefricgean      flēam ēowerne,
"dōm-lēasan dǣd.      Dēað bið sēlla
"eorla gehwylcum      þonne edwīt-līf!"

Heht þā þæt heaðo-weorc tō hagan bīodan
up ofer ēg-clif, þǣr þæt eorl-weorod

morgen-longne dæg      mōd-giōmor sæt,
bord-hæbbende,      bēga on wēnum
ende-dōgores      and eft-cymes
lēofes monnes.      Lȳt swīgode
nīwra spella,      sē þe næs gerād,

ac hē sōðlīce      sægde ofer ealle;
"Nū is wil-geofa      Wedra lēoda,
"dryhten Gēata      dēað-bedde fæst,
"wunað wæl-reste      wyrmes dǣdum;
"him on efn ligeð      ealdor-gewinna,

"siex-bennum sēoc:      sweorde ne meahte
"on þām āglǣcean      ǣnige þinga
"wunde gewyrcean.      Wīglāf siteð
"ofer Bīowulfe,      byre Wīhstānes,
"eorl ofer ōðrum      unlifigendum,

"healdeð hige-mēðum      hēafod-wearde
"lēofes and lāðes.      Nū ys lēodum wēn
"orleg-hwīle,      syððan underne
"Froncum and Frȳsum      fyll cyninges
"wīde weorðeð.      Wæs sīo wrōht scepen

"heard wið Hūgas,      syððan Higelāc cwōm
"faran flot-herge      on Frēsna land,
"þǣr hyne Hetware      hilde gehnǣgdon,
"elne geēodon      mid ofer-mægene,
"þæt se byrn-wiga      būgan sceolde,

"fēoll on fēðan:      nalles frætwe geaf
"ealdor dugoðe;      ūs wæs ā syððan
"Merewīoinga      milts ungyfeðe.
"Nē ic tō Swēo-þēode      sibbe oððe trēowe
"wihte ne wēne;      ac wæs wīde cūð,

"þætte Ongenþīo      ealdre besnyðede
"Hæðcyn Hrēðling      wið Hrefna-wudu,
"þā for on-mēdlan      ǣrest gesōhton
"Gēata lēode      Gūð-scilfingas.
"Sōna him se frōda      fæder Ōhtheres,

"eald and eges-full      ond-slyht āgeaf,
"ābrēot brim-wīsan,      brȳd āhēorde,
"gomela īo-meowlan      golde berofene,
"Onelan mōdor      and Ōhtheres,
"and þā folgode      feorh-genīðlan

"oð þæt hī oðēodon      earfoðlīce
"in Hrefnes-holt      hlāford-lēase.
"Besæt þā sin-herge      sweorda lāfe
"wundum wērge,      wēan oft gehēt
"earmre teohhe      andlonge niht:

"cwæð hē on mergenne      mēces ecgum
"gētan wolde,      sume on galg-trēowum
"fuglum tō gamene.      Frōfor eft gelamp
"sārig-mōdum      somod ǣr-dæge,
"syððan hīe Hygelāces      horn and bȳman

"gealdor ongeāton. Þā se gōda cōm
"lēoda dugoðe on lāst faran.

"Wæs sīo swāt-swaðu      Swēona and Gēata,
"wæl-rǣs wera      wīde gesȳne,
"hū þā folc mid him      fǣhðe tōwehton.

"Gewāt him þā se gōda      mid his gædelingum,
"frōd fela geōmor      fæsten sēcean,
"eorl Ongenþīo      ufor oncirde;
"hæfde Higelāces      hilde gefrūnen,
"wlonces wīg-cræft,      wiðres ne truwode,

"þæt hē sǣ-mannum      onsacan mihte,
"hēaðo-līðendum      hord forstandan,
"bearn and brȳde;      bēah eft þonan
"eald under eorð-weall.      Þā wæs ǣht boden
"Swēona lēodum,      segn Higelāce.

"Freoðo-wong þone      forð oferēodon,
"syððan Hrēðlingas      tō hagan þrungon.
"Þǣr wearð Ongenþīo      ecgum sweorda,
"blonden-fexa      on bīd wrecen,
"þæt se þēod-cyning      þafian sceolde

"Eofores ānne dōm:      hyne yrringa
"Wulf Wonrēding      wǣpne gerǣhte,
"þæt him for swenge      swāt ǣdrum sprong
"forð under fexe.      Næs hē forht swā þēh,
"gomela Scilfing,      ac forgeald hraðe

"wyrsan wrixle      wæl-hlem þone,
"syððan þēod-cyning      þyder oncirde:
"ne meahte se snella      sunu Wonrēdes
"ealdum ceorle      ond-slyht giofan,
"ac hē him on hēafde      helm ǣr gescer,

"þæt hē blōde fāh      būgan sceolde,
"fēoll on foldan;      næs hē fǣge þā gīt,
"ac hē hyne gewyrpte,      þēah þe him wund hrīne,
"Lēt se hearda      Higelāces þegn
"brādne mēce,      þā his brōðor læg,

"eald sweord eotonisc,      entiscne helm,
"brecan ofer bord-weal:      þā gebēah cyning,
"folces hyrde,      wæs in feorh dropen.
"Þā wǣron monige,      þē his mǣg wriðon,
"ricone ārǣrdon,      þā him gerȳmed wearð,

"þæt hīe wæl-stōwe      wealdan mōston.
"Þenden rēafode      rinc ōðerne,
"nam on Ongenþīo      īren-byrnan,
"heard swyrd hilted      and his helm somod;
"hāres hyrste      Higelāce bær.

"Hē þām frætwum fēng      and him fægre gehēt
"lēana fore lēodum      and gelǣste swā:
"geald þone gūð-rǣs      Gēata dryhten,
"Hrēðles eafora,      þā hē tō hām becōm,
"Jofore and Wulfe      mid ofer-māðmum,

"sealde hiora gehwæðrum      hund þūsenda
"landes and locenra bēaga;      ne þorfte him þā lēan oðwītan
"mon on middan-gearde,      syððan hīe þā mǣrða geslōgon;
"and þā Jofore forgeaf      āngan dōhtor,
"hām-weorðunge,      hyldo tō wedde.

"Þæt ys sīo fǣhðo      and se fēond-scipe,
"wæl-nīð wera,      þæs þe ic wēn hafo,
"þē ūs sēceað tō      Swēona lēode,
"syððan hīe gefricgeað      frēan ūserne
"ealdor-lēasne,      þone þe ǣr gehēold

"wið hettendum      hord and rīce,
"æfter hæleða hryre      hwate Scylfingas,
"folc-rǣd fremede      oððe furður gēn
"eorl-scipe efnde.      Nū is ofost betost,
"þæt wē þēod-cyning      þǣr scēawian

"and þone gebringan,      þē ūs bēagas geaf,
"on ād-fære.      Ne scel ānes hwæt
"meltan mid þām mōdigan,      ac þǣr is māðma hord.
"gold unrīme      grimme gecēapod
"and nū æt sīðestan      sylfes fēore

"bēagas gebohte;      þā sceal brond fretan,
"ǣled þeccean,      nalles eorl wegan
"māððum tō gemyndum,      nē mægð scȳne
"habban on healse      hring-weorðunge,
"ac sceall geōmor-mōd      golde berēafod

"oft nalles ǣne      el-land tredan,
"nū se here-wīsa      hleahtor ālegde,
"gamen and glēo-drēam.      Forþon sceall gār wesan
"monig morgen-ceald      mundum bewunden,
"hæfen on handa,      nalles hearpan swēg

"wīgend weccean,      ac se wonna hrefn
"fūs ofer fǣgum,      fela reordian,
"earne secgan,      hū him æt ǣte spēow,
"þenden hē wið wulf      wæl rēafode."
Swā se secg hwata      secgende wæs

lāðra spella;      hē ne lēag fela
wyrda nē worda.      Weorod eall ārās,
ēodon unblīðe      under Earna næs
wollen-tēare      wundur scēawian.
Fundon þā on sande      sāwul-lēasne

hlim-bed healdan,      þone þe him hringas geaf
ǣrran mǣlum:      þā wæs ende-dæg
gōdum gegongen,      þæt se gūð-cyning,
Wedra þēoden,      wundor-dēaðe swealt.
Ǣr hī gesēgan      syllīcran wiht,

wyrm on wonge      wiðer-ræhtes þǣr
lāðne licgean:      wæs se lēg-draca,
grimlīc gryre-gæst,      glēdum beswǣled,
sē wæs fīftiges      fōt-gemearces.
lang on legere,      lyft-wynne hēold

nihtes hwīlum,      nyðer eft gewāt
dennes nīosian;      wæs þā dēaðe fæst,
hæfde eorð-scrafa      ende genyttod.
Him big stōdan      bunan and orcas,
discas lāgon      and dȳre swyrd,

ōmige þurh-etone,      swā hīe wið eorðan fæðm
þūsend wintra      þǣr eardodon:
þonne wæs þæt yrfe      ēacen-cræftig,
iū-monna gold      galdre bewunden,
þæt þām hring-sele      hrīnan ne mōste

gumena ǣnig,      nefne god sylfa,
sigora sōð-cyning,      sealde þām þe hē wolde
(hē is manna gehyld)      hord openian,
efne swā hwylcum manna,      swā him gemet þūhte.

þām þe unrihte      inne gehȳdde
wrǣte under wealle.      Weard ǣr ofslōh
fēara sumne;      þā sīo fǣhð gewearð
gewrecen wrāðlīce.      Wundur hwār, þonne
eorl ellen-rōf      ende gefēre

līf-gesceafta,      þonne leng ne mæg
mon mid his māgum      medu-seld būan.
Swā wæs Bīowulfe,      þā hē biorges weard
sōhte, searo-nīðas:      seolfa ne cūðe,
þurh hwæt his worulde gedāl      weorðan sceolde;

swā hit oð dōmes dæg      dīope benemdon
þēodnas mǣre,      þā þæt þǣr dydon,
þæt se secg wǣre      synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod,      hell-bendum fæst,
wommum gewītnad,      sē þone wong strāde.

Næs hē gold-hwæt:      gearwor hæfde
āgendes ēst      ǣr gescēawod.
Wīglāf maðelode,      Wīhstānes sunu:
"Oft sceall eorl monig      ānes willan
"wrǣc ādrēogan,      swā ūs geworden is.

"Ne meahton wē gelǣran      lēofne þēoden,
"rīces hyrde      rǣd ǣnigne,
"þæt hē ne grētte      gold-weard þone,
"lēte hyne licgean,      þǣr hē longe wæs,
"wīcum wunian      oð woruld-ende.

"Hēoldon hēah gesceap:      hord ys gescēawod,
"grimme gegongen;      wæs þæt gifeðe tō swīð,
"þē þone þēoden      þyder ontyhte.
"Ic wæs þǣr inne      and þæt eall geond-seh,
"recedes geatwa,      þā mē gerȳmed wæs,

"nealles swǣslīce      sīð ālȳfed
"inn under eorð-weall.      Ic on ofoste gefēng
"micle mid mundum      mægen-byrðenne
"hord-gestrēona,      hider ūt ætbær
"cyninge mīnum:      cwico wæs þā gēna,

"wīs and gewittig;      worn eall gespræc
"gomol on gehðo      and ēowic grētan hēt,
"bæd þæt gē geworhton      æfter wines dǣdum
"in bǣl-stede      beorh þone hēan
"micelne and mǣrne,      swā hē manna wæs

"wīgend weorð-fullost      wīde geond eorðan,
"þenden hē burh-welan      brūcan mōste.
"Uton nū efstan      ōðre sīðe
"sēon and sēcean      searo-geþræc,
"wundur under wealle!      ic ēow wīsige,

"þæt gē genōge      nēan scēawiað
"bēagas and brād gold.      Sīe sīo bǣr gearo
"ǣdre geæfned,      þonne wē ūt cymen,
"and þonne geferian      frēan ūserne,
"lēofne mannan,      þǣr hē longe sceal

"on þæs waldendes      wǣre geþolian."
Hēt þā gebēodan      byre Wīhstānes,
hæle hilde-dīor,      hæleða monegum
bold-āgendra,      þæt hīe bǣl-wudu
feorran feredon,      folc-āgende

gōdum tōgēnes:      "Nū sceal glēd fretan
"(weaxan wonna lēg)      wigena strengel,
"þone þe oft gebād      īsern-scūre,
"þonne strǣla storm,      strengum gebǣded,
"scōc ofer scild-weall,      sceft nytte hēold,

"feðer-gearwum fūs      flāne full-ēode."
Hūru se snotra      sunu Wīhstānes
ācīgde of corðre      cyninges þegnas
syfone tōsomne      þā sēlestan,
ēode eahta sum      under inwit-hrōf;

hilde-rinc sum      on handa bær
ǣled-lēoman,      sē þe on orde gēong.
Næs þā on hlytme,      hwā þæt hord strude,
syððan or-wearde      ǣnigne dǣl
secgas gesēgon      on sele wunian,

lǣne licgan:      lȳt ǣnig mearn,
þæt hī ofostlice      ūt geferedon
dȳre māðmas;      dracan ēc scufun,
wyrm ofer weall-clif,      lēton wǣg niman,
flōd fæðmian      frætwa hyrde.

Þǣr wæs wunden gold      on wǣn hladen,
ǣghwæs unrīm,      æðeling boren,
hār hilde-rinc      tō Hrones næsse.

helmum behongen,      hilde-bordum,
beorhtum byrnum,      swā hē bēna wæs;
ālegdon þā tō-middes      mǣrne þēoden
hæleð hīofende,      hlāford lēofne.
Ongunnon þā on beorge      bǣl-fȳra mǣst

wīgend weccan:      wudu-rēc āstāh
sweart ofer swioðole,      swōgende lēg,
wōpe bewunden      (wind-blond gelæg)
oð þæt hē þā bān-hūs      gebrocen hæfde,
hāt on hreðre.      Higum unrōte

mōd-ceare mǣndon      mon-dryhtnes cwealm;
swylce giōmor-gyd      lat . ^con meowle
. . . . .      wunden heorde . . .
serg (?) cearig sǣlde      geneahhe
þæt hīo hyre . . . . gas hearde

. . . . . ede      wælfylla wonn . .
hildes egesan      hyðo
haf mid      heofon rēce swealh (?)
Geworhton þā      Wedra lēode
hlǣw on hlīðe,      sē wæs hēah and brād,

wǣg-līðendum      wīde gesȳne,
and betimbredon      on tȳn dagum
beadu-rōfes bēcn:      bronda betost
wealle beworhton,      swā hyt weorðlīcost
fore-snotre men      findan mihton.

Hī on beorg dydon      bēg and siglu,
eall swylce hyrsta,      swylce on horde ǣr
nīð-hȳdige men      genumen hæfdon;
forlēton eorla gestrēon      eorðan healdan,
gold on grēote,      þǣr hit nū gēn lifað

eldum swā unnyt,      swā hit ǣror wæs.
Þā ymbe hlǣw riodan      hilde-dēore,
æðelinga bearn      ealra twelfa,
woldon ceare cwīðan,      kyning mǣnan,
word-gyd wrecan      and ymb wer sprecan,

eahtodan eorl-scipe      and his ellen-weorc
duguðum dēmdon,      swā hit ge-dēfe bið,
þæt mon his wine-dryhten      wordum herge,
ferhðum frēoge,      þonne hē forð scile
of līc-haman      lǣne weorðan.

Swā begnornodon      Gēata lēode
hlāfordes hryre,      heorð-genēatas,
cwǣdon þæt hē wǣre      woruld-cyning
mannum mildust      and mon-þwǣrust,
lēodum līðost      and lof-geornost.

BĒOWULF.

I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.

II. THE HALL HEOROT.

III. GRENDEL'S VISITS.

IV. HYGELAC'S THANE.

V. THE ERRAND.

VI. BĒOWULF'S SPEECH.

VII. HROTHGAR'S WELCOME.

VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.

IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BĒOWULF.

X. BĒOWULF'S CONTEST WITH BRECA.—THE FEAST.

XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.

XII. GRENDEL'S RAID.

XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL'S ARM.

XIV. THE JOY AT HEOROT.

XV. HROTHGAR'S GRATULATION.

XVI. THE BANQUET AND THE GIFTS.

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

XVIII. THE GLEEMAN'S TALE IS ENDED.

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

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

XXI. SORROW AT HEOROT: AESCHERE'S DEATH.

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

XXIII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER-DRAKE.

XXIV. BĒOWULF SLAYS THE SPRITE.

XXV. HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE: HE DISCOURSES.

XXVI. THE DISCOURSE IS ENDED.—BĒOWULF PREPARES TO LEAVE.

XXVII. THE PARTING WORDS.

XXVIII. BĒOWULF RETURNS TO GEATLAND.—THE QUEENS HYGD AND THRYTHO.

XXIX. HIS ARRIVAL. HYGELAC'S RECEPTION.

XXX. BĒOWULF'S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.

XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.

XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.

XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.

XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BĒOWULF.—STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.

XXXV. MEMORIES OF PAST TIME.—THE FEUD WITH THE FIRE-DRAKE.

XXXVI. WIGLAF HELPS BĒOWULF IN THE FEUD.

XXXVII. BĒOWULF WOUNDED TO DEATH.

XXXVIII. THE JEWEL-HOARD. THE PASSING OF BEOWULF.

XXXIX. THE COWARD-THANES.

XL. THE SOLDIER'S DIRGE AND PROPHECY.

XLI. HE TELLS OF THE SWEDES AND THE GEATAS.

XLII. WĪGLAF SPEAKS. THE BUILDING OF THE BALE-FIRE.

XLIII. BĒOWULF'S FUNERAL PYRE.