Text: Beowulf

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Prologue
þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing         sceaþena þreatum,
 * Hwæt! We Gardena         in geardagum,

egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden,         he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum,         weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc         þara ymbsittendra
 * 5
 * monegum mægþum,         meodosetla ofteah,

gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning! Ðæm eafera wæs         æfter cenned, geong in geardum,         þone god sende folce to frofre;         fyrenðearfe ongeat
 * 10
 * ofer hronrade         hyran scolde,

lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea, wuldres wealdend,         woroldare forgeaf; Beowulf wæs breme         (blæd wide sprang), Scyldes eafera         Scedelandum in.
 * 15
 * þe hie ær drugon         aldorlease

fromum feohgiftum         on fæder bearme, þæt hine on ylde         eft gewunigen wilgesiþas,         þonne wig cume, leode gelæsten;         lofdædum sceal
 * 20
 * Swa sceal geong guma         gode gewyrcean,

Him ða Scyld gewat         to gescæphwile felahror feran         on frean wære. Hi hyne þa ætbæron         to brimes faroðe, swæse gesiþas,         swa he selfa bæd,
 * 25
 * in mægþa gehwære         man geþeon.

leof landfruma         lange ahte. þær æt hyðe stod         hringedstefna, isig ond utfus,         æþelinges fær. Aledon þa         leofne þeoden,
 * 30
 * þenden wordum weold         wine Scyldinga;

mærne be mæste. þær wæs madma fela of feorwegum,         frætwa, gelæded; ne hyrde ic cymlicor         ceol gegyrwan hildewæpnum         ond heaðowædum,
 * 35
 * beaga bryttan,         on bearm scipes,

madma mænigo,         þa him mid scoldon on flodes æht         feor gewitan. Nalæs hi hine læssan         lacum teodan, þeodgestreonum,         þon þa dydon
 * 40
 * billum ond byrnum;         him on bearme læg

ænne ofer yðe         umborwesende. þa gyt hie him asetton         segen geldenne heah ofer heafod,         leton holm beran, geafon on garsecg;         him wæs geomor sefa,
 * 45
 * þe hine æt frumsceafte         forð onsendon

secgan to soðe,         selerædende, hæleð under heofenum,         hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.
 * 50
 * murnende mod.         Men ne cunnon

I.
leof leodcyning,         longe þrage
 * Ða wæs on burgum         Beowulf Scyldinga,

aldor of earde),         oþþæt him eft onwoc heah Healfdene;         heold þenden lifde, gamol ond guðreouw,         glæde Scyldingas. ðæm feower bearn         forð gerimed
 * 55
 * folcum gefræge         (fæder ellor hwearf,

Heorogar ond Hroðgar         ond Halga til; hyrde ic þæt         wæs Onelan cwen, Heaðoscilfingas         healsgebedda. þa wæs Hroðgare         heresped gyfen,
 * 60
 * in worold wocun,         weoroda ræswan,

georne hyrdon,         oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox, magodriht micel. Him on mod bearn þæt healreced         hatan wolde, medoærn micel,         men gewyrcean
 * 65
 * wiges weorðmynd,         þæt him his winemagas

ond þær on innan         eall gedælan geongum ond ealdum,         swylc him god sealde, buton folcscare         ond feorum gumena. ða ic wide gefrægn         weorc gebannan
 * 70
 * þonne yldo bearn         æfre gefrunon,

folcstede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp, ædre mid yldum,         þæt hit wearð ealgearo, healærna mæst;         scop him Heort naman se þe his wordes geweald         wide hæfde.
 * 75
 * manigre mægþe         geond þisne middangeard,

sinc æt symle. Sele hlifade, heah ond horngeap,         heaðowylma bad, laðan liges;         ne wæs hit lenge þa gen þæt se ecghete         aþumsweorum
 * 80
 * He beot ne aleh,         beagas dælde,

ða se ellengæst         earfoðlice þrage geþolode,         se þe in þystrum bad, þæt he dogora gehwam         dream gehyrde hludne in healle;         þær wæs hearpan sweg,
 * 85
 * æfter wælniðe         wæcnan scolde.

frumsceaft fira         feorran reccan, cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga         eorðan worhte, wlitebeorhtne wang,         swa wæter bebugeð, gesette sigehreþig         sunnan ond monan
 * 90
 * swutol sang scopes.         Sægde se þe cuþe

ond gefrætwade         foldan sceatas leomum ond leafum,         lif eac gesceop cynna gehwylcum         þara ðe cwice hwyrfaþ. Swa ða drihtguman         dreamum lifdon
 * 95
 * leoman to leohte         landbuendum

fyrene fremman         feond on helle. Wæs se grimma gæst         Grendel haten, mære mearcstapa,         se þe moras heold, fen ond fæsten;         fifelcynnes eard
 * 100
 * eadiglice,         oððæt an ongan

siþðan him scyppend         forscrifen hæfde in Caines cynne. þone cwealm gewræc ece drihten,         þæs þe he Abel slog; ne gefeah he þære fæhðe,         ac he hine feor forwræc,
 * 105
 * wonsæli wer         weardode hwile,

þanon untydras         ealle onwocon, eotenas ond ylfe         ond orcneas, swylce gigantas,         þa wið gode wunnon lange þrage;         he him ðæs lean forgeald.
 * 110
 * metod for þy mane,         mancynne fram.