Chapter 31
"Swā se þēod-kyningþēawum lyfde; "nealles ic þām lēanumforloren 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 beraneafor, hēafod-segn,
heaðo-stēapne helm,hāre byrnan,
gūð-sweord geatolīc,gyd æfter wræc: "Mē þis hilde-sceorpHrōðgār sealde,
"snotra fengel,sume worde hēt,
"þæt ic his ǣrestþē eft gesægde,
"cwæð þæt hyt hæfdeHiorogār cyning,
"lēod Scyldungalange hwīle: "nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnumsyllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde,þēah hē him hold wǣre,
"brēost-gewǣdu.Brūc ealles well!" Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwumfēower mēaras
lungre gelīcelāst weardode,
æppel-fealuwe;hē him ēst getēah
mēara and māðma.Swā sceal mǣg dōn,
nealles inwit-netōðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cræftedēað rēnian
hond-gesteallan.Hygelāce wæs,
nīða heardum,nefa swȳðe hold
and gehwæðer ōðrumhrōðra gemyndig. Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēahHygde gesealde,
wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum,þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf,
þēodnes dōhtor,þrīo wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht;hyre syððan wæs
æfter bēah-þegebrēost geweorðod. Swā bealdodebearn Ecgþēowes,
guma gūðum cūð,gōdum dǣdum,
drēah æfter dōme,nealles druncne slōg
heorð-genēatas;næs him hrēoh sefa,
ac hē man-cynnesmǣste cræfte
gin-fæstan gife,þē him god sealde,
hēold hilde-dēor.Hēan wæs lange,
swā hyne Gēata bearngōdne ne tealdon,
nē hyne on medo-bencemicles wyrðne
drihten weredagedōn wolde; swȳðe oft sægdon,þæt hē slēac wǣre,
æðeling unfrom:edwenden cwōm
tīr-ēadigum menntorna gehwylces. Hēt þā eorla hlēoin gefetian,
heaðo-rōf cyning,Hrēðles lāfe,
golde gegyrede;næs mid Gēatum þā
sinc-māððum sēlraon sweordes hād; þæt hē on Bīowulfesbearm ālegde,
and him gesealdeseofan þūsendo,
bold and brego-stōl.Him wæs bām samod
on þām lēod-scipelond gecynde,
eard ēðel-riht,ōðrum swīðor
sīde rīce,þām þǣr sēlra wæs. Eft þæt geīodeufaran dōgrum
hilde-hlæmmum,syððan Hygelāc læg
and Heardrēdehilde-mēceas
under bord-hrēoðantō bonan wurdon,
þā hyne gesōhtanon sige-þēode
hearde hilde-frecan,Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nīða genǣgdannefan Hererīces. Syððan Bēowulfebrāde rīce
on hand gehwearf:hē gehēold tela
fīftig wintru(wæs þā frōd cyning,
eald ēðel-weard),oð þæt ān ongan
deorcum nihtumdraca rīcsian,
sē þe on hēare hǣðehord beweotode,
stān-beorh stēapne:stīg under læg,
eldum uncūð.Þǣr on innan gīong
niða nāt-hwylcesnēode gefēng
hǣðnum hordehond. 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.
Chapter 32
Nealles mid geweoldumwyrm-horda . . . cræft
sōhte sylfes willum,sē þe him sāre gesceōd,
ac for þrēa-nēdlanþēow nāt-hwylces
hæleða bearnahete-swengeas flēah,
for ofer-þearfeand 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-scræfeǣr-gestrēona,
swā hȳ on geār-dagumgumena nāt-hwylc
eormen-lāfeæðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgendeþǣr gehȳdde,
dēore māðmas.Ealle hīe dēað fornam
ǣrran mǣlum,and se ān þā gēn
lēoda duguðe,sē þǣr lengest hwearf,
weard wine-geōmorwīscte þæs yldan,
þæt hē lȳtel fæclong-gestrēona
brūcan mōste.Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wongewæter-ȳðum nēah,
nīwe be næssenearo-cræftum fæst: þǣr on innan bæreorl-gestrēona
hringa hyrdehard-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 frēcnefȳra gehwylcne,
"lēoda mīnra,þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf,
"gesāwon sele-drēam.Nāh hwā sweord wege
"oððe fetigefǣted wǣge,
"drync-fæt dēore:duguð ellor scōc. "Sceal se hearda helmhyrsted golde
"fǣtum befeallen:feormiend swefað,
"þā þe beado-grīmanbȳwan sceoldon,
"gē swylce sēo here-pād,sīo æt hilde gebād
"ofer borda gebræcbite īrena,
"brosnað æfter beorne.Ne mæg byrnan hring
"æfter wīg-frumanwīde 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-cynnafeorr onsended!" Swā giōmor-mōdgiohðo mǣnde,
ān æfter eallumunblīðe hwēop,
dæges and nihtes,oð þæt dēaðes wylm
hrān æt heortan.Hord-wynne fond
eald ūht-sceaðaopene standan,
sē þe byrnendebiorgas 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-sceaðaþrēo hund wintra
hēold on hrūsanhord-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-geweorcforman 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 unfǣgeēaðe gedīgan
wēan and wræc-sīð,sē þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð.Hord-weard sōhte
georne æfter grunde,wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofotesāre getēode: hāt and hrēoh-mōdhlǣw 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 sumgoldes gefandod
hēah-gestrēona.Hord-weard onbād
earfoðlīce,oð þæt ǣfen cwōm; wæs þā gebolgenbeorges hyrde,
wolde se lāðalīge 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-gifansāre geendod.
Chapter 33
Þā se gæst onganglēdum spīwan,
beorht hofu bærnan;bryne-lēoma stōd
eldum on andan;nō þǣr āht cwices
lāð lyft-flogalǣfan wolde. Wæs þæs wyrmes wīgwīde gesȳne,
nearo-fāges nīðnēan and feorran,
hū se gūð-sceaðaGēata lēode
hatode and hȳnde:hord eft gescēat,
dryht-sele dyrnneǣr dæges hwīle. Hæfde land-waralīge befangen,
bǣle and bronde;beorges getruwode,
wīges and wealles:him sēo wēn gelēah. Þā wæs Bīowulfebrōga gecȳðed
snūde tō sōðe,þæt his sylfes him
bolda sēlestbryne-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-dracalēoda fæsten,
ēa-lond ūtan,eorð-weard þone
glēdum forgrunden.Him þæs gūð-cyning,
Wedera þīoden,wræce leornode. Heht him þā gewyrceanwīgendra hlēo
eall-īrenne,eorla dryhten
wīg-bord wrǣtlīc;wisse hē gearwe,
þæt him holt-wuduhelpan ne meahte,
lind wið līge.Sceolde lǣn-daga
æðeling ǣr-gōdende gebīdan
worulde līfesand se wyrm somod; þēah þe hord-welanhēolde lange. Oferhogode þāhringa fengel,
þæt hē þone wīd-floganweorode gesōhte,
sīdan herge;nō hē him þā sæcce ondrēd,
nē him þæs wyrmes wīgfor wiht dyde,
eafoð and ellen;forþon hē ǣr fela
nearo nēðendenīða gedīgde,
hilde-hlemma,syððan hē Hrōðgāres,
sigor-ēadig secg,sele fǣlsode
and æt gūðe forgrāpGrendeles mǣgum,
lāðan cynnes.Nō þæt lǣsest wæs
hond-gemota,þǣr mon Hygelāc slōh,
syððan Gēata cyninggūðe rǣsum,
frēa-wine folcesFrēslondum on,
Hrēðles eaforahioro-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 Hetwarehrēmge þorfton
fēðe-wīges,þē him foran ongēan
linde bǣron:lȳt eft becwōm
fram þām hild-frecanhāmes nīosan. Oferswam þā sioleða bigongsunu Ecgþēowes,
earm ān-hagaeft tō lēodum,
þǣr him Hygd gebēadhord and rīce,
bēagas and brego-stōl:bearne ne truwode,
þæt hē wið æl-fylcumēðel-stōlas
healdan cūðe,þā wæs Hygelāc dēad. Nō þȳ ǣr fēa-sceaftefindan meahton
æt þām æðelingeǣnige þinga,
þæt hē Heardrēdehlāford wǣre,
oððe þone cyne-dōmcīosan wolde; hwæðre hē him on folcefrēond-lārum hēold,
ēstum mid āre,oð þæt hē yldra wearð,
Weder-Gēatum wēold.Hyne wræc-mæcgas
ofer sǣ sōhtan,suna Ōhteres: hæfdon hȳ forhealdenhelm Scylfinga,
þone sēlestansǣ-cyninga,
þāra þe in Swīo-rīcesinc brytnade,
mǣrne þēoden.Him þæt tō mearce wearð; hē þǣr orfeormefeorh-wunde hlēat
sweordes swengum,sunu Hygelāces; and him eft gewātOngenþīowes bearn
hāmes nīosan,syððan Heardrēd læg; lēt þone brego-stōlBīowulf healdan,
Gēatum wealdan:þæt wæs gōd cyning.
Chapter 34
Sē þæs lēod-hryreslēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum,Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum fēond.Folce gestepte
ofer sǣ sīdesunu Ōhteres
wigum and wǣpnum:hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum,cyning ealdre binēat. Swā hē nīða gehwanegenesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta,sunu Ecgþīowes,
ellen-weorca,oð þone ānne dæg,
þē hē wið þām wyrmegewegan sceolde. Gewāt þā twelfa sumtorne gebolgen
dryhten Gēatadracan scēawian; hæfde þā gefrūnen,hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
bealo-nīð biorna;him tō bearme cwōm
māððum-fæt mǣreþurh þæs meldan hond,
Sē wæs on þām þrēateþreotteoða secg,
sē þæs orlegesōr onstealde,
hæft hyge-giōmor,sceolde hēan þonon
wong wīsian:hē ofer willan gīong
tō þæs þe hē eorð-seleānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsanholm-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 gegangennegumena ǣnigum. Gesæt þā on næssenīð-heard cyning,
þenden hǣlo ābēadheorð-genēatum
gold-wine Gēata:him wæs geōmor sefa,
wǣfre and wæl-fūs,Wyrd ungemete nēah,
sē þone gomelangrētan sceolde,
sēcean sāwle hord,sundur gedǣlan
līf wið līce:nō þon lange wæs
feorh æðelingesflǣsce bewunden. Bīowulf maðelade,bearn Ecgþēowes: "Fela ic on giogoðeguð-rǣsa genæs,
"orleg-hwīla:ic þæt eall gemon. "Ic wæs syfan-wintre,þā mec sinca baldor,
"frēa-wine folcaæt mīnum fæder genam,
"hēold mec and hæfdeHrēðel cyning,
"geaf mē sinc and symbel,sibbe gemunde; "næs ic him tō līfelāðra ōwihte
"beorn in burgum,þonne his bearna hwylc,
"Herebeald and Hæðcyn,oððe Hygelāc mīn. "Wæs þām yldestanungedēfelīce
"mǣges dǣdummorðor-bed strēd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcynof horn-bogan,
"his frēa-wineflāne geswencte,
"miste mercelsesand his mǣg ofscēt,
"brōðor ōðerne,blōdigan gāre: "þæt wæs feoh-lēas gefeoht,fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mēðe;sceolde hwæðre swā þēah
"æðeling unwrecenealdres linnan. "Swā bið geōmorlīcgomelum ceorle
"tō gebīdanne,þæt his byre rīde
"giong on galgan,þonne hē gyd wrece,
"sārigne sang,þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tō hrōðreand hē him helpe ne mæg,
"eald and in-frōd,ǣnige gefremman. "Symble bið gemyndgadmorna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sīð;ōðres ne gȳmeð
"tō gebīdanneburgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes,þonne se ān hafað
"þurh dēaðes nȳddǣda gefondad. "Gesyhð sorh-cearigon his suna būre
"wīn-sele wēstne,wind-gereste,
"rēote berofene;rīdend swefað
"hæleð in hoðman;nis þǣr hearpan swēg,
"gomen in geardum,swylce þǣr iū wǣron.
Chapter 35
"Gewīteð þonne on sealman,sorh-lēoð gæleð
"ān æfter ānum:þūhte him eall tō rūm,
"wongas and wīc-stede.Swā Wedra helm
"æfter Herebealdeheortan sorge
"weallende wæg,wihte ne meahte
"on þām feorh-bonanfǣhðe gebētan: "nō þȳ ǣr hē þone heaðo-rinchatian 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 sacuSwēona and Gēata,
"ofer wīd wæterwrōht gemǣne,
"here-nīð hearda,syððan Hrēðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþēoweseaferan wǣran
"frome fyrd-hwate,frēode ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan,ac ymb Hrēosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scearoft gefremedon. "Þæt mǣg-winemīne gewrǣcan,
"fǣhðe and fyrene,swā hyt gefrǣge wæs,
"þēah þe ōðer hitealdre gebohte,
"heardan cēape:Hæðcynne wearð,
"Gēata dryhtne,gūð onsǣge. "Þā ic on morgne gefrægnmǣg ōðerne
"billes ecgumon bonan stǣlan,
"þǣr OngenþēowEofores 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 Gifðumoððe tō Gār-Denum
"oððe in Swīo-rīcesēcean þurfe
"wyrsan wīg-frecan,weorðe gecȳpan; "symle ic him on fēðanbeforan wolde,
"āna on orde,and swā tō aldre sceall
"sæcce fremman,þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þæt mec ǣr and sīðoft gelǣste,
"syððan ic for dugeðumDæghrefne wearð
"tō hand-bonan,Hūga cempan: "nalles hē þā frætweFrēs-cyninge,
"brēost-weorðungebringan mōste,
"ac in campe gecrongcumbles hyrde,
"æðeling on elne.Ne wæs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grāpheortan wylmas,
"bān-hūs gebræc.Nū sceall billes ecg,
"hond and heard sweordymb 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-seleūt gesēceð!" Gegrētte þāgumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berendhindeman sīðe,
swǣse gesīðas:"Nolde ic sweord beran,
"wǣpen tō wyrme,gif ic wiste hū
"wið þām āglǣceanelles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrīpan,swā ic giō wið Grendle dyde; "ac ic þǣr heaðu-fȳreshātes 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-flogangylp ofersitte. "Gebīde gē on beorgebyrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum,hwæðer sēl mǣge
"æfter wæl-rǣsewunde gedȳgan
"uncer twēga.Nis þæt ēower sīð,
"nē gemet mannes,nefne mīn ānes,
"þæt hē wið āglǣceaneofoðo dǣle,
"eorl-scype efne.Ic mid elne sceall
"gold geganganoððe gūð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frēcne,frēan ēowerne!" Ārās þā bī ronderōf 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
unbyrnendeǣnige hwīle
dēop gedȳganfor dracan lēge. Lēt þā of brēostum,þā hē gebolgen wæs,
Weder-Gēata lēodword ūt faran,
stearc-heort styrmde;stefn in becōm
heaðo-torht hlynnanunder hārne stān. Hete wæs onhrēred,hord-weard oncnīow
mannes reorde;næs þǣr māra fyrst,
frēode tō friclan.From ǣrest cwōm
oruð āglǣceanūt of stāne,
hāt hilde-swāt;hrūse dynede. Biorn under beorgebord-rand onswāf
wið þām gryre-gieste,Gēata dryhten: þā wæs hring-boganheorte gefȳsed
sæcce tō sēceanne.Sweord ǣr gebrǣ
gōd gūð-cyninggomele lāfe,
ecgum unglēaw,ǣghwæðrum wæs
bealo-hycgendrabrōga fram ōðrum. Stīð-mōd gestōdwið stēapne rond
winia bealdor,þā se wyrm gebēah
snūde tōsomne:hē on searwum bād. Gewāt þā byrnendegebogen scrīðan tō,
gescīfe scyndan.Scyld wēl gebearg
līfe and līcelǣssan hwīle
mǣrum þēodne,þonne his myne sōhte,
þǣr hē þȳ fyrsteforman 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-cyningþearfe hæfde,
bysigum gebǣded.Þā wæs beorges weard
æfter heaðu-swengeon 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 mǣramaga Ecgþēowes
grund-wong þoneofgyfan wolde; sceolde wyrmes willanwīc eardian
elles hwergen,swā sceal ǣghwylc mon
ālǣtan lǣn-dagas.Næs þā long tō þon,
þæt þā āglǣceanhȳ eft gemētton. Hyrte hyne hord-weard,hreðer ǣðme wēoll,
nīwan stefne:nearo þrowode
fȳre befongensē þe ǣr folce wēold. Nealles him on hēapehand-gesteallan,
æðelinga bearnymbe 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.