-
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.
|
|