This is an archived website hosted by Humanities Media and Computing. This site is presented 'as is' and will not be updated.

Old English Text - Chapter XX PREV | NEXT

Hroðgar maþelode,         helm Scyldinga:
"Ne frin þu æfter sælum!         Sorh is geniwod
Denigea leodum.         Dead is æschere,
Yrmenlafes         yldra broþor,
1325
min runwita         ond min rædbora,
eaxlgestealla,         ðonne we on orlege
hafelan weredon,         þonne hniton feþan,
eoferas cnysedan.         Swylc scolde eorl wesan,
æþeling ærgod,         swylc æschere wæs!
1330
Wearð him on Heorote         to handbanan
wælgæst wæfre;         ic ne wat hwæder
atol æse wlanc         eftsiðas teah,
fylle gefægnod.         Heo þa fæhðe wræc
þe þu gystran niht         Grendel cwealdest
1335
þurh hæstne had         heardum clammum,
forþan he to lange         leode mine
wanode ond wyrde.         He æt wige gecrang
ealdres scyldig,         ond nu oþer cwom
mihtig manscaða,         wolde hyre mæg wrecan,
1340
ge feor hafað         fæhðe gestæled
(þæs þe þincean mæg         þegne monegum,
se þe æfter sincgyfan         on sefan greoteþ),
hreþerbealo hearde;         nu seo hand ligeð,
se þe eow welhwylcra         wilna dohte.
1345
Ic þæt londbuend,         leode mine,
selerædende,         secgan hyrde
þæt hie gesawon         swylce twegen
micle mearcstapan         moras healdan,
ellorgæstas.         ðæra oðer wæs,
1350
þæs þe hie gewislicost         gewitan meahton,
idese onlicnæs;         oðer earmsceapen
on weres wæstmum         wræclastas træd,
næfne he wæs mara         þonne ænig man oðer;
þone on geardagum         Grendel nemdon
1355
foldbuende.         No hie fæder cunnon,
hwæþer him ænig wæs         ær acenned
dyrnra gasta.         Hie dygel lond
warigeað, wulfhleoþu,         windige næssas,
frecne fengelad,         ðær fyrgenstream
1360
under næssa genipu         niþer gewiteð,
flod under foldan.         Nis þæt feor heonon
milgemearces         þæt se mere standeð;
ofer þæm hongiað         hrinde bearwas,
wudu wyrtum fæst         wæter oferhelmað.
1365
þær mæg nihta gehwæm         niðwundor seon,
fyr on flode.         No þæs frod leofað
gumena bearna,         þæt þone grund wite;
ðeah þe hæðstapa         hundum geswenced,
heorot hornum trum,         holtwudu sece,
1370
feorran geflymed,         ær he feorh seleð,
aldor on ofre,         ær he in wille
hafelan hydan.         Nis þæt heoru stow!
þonon yðgeblond         up astigeð
won to wolcnum,         þonne wind styreþ,
1375
lað gewidru,         oðþæt lyft drysmaþ,
roderas reotað.         Nu is se ræd gelang
eft æt þe anum.         Eard git ne const,
frecne stowe,         ðær þu findan miht
felasinnigne secg;         sec gif þu dyrre.
1380
Ic þe þa fæhðe         feo leanige,
ealdgestreonum,         swa ic ær dyde,
wundnum golde,         gyf þu on weg cymest."

Summary :
*Hrothgar spoke of the pain that had returned: *Aeschere, elder brother of *Yrmenlaf, trusted counselor and battle companion was dead. She had come in vengeance for the battle with *Grendel and he was defeated.

He had heard from kinsmen, that two giants dwelled in the wasteland and the moors. *Grendel was the larger called in the form of a man. They knew of no father. The place was not far, a strange place where fire was seen upon the water. He would provide *Beowulf with guides to the place if he would rid his kingdom of this new threat, he would have reward of more gold for his deeds.


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.


Translate
Translate to Modern English