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Beowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:
"Geþenc nu, se mæra maga Healfdenes,
- 1475
-
snottra fengel, nu ic eom siðes fus,
goldwine gumena, hwæt wit geo spræcon,
gif ic æt þearfe þinre scolde
aldre linnan, þæt ðu me a wære
forðgewitenum on fæder stæle.
- 1480
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Wes þu mundbora minum magoþegnum,
hondgesellum, gif mec hild nime;
swylce þu ða madmas þe þu me sealdest,
Hroðgar leofa, Higelace onsend.
Mæg þonne on þæm golde ongitan Geata dryhten,
- 1485
-
geseon sunu Hrædles, þonne he on þæt sinc starað,
þæt ic gumcystum godne funde
beaga bryttan, breac þonne moste.
Ond þu Unferð læt ealde lafe,
wrætlic wægsweord, widcuðne man
- 1490
-
heardecg habban; ic me mid Hruntinge
dom gewyrce, oþðe mec deað nimeð."
æfter þæm wordum Wedergeata leod
efste mid elne, nalas ondsware
bidan wolde; brimwylm onfeng
- 1495
-
hilderince. ða wæs hwil dæges
ær he þone grundwong ongytan mehte.
Sona þæt onfunde se ðe floda begong
heorogifre beheold hund missera,
grim ond grædig, þæt þær gumena sum
- 1500
-
ælwihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grap þa togeanes, guðrinc gefeng
atolan clommum. No þy ær in gescod
halan lice; hring utan ymbbearh,
þæt heo þone fyrdhom ðurhfon ne mihte,
- 1505
-
locene leoðosyrcan laþan fingrum.
Bær þa seo brimwylf, þa heo to botme com,
hringa þengel to hofe sinum,
swa he ne mihte, no he þæs modig wæs,
wæpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þæs fela
- 1510
-
swencte on sunde, sædeor monig
hildetuxum heresyrcan bræc,
ehton aglæcan. ða se eorl ongeat
þæt he in niðsele nathwylcum wæs,
þær him nænig wæter wihte ne sceþede,
- 1515
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ne him for hrofsele hrinan ne mehte
færgripe flodes; fyrleoht geseah,
blacne leoman, beorhte scinan.
Ongeat þa se goda grundwyrgenne,
merewif mihtig; mægenræs forgeaf
- 1520
-
hildebille, hond sweng ne ofteah,
þæt hire on hafelan hringmæl agol
grædig guðleoð. ða se gist onfand
þæt se beadoleoma bitan nolde,
aldre sceþðan, ac seo ecg geswac
- 1525
-
ðeodne æt þearfe; ðolode ær fela
hondgemota, helm oft gescær,
fæges fyrdhrægl; ða wæs forma sið
deorum madme, þæt his dom alæg.
Eft wæs anræd, nalas elnes læt,
- 1530
-
mærða gemyndig mæg Hylaces.
Wearp ða wundenmæl wrættum gebunden
yrre oretta, þæt hit on eorðan læg,
stið ond stylecg; strenge getruwode,
mundgripe mægenes. Swa sceal man don,
- 1535
-
þonne he æt guðe gegan þenceð
longsumne lof, na ymb his lif cearað.
Gefeng þa be eaxle (nalas for fæhðe mearn)
Guðgeata leod Grendles modor;
brægd þa beadwe heard, þa he gebolgen wæs,
- 1540
-
feorhgeniðlan, þæt heo on flet gebeah.
Heo him eft hraþe andlean forgeald
grimman grapum ond him togeanes feng;
oferwearp þa werigmod wigena strengest,
feþecempa, þæt he on fylle wearð.
- 1545
-
Ofsæt þa þone selegyst ond hyre seax geteah,
brad ond brunecg, wolde hire bearn wrecan,
angan eaferan. Him on eaxle læg
breostnet broden; þæt gebearh feore,
wið ord ond wið ecge ingang forstod.
- 1550
-
Hæfde ða forsiðod sunu Ecgþeowes
under gynne grund, Geata cempa,
nemne him heaðobyrne helpe gefremede,
herenet hearde, ond halig god
geweold wigsigor; witig drihten,
- 1555
-
rodera rædend, hit on ryht gesced
yðelice, syþðan he eft astod.
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Summary :
*Beowulf repeated his wish to *Hrothgar, that if he is to perish in his attempt, that his fellow *Geats would be ruled over fairly, and his armour and gold would be returned to *Hygelac so that they would know that he fought for worthy friends. To *Unferth should *Hrunting be returned so that he may fight bravely.
With that, He dove into the water. *GM, sensing the intruder reached out with a clawed hand, but he was protected by his armour. She brought him to her home under the sea where the sea-creatures would not interfere with their battle. *Beowulf found himself in an undersea hall without water, with a fire to light the way.
He saw the moor creature that was his foe and struck out with his weapon, but it glanced off her head. The weapon was useless to him in battle. For the first time, the ancient weapon did not fulfill its need.
He flung away the sword and grappled with the creature, which was his most reliable method of fighting. Battle hardened, he pulls *GM to the floor. She responds by grabbing him, but he fell back. Drawing her short sword and committed to avenging her son, *GM attacks but the battle armour keeps her blade from harming our hero.
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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