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Swa ða mælceare maga Healfdenes
- 190
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singala seað, ne mihte snotor hæleð
wean onwendan; wæs þæt gewin to swyð,
laþ ond longsum, þe on ða leode becom,
nydwracu niþgrim, nihtbealwa mæst.
þæt fram ham gefrægn Higelaces þegn,
- 195
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god mid Geatum, Grendles dæda;
se wæs moncynnes mægenes strengest
on þæm dæge þysses lifes,
æþele ond eacen. Het him yðlidan
godne gegyrwan, cwæð, he guðcyning
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ofer swanrade secean wolde,
mærne þeoden, þa him wæs manna þearf.
ðone siðfæt him snotere ceorlas
lythwon logon, þeah he him leof wære;
hwetton higerofne, hæl sceawedon.
- 205
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Hæfde se goda Geata leoda
cempan gecorone þara þe he cenoste
findan mihte; XVna sum
sundwudu sohte; secg wisade,
lagucræftig mon, landgemyrcu.
- 210
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Fyrst forð gewat. Flota wæs on yðum,
bat under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; streamas wundon,
sund wið sande; secgas bæron
on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe,
- 215
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guðsearo geatolic; guman ut scufon,
weras on wilsið, wudu bundenne.
Gewat þa ofer wægholm, winde gefysed,
flota famiheals fugle gelicost,
oðþæt ymb antid oþres dogores
- 220
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wundenstefna gewaden hæfde
þæt ða liðende land gesawon,
brimclifu blican, beorgas steape,
side sænæssas; þa wæs sund liden,
eoletes æt ende. þanon up hraðe
- 225
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Wedera leode on wang stigon,
sæwudu sældon (syrcan hrysedon,
guðgewædo), gode þancedon
þæs þe him yþlade eaðe wurdon.
þa of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
- 230
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se þe holmclifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrdsearu fuslicu; hine fyrwyt bræc
modgehygdum, hwæt þa men wæron.
Gewat him þa to waroðe wicge ridan
- 235
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þegn Hroðgares, þrymmum cwehte
mægenwudu mundum, meþelwordum frægn:
"Hwæt syndon ge searohæbbendra,
byrnum werede, þe þus brontne ceol
ofer lagustræte lædan cwomon,
- 240
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hider ofer holmas? ...le wæs
endesæta, ægwearde heold,
þe on land Dena laðra nænig
mid scipherge sceðþan ne meahte.
No her cuðlicor cuman ongunnon
- 245
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lindhæbbende; ne ge leafnesword
guðfremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
maga gemedu. Næfre ic maran geseah
eorla ofer eorþan ðonne is eower sum,
secg on searwum; nis þæt seldguma,
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wæpnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite leoge,
ænlic ansyn. Nu ic eower sceal
frumcyn witan, ær ge fyr heonan,
leassceaweras, on land Dena
furþur feran. Nu ge feorbuend,
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mereliðende, minne gehyrað
anfealdne geþoht: Ofost is selest
to gecyðanne hwanan eowre cyme syndon."
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Summary :
So the son of *Healfdene suffered in his days.
*Hygelac of the *Geats heard of the wrath of *Grendel, and his
mightiest warrior set sail for *Heorot with fourteen brave warriors to
the land of the *Danes.
By the second day at sea, the seafarers approached the cliffs of the
headlands. They landed and thanked God for their safe journey. A
*Scylding watchman stopped them where they landed and demanded of the
armed seafarers where they had come from and why they were there.
Strangers in Anglo Saxon Times:
Strangers were a potential for danger in Anglo-Saxon times. They may have
affiliations with other clans: harboring a criminal pursued by a
powerful clan may place you under their wrath as well. As a result, a
full accounting of origins and intentions was very important or else
the stranger is a potential threat to peace..
*Hrothgar remembers *Beowulf and his father *Ecgtheow, and
because there is recognition, or proof of identity, that *Beowulf and
his party are welcome in *Heorot.
Select Bibliography :
Anonymous. Beowulf - Verse Intermediate Saxon. Transcribed by Altman, R.I. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
Anonymous. Beowulf Gummere, F.B. trans., Eliot, C.W. ed.. Harvard Classics, Vol. 49.: PF Collier & Sons, New York. 1910. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
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