Chapter 16
Þā wæs hāten hreðeHeort 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 gehwylcumþāra þe on swylc starað
Wæs þæt beorhte boldtōbrocen swīðe
eal inne-weardīren-bendum fæst,
heorras tōhlidene;hrōf āna genæs
ealles ansund,þā se āglǣca
fyren-dǣdum fāgon flēam gewand,
aldres or-wēna.Nō þæt ȳðe byð
tō beflēonne(fremme sē þe wille!)
ac gesacan scealsāwl-berendra
nȳde genȳddeniðða bearna
grund-būendragearwe stōwe,
þǣr his līc-homaleger-bedde fæst
swefeð æfter symle.Þā wæs sǣl and mǣl,
þæt tō healle gangHealfdenes sunu; wolde self cyningsymbel þicgan. Ne gefrægen ic þā mǣgðemāran weorode
ymb hyra sinc-gyfansēl gebǣran. Bugon þā tō benceblǣd-āgende,
fylle gefǣgon.Fægere geþǣgon
medo-ful manigmāgas þāra
swīð-hicgendeon sele þām hēan,
Hrōðgār and Hrōðulf.Heorot innan wæs
frēondum āfylled;nalles fācen-stafas
Þēod-Scyldingasþenden fremedon. Forgeaf þā Bēowulfebearn Healfdenes
segen gyldennesigores tō lēane,
hroden hilte-cumbor,helm and byrnan; mǣre māððum-sweordmanige gesāwon
beforan beorn beran.Bēowulf geþah
ful on flette;nō hē þǣre feoh-gyfte
for scēotendumscamigan þorfte,
ne gefrægn ic frēondlīcorfēower mādmas
golde gegyredegum-manna fela
in ealo-benceōðrum gesellan. Ymb þæs helmes hrōfhēafod-beorge
wīrum bewundenwalan ūtan hēold,
þæt him fēla lāfefrēcne ne meahton
scūr-heard sceððan,þonne scyld-freca
ongēan gramumgangan scolde. Heht þā eorla hlēoeahta mēaras,
fǣted-hlēore,on flet tēon
in under eoderas;þāra ānum stōd
sadol searwum fāhsince gewurðad,
þæt wæs hilde-setlhēah-cyninges,
þonne sweorda gelācsunu Healfdenes
efnan wolde;nǣfre on ōre læg
wīd-cūðes wīg,þonne walu fēollon. And þā Bēowulfebēga gehwæðres
eodor Ingwinaonweald getēah,
wicga and wǣpna;hēt hine wēl brūcan. Swā manlīcemǣre þēoden,
hord-weard hæleðaheaðo-rǣsas geald
mēarum and mādmum,swā hȳ nǣfre man lyhð,
sē þe secgan wilesōð æfter rihte.
Chapter 17
Þā gȳt ǣghwylcumeorla drihten
þāra þe mid Bēowulfebrim-lāde tēah,
on þǣre medu-bencemāððum gesealde,
yrfe-lāfe,and þone ǣnne heht
golde forgyldan,þone þe Grendel ǣr
māne ācwealde,swā hē hyra mā wolde,
nefne him wītig godwyrd forstōde
and þæs mannes mōd:metod eallum wēold
gumena cynnes,swā hē nū gīt dēð; forþan bið andgitǣghwǣr sēlest,
ferhðes fore-þanc!fela sceal gebīdan
lēofes and lāðes,sē þe longe hēr
on þyssum win-dagumworolde brūceð. Þǣr wæs sang and swēgsamod ætgædere
fore Healfdeneshilde-wīsan,
gomen-wudu grēted,gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamenHrōðgāres scop
æfter medo-bencemǣnan scolde
Finnes eaferum,þā hīe se fǣr begeat: "Hæleð Healfdenes,Hnæf Scyldinga,
"in Fr..es wælefeallan scolde. "Nē hūru Hildeburhherian þorfte
"Eotena trēowe:unsynnum wearð
"beloren lēofumæt þām lind-plegan
"bearnum and brōðrum;hīe on gebyrd hruron
"gāre wunde;þæt wæs geōmuru ides. "Nalles hōlingaHōces dōhtor
"meotod-sceaft bemearn,syððan morgen cōm,
"þā hēo under sweglegesēon meahte
"morðor-bealo māga,þǣr hēo ǣr mǣste hēold
"worolde wynne:wīg ealle fornam
"Finnes þegnas,nemne fēaum ānum,
"þæt hē ne mehteon þǣm meðel-stede
"wīg Hengestewiht gefeohtan,
"nē þā wēa-lāfewīge forþringan
"þōodnes þegne;ac hig him geþingo budon,
"þæt hīe him ōðer fleteal gerȳmdon,
"healle and hēah-setl,þæt hīe healfre geweald
"wið Eotena bearnāgan mōston,
"and æt feoh-gyftumFolcwaldan sunu
"dōgra gehwylceDene weorðode,
"Hengestes hēaphringum wenede,
"efne swā swīðesinc-gestrēonum
"fǣttan goldes,swā hē Frēsena cyn
"on bēor-selebyldan wolde. "Þā hīe getruwedonon twā healfa
"fæste frioðu-wǣre;Fin Hengeste
"elne unflitmeāðum benemde,
"þæt hē þā wēa-lāfeweotena dōme
"ārum heolde,þæt þǣr ǣnig mon
"wordum nē worcumwǣre ne brǣce,
"nē þurh inwit-searoǣfre gemǣnden,
"þēah hīe hira bēag-gyfanbanan folgedon
"þēoden-lēase,þā him swā geþearfod wæs: "gyf þonne Frȳsna hwylcfrēcnan sprǣce
"þæs morðor-hetesmyndgiend wǣre,
"þonne hit sweordes ecgsyððan scolde. "Āð wæs geæfnedand icge gold
"āhæfen of horde.Here-Scyldinga
"betst beado-rincawæs on bǣl gearu; "æt þǣm āde wæsēð-gesȳne
"swāt-fāh syrce,swȳn eal-gylden,
"eofer īren-heard,æðeling manig
"wundum āwyrded;sume on wæle crungon. "Hēt þā Hildeburhæt Hnæfes āde
"hire selfre sunusweoloðe befæstan,
"bān-fatu bærnanand on bǣl dōn. "Earme on eaxleides gnornode,
"geōmrode giddum;gūð-rinc āstāh. "Wand tō wolcnumwæl-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
"bēga folces;wæs hira blǣd scacen.
Chapter 18
"Gewiton him þā wīgendwīca nēosian,
"frēondum befeallenFrȳsland gesēon,
"hāmas and hēa-burh.Hengest þā gȳt
"wæl-fāgne winterwunode mid Finne
"ealles unhlitme;eard gemunde,
"þēah þe hē ne meahteon mere drīfan
"hringed-stefnan;holm storme wēol,
"won wið winde;winter ȳðe belēac
"īs-gebindeoð þæt ōðer cōm
"geār in geardas,swā nū gȳt dēð,
"þā þe syngalessēle 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-gemōtþurhtēon mihte,
"þæt hē Eotena bearninne gemunde. "Swā hē ne forwyrndeworold-rǣdenne,
"þonne him Hūnlāfinghilde-lēoman,
"billa sēlest,on bearm dyde: "þæs wǣron mid Eotenumecge cūðe. "Swylce ferhð-frecanFin eft begeat
"sweord-bealo slīðenæt his selfes hām,
"siððan grimne gripeGūðlaf ond Ōslāf
"æfter sǣ-siðesorge 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 Scyldingatō scypum feredon
"eal in-gestealdeorð-cyninges,
"swylce hīe æt Finnes hāmfindan meahton
"sigla searo-gimma.Hīe on sǣ-lāde
"drihtlīce wīftō 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 feorranþū 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 mēdaand 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 gōdegyldan wille
"uncran eaferan,gif hē þæt eal gemon,
"hwæt wit tō willanand tō worð-myndum
"umbor wesendum ǣrārna gefremedon." Hwearf þā bī bence,þǣr hyre byre wǣron,
Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund,and hæleða bearn,
giogoð ætgædere;þǣr se gōda sæt
Bēowulf Gēatabe þǣm gebrōðrum twǣm.
Chapter 19
Him wæs ful borenand frēond-laðu
wordum bewægnedand wunden gold
ēstum geēawed,earm-hrēade twā,
hrægl and hringas,heals-bēaga mǣst
þāra þe ic on foldangefrægen hæbbe. Nǣnigne ic under sweglesēlran hȳrde
hord-māððum hæleða,syððan Hāma ætwæg
tō þǣre byrhtan byrigBrōsinga mene,
sigle and sinc-fæt,searo-nīðas fealh
Eormenrīces,gecēas ēcne rǣd. Þone hring hæfdeHigelāc Gēata,
nefa Swertinges,nȳhstan sīðe,
siððan hē under segnesinc ealgode,
wæl-rēaf werede;hyne Wyrd fornam,
syððan hē for wlencowēan āhsode,
fǣhðe tō Frȳsum;hē þā frætwe wæg,
eorclan-stānasofer ȳða ful,
rīce þēoden,hē under rande gecranc; gehwearf þā in Francna fæðmfeorh cyninges,
brēost-gewǣduand se bēah somod: wyrsan wīg-frecanwæl 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 cræfteand þyssum cnyhtum wes
"lāra līðe!ic þē þæs lēan geman. "Hafast þū gefēred,þæt þē feor and nēah
"ealne wīde-ferhðweras ehtigað,
"efne swā sīdeswā sǣ bebūgeð
"windige weallas.Wes, þenden þū lifige,
"æðeling ēadig!ic þē an tela
"sinc-gestrēona.Bēo þū suna mīnum
"dǣdum gedēfedrēam healdende! "Hēr is ǣghwylc eorlōðrum 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 gewāttō 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 fǣgeflet-ræste gebēag. Setton him tō hēafdumhilde-randas,
bord-wudu beorhtan;þǣr on bence wæs
ofer æðelingeȳð-gesēne
heaðo-stēapa helm,hringed byrne,
þrec-wudu þrymlīc.Wæs þēaw hyra,
þæt hīe oft wǣronan wīg gearwe,
gē æt hām gē on herge,gē gehwæðer þāra
efne swylce mǣla,swylce hira man-dryhtne
þearf gesǣlde;wæs sēo þēod tilu.
Chapter 20
Sigon þā tō slǣpe.Sum sāre angeald
ǣfen-ræste,swā him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-seleGrendel 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-wīfyrmðe gemunde,
sē þe wæter-egesanwunian scolde,
cealde strēamas,siððan Cain wearð
tō ecg-bananāngan brēðer,
fæderen-mǣge;hē þā fāg gewāt,
morðre gemearcodman-drēam flēon,
wēsten warode.Þanon wōc fela
geōsceaft-gāsta;wæs þǣra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelīc,sē æt Heorote fand
wæccendne werwīges bīdan,
þǣr him āglǣcaæt-grǣpe wearð; hwæðre hē gemundemægenes strenge,
gim-fæste gife,þē him god sealde,
and him tō anwaldanāre gelȳfde,
frōfre and fultum:þȳ hē þone fēond ofercwōm,
gehnǣgde helle gāst:þā hē hēan gewāt,
drēame bedǣleddēað-wīc sēon,
man-cynnes fēond.And his mōdor þā gȳt
gīfre and galg-mōdgegān 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 wīfesbe wǣpned-men,
þonne heoru bunden,hamere geþuren,
sweord swāte fāhswīn ofer helme,
ecgum dyhtigandweard scireð. Þā wæs on healleheard-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 æðelingaānne hæfde
fæste befangen,þā hēo tō fenne gang; sē wæs Hrōðgārehæleða lēofost
on gesīðes hādbe sǣm tweonum,
rīce rand-wiga,þone þe hēo on ræste ābrēat,
blǣd-fæstne beorn.Næs Bēowulf þǣr,
ac wæs ōðer inǣr geteohhod
æfter māððum-gifemǣrum 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 healfabicgan scoldon
frēonda fēorum.Þā wæs frōd cyning,
hār hilde-rinc,on hrēon mōde,
syððan hē aldor-þegnunlyfigendne,
þone dēorestandēadne wisse. Hraðe wæs tō būreBēowulf fetod,
sigor-ēadig secg.Samod ǣr-dæge
ēode eorla sum,æðele cempa
self mid gesīðum,þǣr se snottra bād,
hwæðre him al-waldaǣfre wille
æfter wēa-spellewyrpe gefremman. Gang þā æfter flōrefyrd-wyrðe man
mid his hand-scale(heal-wudu dynede)
þæt hē þone wīsanwordum hnǣgde
frēan Ingwina;frægn gif him wǣre
æfter nēod-laðuniht getǣse.