Chapter 11
Þā him Hrōðgār gewātmid his hæleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldingaūt of healle; wolde wīg-frumaWealhþēo sēcan,
cwēn tō gebeddanHæfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tō-gēanes,swā guman gefrungon,
sele-weard āseted,sundor-nytte behēold
ymb aldor Dena,eoton weard ābēad; hūru Gēata lēodgeorne truwode
mōdgan mægnes,metodes hyldo. Þā hē him of dydeīsern-byrnan,
helm of hafelan,sealde his hyrsted sweord,
īrena cystombiht-þegne,
and gehealdan hēthilde-geatwe. Gespræc þā se gōdagylp-worda sum
Bēowulf Gēata,ǣr hē on bed stige: "Nō ic mē an here-wǣsmumhnāgran talige
"gūð-geweorca,þonne Grendel hine; "forþan ic hine sweordeswebban 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 hondhālig dryhten
"mǣrðo dēme,swā him gemet þince." Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor,hlēor-bolster onfēng
eorles andwlitan;and hine ymb monig
snellīc sǣ-rincsele-reste gebēah. Nǣnig heora þōhteþæt hē þanon scolde
eft eard-lufanǣfre gesēcean,
folc oððe frēo-burh,þǣr hē āfēded wæs,
ac hīe hæfdon gefrūnen,þæt hīe ǣr tō fela micles
in þǣm wīn-selewæl-dēað fornam,
Denigea lēode.Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wīg-spēda gewiofu,Wedera lēodum
frōfor and fultum,þæt hīe fēond heora
þurh ānes cræftealle ofercōmon,
selfes mihtum:sōð is gecȳðed,
þæt mihtig godmanna cynnes
wēold wīde-ferhð.Cōm on wanre niht
scrīðan sceadu-genga.Scēotend swǣfon,
þā þæt horn-recedhealdan scoldon,
ealle būton ānum.Þæt wæs yldum cūð,
þæt hīe ne mōste,þā metod nolde,
se syn-scaðaunder sceadu bregdan; ac hē wæccendewrāðum on andan
bād bolgen-mōdbeadwa geþinges.
Chapter 12
Þā cōm of mōreunder mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan,godes yrre bær. Mynte se mān-scaðamanna cynnes
sumne besyrwanin 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 Hrōðgāreshām gesōhte: nǣfre hē on aldor-dagumǣr nē siððan
heardran hæle,heal-þegnas fand! Cōm þā tō recederinc 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 flōrfēond treddode,
ēode yrre-mōd;him of ēagum stōd
līge gelīcostlēoht unfǣger. Geseah hē in recederinca manige,
swefan sibbe-gedrihtsamod 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 mōstemanna cynnes
þicgean ofer þā niht.Þrȳð-swȳð behēold
mǣg Higelāces,hū se mān-scaða
under fǣr-gripumgefaran wolde. Nē þæt se āglǣcayldan þōhte,
ac hē gefēng hraðeforman siðe
slǣpendne rinc,slāt unwearnum,
bāt bān-locan,blōd ēdrum dranc,
syn-snǣdum swealh:sōna hæfde
unlyfigendeseal gefeormod
fēt and folma.Forð nēar ætstōp,
nam þā mid handahige-þīhtigne
rinc on ræste;rǣhte ongēan
fēond mid folme,hē onfēng hraðe
inwit-þancumand wið earm gesæt. Sōna þæt onfundefyrena hyrde,
þæt hē ne mēttemiddan-geardes
eorðan scēataon 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-dagumǣr gemētte. Gemunde þā se gōdamǣg 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 gewindanand on weg þanon
flēon on fen-hopu;wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grāpum.Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,
þæt se hearm-scaðatō 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 ūtanīren-bendum
searo-þoncum besmiðod.Þǣr fram sylle ābēag
medu-benc monigmīne gefrǣge,
golde geregnad,þǣr þā graman wunnon; þæs ne wēndon ǣrwitan Scyldinga,
þæt hit ā mid gemetemanna ǣnig
betlīc and bān-fāgtōbrecan meahte,
listum tōlūcan,nymðe līges fæðm
swulge on swaðule.Swēg up āstāg
nīwe geneahhe;Norð-Denum stōd
atelīc egesaānra gehwylcum
þāra þe of weallewōp gehȳrdon,
gryre-lēoð galangodes andsacan,
sige-lēasne sang,sār wānigean
helle hæftan.Hēold hine tō fæste
sē þe manna wæsmægene strengest
on þǣm dægeþysses līfes.
Chapter 13
Nolde eorla hlēoǣnige þinga
þone cwealm-cumancwicne forlǣtan,
nē his līf-dagaslēoda ǣnigum
nytte tealde.Þǣr genehost brægd
eorl Bēowulfesealde lāfe,
wolde frēa-drihtnesfeorh ealgian
mǣres þēodnes,þǣr hīe meahton swā; hīe þæt ne wiston,þā hīe gewin drugon,
heard-hicgendehilde-mecgas,
and on healfa gehwonehēawan þōhton,
sāwle sēcan,þæt þone syn-scaðan
ǣnig ofer eorðanīrenna cyst,
gūð-billa nāngrētan nolde; ac hē sige-wǣpnumforsworen hæfde,
ecga gehwylcre.Scolde his aldor-gedāl
on þǣm dægeþysses līfes
earmlīc wurðanand se ellor-gāst
on fēonda gewealdfeor sīðian. Þā þæt onfundesē þe fela ǣror
mōdes myrðemanna cynne
fyrene gefremede(hē wæs fāg wið god)
þæt him se līc-homalǣstan nolde,
ac hine se mōdegamǣg 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 flēonunder fen-hleoðu,
sēcean wyn-lēas wīc;wiste þē geornor,
þæt his aldres wæsende gegongen,
dōgera dæg-rīm.Denum eallum wearð
æfter þām wæl-rǣsewilla gelumpen. Hæfde þā gefǣlsod,sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,
snotor and swȳð-ferhðsele Hrōðgāres,
genered wið nīðe.Niht-weorce gefeh,
ellen-mǣrðum;hæfde Ēast-Denum
Gēat-mecga lēodgilp gelǣsted,
swylce oncȳððeealle gebētte,
inwid-sorge,þē hīe ǣr drugon
and for þrēa-nȳdumþolian scoldon,
torn unlȳtel.Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,
syððan hilde-dēorhond ālegde,
earm and eaxle(þǣr wæs eal geador
Grendles grāpe)under gēapne hrōf.
Chapter 14
Þā wæs on morgenmīne gefrǣge
ymb þā gif-heallegūð-rinc monig: fērdon folc-toganfeorran and nēan
geond wīd-wegaswundor scēawian,
lāðes lāstas.Nō his līf-gedāl
sārlīc þūhtesecga ǣnegum,
þāra þe tīr-lēasestrode scēawode,
hū hē wērig-mōdon weg þanon,
nīða ofercumen,on nicera mere
fǣge and geflȳmedfeorh-lāstas bær. Þǣr wæs on blōdebrim weallende,
atol ȳða geswingeal gemenged
hātan heolfre,heoro-drēore wēol; dēað-fǣge dēog,siððan drēama lēas
in fen-freoðofeorh ālegde
hǣðene sāwle,þǣr him hel onfēng. Þanon eft gewitoneald-gesīðas,
swylce geong manigof gomen-wāðe,
fram mere mōdge,mēarum rīdan,
beornas on blancum.Þǣr wæs Bēowulfes
mǣrðo mǣned;monig oft gecwæð,
þætte sūð nē norðbe sǣm tweonum
ofer eormen-grundōðer nǣnig
under swegles begongsēlra nǣre
rond-hæbbendra,rīces wyrðra. Nē hīe hūru wine-drihtenwiht ne lōgon,
glædne Hrōðgār,ac þæt wæs gōd cyning. Hwīlum heaðo-rōfehlēapan lēton,
on geflīt faranfealwe mēaras,
þǣr him fold-wegasfægere þūhton,
cystum cūðe;hwīlum cyninges þegn,
guma gilp-hlædengidda gemyndig,
sē þe eal-felaeald-gesegena
worn gemunde,word ōðer fand
sōðe gebunden:secg eft ongan
sīð Bēowulfessnyttrum styrian
and on spēd wrecanspel gerāde,
wordum wrixlan,wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt hē fram Sigemundesecgan hȳrde,
ellen-dǣdum,uncūðes fela,
Wælsinges gewin,wīde sīðas,
þāra þe gumena bearngearwe ne wiston,
fǣhðe and fyrene,būton Fitela mid hine,
þonne hē swylces hwætsecgan wolde
ēam his nefan,swā hīe ā wǣron
æt nīða gehwāmnȳd-gesteallan: hæfdon eal-felaeotena cynnes
sweordum gesǣged.Sigemunde gesprong
æfter dēað-dægedōm unlȳtel,
syððan wīges heardwyrm 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 āglǣcaelne gegongen,
þæt hē bēah-hordesbrūcan mōste
selfes dōme:sǣ-bāt gehlōd,
bær on bearm scipesbeorhte frætwa,
Wælses eafera;wyrm hāt gemealt. Sē wæs wreccenawīde mǣrost
ofer wer-þēode,wīgendra hlēo
ellen-dǣdum:hē þæs āron þāh. Siððan Heremōdeshild sweðrode
eafoð and ellen.Hē mid eotenum wearð
on fēonda gewealdforð forlācen,
snūde forsended.Hine sorh-wylmas
lemede tō lange,hē his lēodum wearð,
eallum æðelingumtō aldor-ceare; swylce oft bemearnǣrran mǣlum
swīð-ferhðes sīðsnotor ceorl monig,
sē þe him bealwa tōbōte gelȳfde,
þæt þæt þēodnes bearngeþēon scolde,
fæder-æðelum onfōn,folc gehealdan,
hord and hlēo-burh,hæleða rīce,
ēðel Scyldinga.Hē þǣr eallum wearð,
mǣg Higelācesmanna cynne,
frēondum gefægra;hine fyren onwōd. Hwīlum flītendefealwe strǣte
mēarum mǣton.Þā wæs morgen-lēoht
scofen and scynded.Ēode scealc monig
swīð-hicgendetō sele þām hēan,
searo-wundor sēon,swylce self cyning,
of brȳd-būrebēah-horda weard,
tryddode tīr-fæstgetrume micle,
cystum gecȳðed,and his cwēn mid him
medo-stīg gemætmægða hōse.
Chapter 15
Hrōðgār maðelode(hē tō healle gēong,
stōd on stapole,geseah stēapne hrōf
golde fāhneand Grendles hond): "þisse ansȳneal-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 wēndetō wīdan feore
"bōte gebīdanþonne blōde fāh
"hūsa sēlestheoro-drēorig stōd; "wēa wīd-scofenwitena gehwylcne
"þāra þe ne wēndon,þæt hīe wīde-ferhð
"lēoda land-geweorclāðum beweredon
"scuccum and scinnum.Nū scealc hafað
"þurh drihtnes mihtdǣd gefremede,
"þē wē ealleǣr 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-metodēste 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 lǣssanlēan teohhode
"hord-weorðungehnāhran 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-weorcēstum miclum,
"feohtan fremedon,frēcne genēðdon
"eafoð uncūðes;ūðe ic swīðor,
"þæt þū hinc selfnegesēon mōste,
"fēond on frætewumfyl-wērigne! "Ic hine hrædlīceheardan clammum
"on wæl-beddewrīðan þōhte,
"þæt hē for mund-gripemīnum 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-wraðelāst weardian,
"earm and eaxle;nō þǣr ǣnige swā þēah
"fēa-sceaft gumafrōfre gebohte: "nō þȳ leng leofaðlāð-getēona
"synnum geswenced,ac hyne sār hafað
"in nȳd-gripenearwe befongen,
"balwon bendum:þǣr ābīdan sceal
"maga māne fāhmiclan dōmes,
"hū him scīr metodscrīfan wille." Þā wæs swīgra secg,sunu Ecglāfes,
on gylp-sprǣcegūð-geweorca,
siððan æðelingaseorles cræfte
ofer hēahne hrōfhand scēawedon,
fēondes fingras,foran ǣghwylc; wæs stēde nægla gehwylc,stȳle gelīcost,
hǣðenes hand-sporuhilde-rinces
egle unhēoru;ǣg-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt him heardra nānhrīnan wolde
īren ǣr-gōd,þæt þæs āhlǣcan
blōdge beadu-folmeonberan wolde.