Chapter 6
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-geatwumgangan cwōmon. Setton sǣ-mēðesīde scyldas,
rondas regn-heardewið 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-mecgasæfter æðelum frægn: "Hwanon ferigeað gēfǣtte scyldas,
grǣge syrcanand grīm-helmas,
here-sceafta hēap?--Ic eom Hrōðgāres
ār and ombiht.Ne seah ic el-þēodige
þus manige menmōdiglīcran. Wēn' ic þæt gē for wlenco,nalles for wræc-sīðum,
ac for hige-þrymmumHrōðgār sōhton." Him þā ellen-rōfandswarode,
wlanc Wedera lēodword æfter spræc,
heard under helme:"Wē synt Higelāces
bēod-genēatas;Bēowulf is mīn nama. Wille ic āsecgansuna Healfdenes,
mǣrum þēodnemīn ǣrende,
aldre þīnum,gif hē ūs geunnan wile,
þæt wē hine swā gōdnegrētan mōton." Wulfgār maðelode(þæt wæs Wendla lēod,
wæs his mōd-sefamanegum gecȳðed,
wīg and wīs-dōm):"ic þæs wine Deniga,
frēan Scildingafrīnan wille,
bēaga bryttan,swā þū bēna eart,
þēoden mǣrneymb þīnne sīð; and þē þā andswareǣdre gecȳðan,
þē mē se gōdaāgifan þenceð." Hwearf þā hrædlīce,þǣr Hrōðgār sæt,
eald and unhārmid his eorla gedriht; ēode ellen-rōf,þæt hē for eaxlum gestōd
Deniga frēan,cūðe hē duguðe þēaw. Wulfgār maðelodetō his wine-drihtne: "Hēr syndon geferedefeorran cumene
ofer geofenes begangGēata lēode: þone yldestanōret-mecgas
Bēowulf nemnað.Hȳ bēnan synt,
þæt hīe, þēoden mīn,wið þē mōton
wordum wrixlan;nō þū him wearne getēoh,
þīnra gegn-cwidaglædnian, Hrōðgār! Hȳ on wīg-geatwumwyrðe þinceað
eorla geæhtlan;hūru se aldor dēah,
sē þǣm heaðo-rincumhider wīsade."
Chapter 7
Hrōðgār maðelode,helm Scyldinga: "Ic hine cūðecniht-wesende. Wæs his eald-fæderEcgþēo hāten,
þǣm tō hām forgeafHrēðel Gēata
āngan dōhtor;is his eafora nū
heard hēr cumen,sōhte holdne wine. þonne sægdon þætsǣ-līðende,
þā þe gif-sceattasGēata fyredon
þyder tō þance,þæt hē þrīttiges
manna mægen-cræfton his mund-grīpe
heaðo-rōf hæbbe.Hine hālig god
for ār-stafumūs onsende,
tō West-Denum,þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
wið Grendles gryre:ic þǣm gōdan sceal
for his mōd-þræcemādmas bēodan. Bēo þū on ofeste,hāt hig in gān,
sēon sibbe-gedrihtsamod ætgædere; gesaga him ēac wordum,þæt hīe sint wil-cuman
Deniga lēodum."Þā wið duru healle
Wulfgār ēode,word inne ābēad: "Ēow hēt secgansige-drihten mīn,
aldor Ēast-Dena,þæt hē ēower æðelu can
and gē him syndonofer sǣ-wylmas,
heard-hicgende,hider wil-cuman. Nū gē mōton ganganin ēowrum gūð-geatawum,
under here-grīman,Hrōðgār gesēon; lǣtað hilde-bordhēr 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 sēowedsmiðes 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-tyrfundyrne cūð: secgað sǣ-līðend,þæt þes sele stande,
reced sēlesta,rinca gehwylcum
īdel and unnyt,siððan ǣfen-lēoht
under heofenes hādorbeholen weorðeð. Þā mē þæt gelǣrdonlēode mīne,
þā sēlestan,snotere ceorlas,
þēoden Hrōðgār,þæt ic þē sōhte; forþan hīe mægenes cræftmīnne 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 ānaand mīnra eorla gedryht,
þes hearda hēap,Heorot fǣlsian. Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod,þæt se ǣglǣca
for his won-hȳdumwǣpna ne rēceð; ic þæt þonne forhicge,swā mē Higelāc sīe,
mīn mon-drihten,mōdes blīðe,
þæt ic sweord bereoððe sīdne scyld
geolo-rand tō gūðe;ac ic mid grāpe sceal
fōn wið fēondeand ymb feorh sacan,
lāð wið lāðum;þǣr gelȳfan sceal
dryhtnes dōmesē þe hine dēað nimeð. Wēn' ic þæt hē wille,gif hē wealdan mōt,
in þǣm gūð-seleGēatena 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-gengaunmurnlīce,
mearcað mōr-hopu:nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
līces feormeleng sorgian. Onsend Higelāce,gif mec hild nime,
beadu-scrūda betst,þæt mīne brēost wereð,
hrægla sēlest;þæt is Hrēðlan lāf,
Wēlandes geweorc.Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hīo scel!"
Chapter 8
Hrōðgār maðelode,helm Scyldinga: "for were-fyhtum þū,wine mīn Bēowulf,
and for ār-stafumūsic sōhtest. Geslōh þin fæderfǣhðe mǣste,
wearð hē Heaðolāfetō hand-bonan
mid Wilfingum;þā hine Wedera cyn
for here-brōganhabban ne mihte. Þanon hē gesōhteSūð-Dena folc
ofer ȳða gewealc,Ār-Scyldinga; þā ic furðum wēoldfolce Deninga,
and on geogoðe hēoldgimme-rīce
hord-burh hæleða:þā wæs Heregār dēad,
mīn yldra mǣgunlifigende,
bearn Healfdenes.Sē wæs betera þonne ic! Siððan þā fǣhðefēo þingode; sende ic Wylfingumofer wæteres hrycg
ealde mādmas:hē mē āðas swōr. Sorh is mē tō secganneon sefan mīnum
gumena ǣngum,hwæt mē Grendel hafað
hȳnðo on Heorotemid his hete-þancum,
fǣr-nīða gefremed.Is mīn flet-werod,
wīg-hēap gewanod;hīe Wyrd forswēop
on Grendles gryre.God ēaðe mæg
þone dol-scaðandǣda getwǣfan! Ful oft gebēotedonbēore druncne
ofer ealo-wǣgeōret-mecgas,
þæt hīe in bēor-selebīdan woldon
Grendles gūðemid gryrum ecga. Þonne wæs þēos medo-healon morgen-tīd,
driht-sele drēor-fāh,þonne dæg līxte,
eal benc-þelublōde bestȳmed,
heall heoru-drēore:āhte ic holdra þȳ lǣs,
dēorre duguðe,þē þā dēað fornam. Site nū tō symleand onsǣl meoto,
sige-hrēð secgum,swā þīn sefa hwette!" Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgumgeador ætsomne
on bēor-selebenc gerȳmed; þǣr swīð-ferhðesittan ēodon
þrȳðum dealle.Þegn nytte behēold,
sē þe on handa bærhroden ealo-wǣge,
scencte scīr wered.Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote;þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unlȳtelDena and Wedera.
Chapter 9
Unferð maðelode,Ecglāfes bearn,
þē æt fōtum sætfrēan 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 māmiddan-geardes
gehēdde under heofenumþonne hē sylfa): "Eart þū sē Bēowulf,sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
on sīdne sǣymb sund flite,
þǣr git for wlencewada cunnedon
and for dol-gilpeon 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-strēamearmum 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-rǣmasholm up ætbær,
þonon hē gesōhteswǣsne ēðel
lēof his lēodumlond Brondinga,
freoðo-burh fægere,þǣr hē folc āhte,
burg and bēagas.Bēot eal wið þē
sunu Bēanstānessōðe gelǣste. Þonne wēne ic tō þēwyrsan geþinges,
þēah þū heaðo-rǣsagehwǣr dohte,
grimre gūðe,gif þū Grendles dearst
niht-longne fyrstnēan bīdan!" Bēowulf maðelode,bearn Ecgþēowes: "Hwæt! þū worn fela,wine mīn Unferð,
bēore druncenymb Brecan sprǣce,
sægdest from his sīðe!Sōð ic talige,
þæt ic mere-strengomāran āhte,
earfeðo on ȳðum,þonne ǣnig ōðer man. Wit þæt gecwǣdoncniht-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 feorflēotan meahte,
hraðor on holme,nō ic fram him wolde. Þā wit ætsomneon sǣ wǣron
fīf nihta fyrst,oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
wado weallende,wedera cealdost,
nīpende nihtand norðan wind
heaðo-grim andhwearf;hrēo wǣron ȳða,
Wæs mere-fixamōd onhrēred: þǣr mē wið lāðumlīc-syrce mīn,
heard hond-locen,helpe gefremede; beado-hrægl brōdenon brēostum læg,
golde gegyrwed.Mē tō grunde tēah
fāh fēond-scaða,fæste hæfde
grim on grāpe:hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
þæt ic āglǣcanorde gerǣhte,
hilde-bille;heaðo-rǣs fornam
mihtig mere-dēorþurh mīne hand.
Chapter 10
"Swā mec gelōmelāð-getēonan
þrēatedon þearle.Ic him þēnode
dēoran sweorde,swā hit gedēfe wæs; næs hīe þǣre fyllegefēan hæfdon,
mān-fordǣdlan,þæt hīe mē þēgon,
symbel ymb-sǣtonsǣ-grunde nēah,
ac on mergennemēcum wunde
be ȳð-lāfeuppe lǣgon,
sweordum āswefede,þæt syððan nā
ymb brontne fordbrim-līðende
lāde ne letton.Lēoht ēastan cōm,
beorht bēacen godes;brimu swaðredon,
þæt ic sǣ-næssasgesēon 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 hwealfheardran feohtan,
nē on ēg-strēamumearmran mannan; hwæðere ic fāra fengfēore gedīgde,
siðes wērig.Þā mec sǣ oðbær,
flōd æfter faroðe,on Finna land,
wadu weallendu.Nō ic wiht fram þē
swylcra searo-nīðasecgan hȳrde,
billa brōgan:Breca nǣfre gīt
æt heaðo-lāce,nē gehwæðer incer
swā dēorlīcedǣd gefremede
fāgum sweordum. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .nō ic þæs gylpe; þēah þū þīnum brōðrumtō 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 felagryra gefremede,
atol ǣglǣcaealdre 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-þræceēower 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 ellenungeāra nū
gūðe gebēodan.Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
tō medo mōdig,siððan morgen-lēoht
ofer ylda bearnōðres dōgores,
sunne swegl-weredsūðan scīneð!" Þā wæs on sālumsinces brytta
gamol-feax and gūð-rōf,gēoce gelȳfde
brego Beorht-Dena;gehȳrde on Bēowulfe
folces hyrdefæst-rǣdne geþōht. Þǣr wæs hæleða hleahtor;hlyn swynsode,
word wǣron wynsume.Ēode Wealhþēow forð,
cwēn Hrōðgāres,cynna gemyndig,
grētte gold-hrodenguman on healle,
and þā frēolīc wīfful gesealde
ǣrest Ēast-Denaēðel-wearde,
bæd hine blīðneæt þǣre bēor-þege,
lēodum lēofne;hē on lust geþeah
symbel and sele-ful,sige-rōf kyning. Ymb-ēode þāides Helminga
duguðe and geogoðedǣl 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 ǣnigneeorl gelȳfde
fyrena frōfre.Hē þæt ful geþeah,
wæl-rēow wigaæt Wealhþēon,
and þā gyddodegūðe gefȳsed,
Bēowulf maðelode,bearn Ecgþēowes: "Ic þæt hogode,þā ic on holm gestāh,
sǣ-bāt gesætmid mīnra secga gedriht,
þæt ic ānungaēowra lēoda
willan geworhte,oððe on wæl crunge,
fēond-grāpum fæst.Ic gefremman sceal
eorlīc ellen,oððe ende-dæg
on þisse meodu-heallemīnne gebīdan." Þām wīfe þā wordwēl līcodon,
gilp-cwide Gēates;ēode gold-hroden
frēolīcu folc-cwēntō hire frēan sittan. Þā wæs eft swā ǣrinne on healle
þrȳð-word sprecen,þēod on sǣlum,
sige-folca swēg,oð þæt semninga
sunu Healfdenessēcean wolde
ǣfen-ræste;wiste æt þǣm āhlǣcan
tō þǣm hēah-selehilde geþinged,
siððan hīe sunnan lēohtgesēon ne meahton,
oððe nīpendeniht ofer ealle,
scadu-helma gesceapuscrīðan cwōman,
wan under wolcnum.Werod eall ārās. Grētte þā giddumguma ōðerne,
Hrōðgār Bēowulf,and him hǣl ābēad,
wīn-ærnes gewealdand þæt word ācwæð: "Nǣfre ic ǣnegum menǣr ālȳfde,
siððan ic hond and rondhebban mihte,
þrȳð-ærn Denabūton þē nū þā. Hafa nū and gehealdhūsa sēlest; gemyne mǣrðo,mægen-ellen cȳð,
waca wið wrāðum!Ne bið þē wilna gād,
gif þū þæt ellen-weorcaldre gedīgest."