Old English Text - Chapter IV PREV | NEXT

Him se yldesta         ondswarode,
werodes wisa,         wordhord onleac:
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"We synt gumcynnes         Geata leode
ond Higelaces         heorðgeneatas.
Wæs min fæder         folcum gecyþed,
æþele ordfruma,         Ecgþeow haten.
Gebad wintra worn,         ær he on weg hwurfe,
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gamol of geardum;         hine gearwe geman
witena welhwylc         wide geond eorþan.
We þurh holdne hige         hlaford þinne,
sunu Healfdenes,         secean cwomon,
leodgebyrgean;         wes þu us larena god.
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Habbað we to þæm mæran         micel ærende,
Deniga frean,         ne sceal þær dyrne sum
wesan, þæs ic wene.         þu wast (gif hit is
swa we soþlice         secgan hyrdon)
þæt mid Scyldingum         sceaðona ic nat hwylc,
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deogol dædhata,         deorcum nihtum
eaweð þurh egsan         uncuðne nið,
hynðu ond hrafyl.         Ic þæs Hroðgar mæg
þurh rumne sefan         ræd gelæran,
hu he frod ond god         feond oferswyðeþ,
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gyf him edwendan         æfre scolde
bealuwa bisigu,         bot eft cuman,
ond þa cearwylmas         colran wurðaþ;
oððe a syþðan         earfoðþrage,
þreanyd þolað,         þenden þær wunað
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on heahstede         husa selest."
Weard maþelode,         ðær on wicge sæt,
ombeht unforht:         "æghwæþres sceal
scearp scyldwiga         gescad witan,
worda ond worca,         se þe wel þenceð.
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Ic þæt gehyre,         þæt þis is hold weorod
frean Scyldinga.         Gewitaþ forð beran
wæpen ond gewædu;         ic eow wisige.
Swylce ic maguþegnas         mine hate
wið feonda gehwone         flotan eowerne,
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niwtyrwydne         nacan on sande
arum healdan,         oþðæt eft byreð
ofer lagustreamas         leofne mannan
wudu wundenhals         to Wedermearce,
godfremmendra         swylcum gifeþe bið
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þæt þone hilderæs         hal gedigeð."
Gewiton him þa feran.         Flota stille bad,
seomode on sale         sidfæþmed scip,
on ancre fæst.         Eoforlic scionon
ofer hleorberan         gehroden golde,
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fah ond fyrheard;         ferhwearde heold
guþmod grimmon.         Guman onetton,
sigon ætsomne,         oþþæt hy sæl timbred,
geatolic ond goldfah,         ongyton mihton;
þæt wæs foremærost         foldbuendum
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receda under roderum,         on þæm se rica bad;
lixte se leoma         ofer landa fela.
Him þa hildedeor         hof modigra
torht getæhte,         þæt hie him to mihton
gegnum gangan;         guðbeorna sum
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wicg gewende,         word æfter cwæð:
"Mæl is me to feran;         fæder alwalda
mid arstafum         eowic gehealde
siða gesunde.         Ic to sæ wille
wið wrað werod         wearde healdan."

Summary :
The leader of the *Geat seafarers answers that he is the son of *Ecgtheow. He has heard of the creature that haunts the *Danes and has come to do battle with it.

Hearing this plan, the watchman has the boat guarded from enemies, and escorts the visitors to *Heorot. The palace gleams where it has been decorated with gold. With their destination in view, the watchman returns to his post.


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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