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-
Gewat him ða se hearda mid his hondscole
sylf æfter sande sæwong tredan,
- 1965
-
wide waroðas. Woruldcandel scan,
sigel suðan fus. Hi sið drugon,
elne geeodon, to ðæs ðe eorla hleo,
bonan Ongenþeoes burgum in innan,
geongne guðcyning godne gefrunon
- 1970
-
hringas dælan. Higelace wæs
sið Beowulfes snude gecyðed,
þæt ðær on worðig wigendra hleo,
lindgestealla, lifigende cwom,
heaðolaces hal to hofe gongan.
- 1975
-
Hraðe wæs gerymed, swa se rica bebead,
feðegestum flet innanweard.
Gesæt þa wið sylfne se ða sæcce genæs,
mæg wið mæge, syððan mandryhten
þurh hleoðorcwyde holdne gegrette,
- 1980
-
meaglum wordum. Meoduscencum hwearf
geond þæt healreced Hæreðes dohtor,
lufode ða leode, liðwæge bær
hæleðum to handa. Higelac ongan
sinne geseldan in sele þam hean
- 1985
-
fægre fricgcean (hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwylce Sægeata siðas wæron):
"Hu lomp eow on lade, leofa Biowulf,
þa ðu færinga feorr gehogodest
sæcce secean ofer sealt wæter,
- 1990
-
hilde to Hiorote? Ac ðu Hroðgare
widcuðne wean wihte gebettest,
mærum ðeodne? Ic ðæs modceare
sorhwylmum seað, siðe ne truwode
leofes mannes; ic ðe lange bæd
- 1995
-
þæt ðu þone wælgæst wihte ne grette,
lete Suðdene sylfe geweorðan
guðe wið Grendel. Gode ic þanc secge
þæs ðe ic ðe gesundne geseon moste."
Biowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgðioes:
- 2000
-
"þæt is undyrne, dryhten Higelac,
micel gemeting, monegum fira,
hwylc orleghwil uncer Grendles
wearð on ðam wange, þær he worna fela
Sigescyldingum sorge gefremede,
- 2005
-
yrmðe to aldre. Ic ðæt eall gewræc,
swa begylpan ne þearf Grendeles maga
ænig ofer eorðan uhthlem þone,
se ðe lengest leofað laðan cynnes,
facne bifongen. Ic ðær furðum cwom
- 2010
-
to ðam hringsele Hroðgar gretan;
sona me se mæra mago Healfdenes,
syððan he modsefan minne cuðe,
wið his sylfes sunu setl getæhte.
Weorod wæs on wynne; ne seah ic widan feorh
- 2015
-
under heofones hwealf healsittendra
medudream maran. Hwilum mæru cwen,
friðusibb folca, flet eall geondhwearf,
bædde byre geonge; oft hio beahwriðan
secge sealde, ær hie to setle geong.
- 2020
-
Hwilum for duguðe dohtor Hroðgares
eorlum on ende ealuwæge bær;
þa ic Freaware fletsittende
nemnan hyrde, þær hio nægled sinc
hæleðum sealde. Sio gehaten is,
- 2025
-
geong, goldhroden, gladum suna Frodan;
hafað þæs geworden wine Scyldinga,
rices hyrde, ond þæt ræd talað,
þæt he mid ðy wife wælfæhða dæl,
sæcca gesette. Oft seldan hwær
- 2030
-
æfter leodhryre lytle hwile
bongar bugeð, þeah seo bryd duge!
Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan ðeodne Heaðobeardna
ond þegna gehwam þara leoda,
þonne he mid fæmnan on flett gæð,
- 2035
-
dryhtbearn Dena, duguða biwenede;
on him gladiað gomelra lafe,
heard ond hringmæl Heaðabeardna gestreon
þenden hie ðam wæpnum wealdan moston,
oððæt hie forlæddan to ðam lindplegan
- 2040
-
swæse gesiðas ond hyra sylfra feorh.
þonne cwið æt beore se ðe beah gesyhð,
eald æscwiga, se ðe eall geman,
garcwealm gumena (him bið grim sefa),
onginneð geomormod geongum cempan
- 2045
-
þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian,
wigbealu weccean, ond þæt word acwyð:
'Meaht ðu, min wine, mece gecnawan
þone þin fæder to gefeohte bær
under heregriman hindeman siðe,
- 2050
-
dyre iren, þær hyne Dene slogon,
weoldon wælstowe, syððan Wiðergyld læg,
æfter hæleþa hryre, hwate Scyldungas?
Nu her þara banena byre nathwylces
frætwum hremig on flet gæð,
- 2055
-
morðres gylpeð, ond þone maðþum byreð,
þone þe ðu mid rihte rædan sceoldest.'
Manað swa ond myndgað mæla gehwylce
sarum wordum, oððæt sæl cymeð
þæt se fæmnan þegn fore fæder dædum
- 2060
-
æfter billes bite blodfag swefeð,
ealdres scyldig; him se oðer þonan
losað lifigende, con him land geare.
þonne bioð abrocene on ba healfe
aðsweord eorla; syððan Ingelde
- 2065
-
weallað wælniðas, ond him wiflufan
æfter cearwælmum colran weorðað.
þy ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge,
dryhtsibbe dæl Denum unfæcne,
freondscipe fæstne. Ic sceal forð sprecan
- 2070
-
gen ymbe Grendel, þæt ðu geare cunne,
sinces brytta, to hwan syððan wearð
hondræs hæleða. Syððan heofones gim
glad ofer grundas, gæst yrre cwom,
eatol, æfengrom, user neosan,
- 2075
-
ðær we gesunde sæl weardodon.
þær wæs Hondscio hild onsæge,
feorhbealu fægum; he fyrmest læg,
gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearð,
mærum maguþegne to muðbonan,
- 2080
-
leofes mannes lic eall forswealg.
No ðy ær ut ða gen idelhende
bona blodigtoð, bealewa gemyndig,
of ðam goldsele gongan wolde,
ac he mægnes rof min costode,
- 2085
-
grapode gearofolm. Glof hangode
sid ond syllic, searobendum fæst;
sio wæs orðoncum eall gegyrwed
deofles cræftum ond dracan fellum.
He mec þær on innan unsynnigne,
- 2090
-
dior dædfruma, gedon wolde
manigra sumne; hyt ne mihte swa,
syððan ic on yrre uppriht astod.
To lang ys to reccenne hu ic ðam leodsceaðan
yfla gehwylces ondlean forgeald;
- 2095
-
þær ic, þeoden min, þine leode
weorðode weorcum. He on weg losade,
lytle hwile lifwynna breac;
hwæþre him sio swiðre swaðe weardade
hand on Hiorte, ond he hean ðonan
- 2100
-
modes geomor meregrund gefeoll.
Me þone wælræs wine Scildunga
fættan golde fela leanode,
manegum maðmum, syððan mergen com
ond we to symble geseten hæfdon.
- 2105
-
þær wæs gidd ond gleo. Gomela Scilding,
felafricgende, feorran rehte;
hwilum hildedeor hearpan wynne,
gomenwudu grette, hwilum gyd awræc
soð ond sarlic, hwilum syllic spell
- 2110
-
rehte æfter rihte rumheort cyning.
Hwilum eft ongan, eldo gebunden,
gomel guðwiga gioguðe cwiðan,
hildestrengo; hreðer inne weoll,
þonne he wintrum frod worn gemunde.
- 2115
-
Swa we þær inne ondlangne dæg
niode naman, oððæt niht becwom
oðer to yldum. þa wæs eft hraðe
gearo gyrnwræce Grendeles modor,
siðode sorhfull; sunu deað fornam,
- 2120
-
wighete Wedra. Wif unhyre
hyre bearn gewræc, beorn acwealde
ellenlice; þær wæs æschere,
frodan fyrnwitan, feorh uðgenge.
Noðer hy hine ne moston, syððan mergen cwom,
- 2125
-
deaðwerigne, Denia leode,
bronde forbærnan, ne on bæl hladan
leofne mannan; hio þæt lic ætbær
feondes fæðmum under firgenstream.
þæt wæs Hroðgare hreowa tornost
- 2130
-
þara þe leodfruman lange begeate.
þa se ðeoden mec ðine life
healsode hreohmod, þæt ic on holma geþring
eorlscipe efnde, ealdre geneðde,
mærðo fremede; he me mede gehet.
- 2135
-
Ic ða ðæs wælmes, þe is wide cuð,
grimne gryrelicne grundhyrde fond;
þær unc hwile wæs hand gemæne,
holm heolfre weoll, ond ic heafde becearf
in ðam guðsele Grendeles modor
- 2140
-
eacnum ecgum, unsofte þonan
feorh oðferede. Næs ic fæge þa gyt,
ac me eorla hleo eft gesealde
maðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
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Summary :
The heroes hastened to the home of *Hygelac, slayer of *Ongentheow. The hall was prepared for their arrival as *Heareth's daughter brought mead to the warriors in the hall's cup.
*Hygelac was eager to hear of *Beowulf's journeys. He asked why he had gone to *Heorot to the aid of *Hrothgar when he had asked *Beowulf not to interfere in fear for his life. He was glad to see *Beowulf triumphant.
*Beowulf answered that it was no secret that he had gone to avenge the Scyldings from the wrath of *Grendel. *Hrothgar had made him one of his sons, and his queen also gifted him with gold. Often *Hrothgar's daughter, *Freawaru, would offer the heroes mead from the cup; she who is promised to the son of *Froda of the *Heathobards to stop their feud. But although the bride is a good woman, violence among men is not easily forgotten (*ASmarriage).
Although she may walk in the *Heathobards' hall, they will be wearing the heirlooms of their forbears who were killed by the *Danes. One remembers the war may say:
Remember that sword that your father carried into war when the *Danes had killed him, *Withergild is fallen, and some young *Dane walks about in his hall with the sword that is rightfully yours. These thoughts will surface whenever *Freawaru reminds the men of her father who lives still. The peace appears doomed to fail as *Ingeld's breast fills with hate once more. A marriage does not make friends so easily.
*Beowulf has little faith in the marriage, but he turns again to the story of *Grendel. Given safe refuge in *Heorot, *Grendel sought them out by taking *Hondscio and eating him. *Beowulf was next; with a hand like an armoured glove, banded as if with dragon skins. Angrily, *Beowulf stood his ground for the attack. Mortally wounded *Grendel fled while his arm stayed behind in the hall.
For this, *Hrothgar awarded him gold and many treasures in the morning. Full of joy, the old king celebrated with a great feast with music. But that night, for her dead son, *GM came to wreak her vengeance. She took the life of *Aeschere, a loyal councillor and in the morning, the *Danish people wept for their loss. *GM had taken *Aeschere below a mountain stream. *Hrothgar, filled with sadness asked for *Beowulf's assistance. As is known, *Beowulf entered the water and did battle with her, taking her head with her own blade--*Beowulf survived the danger. Since he was not yet dead, *Healfdene's son once again gave him many gifts.
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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