XXX. BĒOWULF'S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.
"Mæg þæs þonne ofþyncan þēoden Heaðobeardna "and þegna gehwām þāra lēoda, 2035 "þonne hē mid fǣmnan on flett gǣð, "dryht-bearn Dena duguða biwenede: "on him gladiað gomelra lāfe "heard and hring-mǣl, Heaðobeardna gestrēon, "þenden hīe þām wǣpnum wealdan mōston, 2040 "oð þæt hīe forlǣddan tō þām lind-plegan "swǣse gesīðas ond hyra sylfra feorh. "Þonne cwið æt bēore, sē þe bēah gesyhð, "eald æsc-wiga, sē þe eall geman "gār-cwealm gumena (him bið grim sefa), 2045 "onginneð geōmor-mōd geongne cempan "þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian, "wīg-bealu weccean and þæt word ācwyð: "'Meaht þū, mīn wine, mēce gecnāwan, "'þone þin fæder tō gefeohte bær 2050 "'under here-grīman hindeman sīðe, "'dȳre īren, þǣr hyne Dene slōgon, "'wēoldon wæl-stōwe, syððan wiðer-gyld læg, "'æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scyldungas? "'Nu hēr þāra banena byre nāt-hwylces, 2055 "'frætwum hrēmig on flet gǣð, "'morðres gylpeð and þone māððum byreð, "'þone þe þū mid rihte rǣdan sceoldest!'" "Manað swā and myndgað mǣla gehwylce "sārum wordum, oð þæt sǣl cymeð, 2060 "þæt se fǣmnan þegn fore fæder dǣdum "æfter billes bite blōd-fāg swefeð, "ealdres scyldig; him se ōðer þonan "losað lifigende, con him land geare. "Þonne bīoð brocene on bā healfe 2065 "āð-sweord eorla; syððan Ingelde "weallað wæl-nīðas and him wīf-lufan "æfter cear-wælmum cōlran weorðað. "Þȳ ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge, "dryht-sibbe dǣl Denum unfǣcne, 2070 "frēond-scipe fæstne. Ic sceal forð sprecan "gēn ymbe Grendel, þæt þū geare cunne, "sinces brytta, tō hwan syððan wearð "hond-rǣs hæleða. Syððan heofones gim "glād ofer grundas, gæst yrre cwōm, 2075 "eatol ǣfen-grom, ūser nēosan, "þǣr wē gesunde sæl weardodon; "þǣr wæs Hondscīo hild onsǣge, "feorh-bealu fǣgum, hē fyrmest læg, "gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearð, 2080 "mǣrum magu-þegne tō mūð-bonan, "lēofes mannes līc eall forswealg. "Nō þȳ ǣr ūt þā gēn īdel-hende "bona blōdig-tōð bealewa gemyndig, "of þām gold-sele gongan wolde, 2085 "ac hē mægnes rōf mīn costode, "grāpode gearo-folm. Glōf hangode "sīd and syllīc searo-bendum fæst, "sīo wæs orþoncum eall gegyrwed "dēofles cræftum and dracan fellum: 2090 "hē mec þǣr on innan unsynnigne, "dīor dǣd-fruma, gedōn wolde, "manigra sumne: hyt ne mihte swā, "syððan ic on yrre upp-riht āstōd. "Tō lang ys tō reccenne, hū ic þām lēod-sceaðan 2095 "yfla gehwylces ond-lēan forgeald; "þǣr ic, þēoden mīn, þīne lēode "weorðode weorcum. Hē on weg losade, "lȳtle hwīle līf-wynna brēac; "hwæðre him sīo swīðre swaðe weardade 2100 "hand on Hiorte and hē hēan þonan, "mōdes geōmor mere-grund gefēoll. "Mē þone wæl-rǣs wine Scildunga "fǣttan golde fela lēanode, "manegum māðmum, syððan mergen cōm 2105 "and wē tō symble geseten hæfdon. "Þǣr wæs gidd and glēo; gomela Scilding "fela fricgende feorran rehte; "hwīlum hilde-dēor hearpan wynne, "gomen-wudu grētte; hwīlum gyd āwræc 2110 "sōð and sārlīc; hwīlum syllīc spell "rehte æfter rihte rūm-heort cyning. "Hwīlum eft ongan eldo gebunden, "gomel gūð-wiga gioguðe cwīðan "hilde-strengo; hreðer inne wēoll, 2115 "þonne hē wintrum frōd worn gemunde. "Swā wē þǣr inne andlangne dæg "nīode nāman, oð þæt niht becwōm "ōðer tō yldum. Þā wæs eft hraðe "gearo gyrn-wræce Grendeles mōdor, 2120 "sīðode sorh-full; sunu dēað fornam, "wīg-hete Wedra. Wīf unhȳre "hyre bearn gewræc, beorn ācwealde "ellenlīce; þǣr wæs Æsc-here, "frōdan fyrn-witan, feorh ūðgenge; 2125 "nōðer hȳ hine ne mōston, syððan mergen cwōm, "dēað-wērigne Denia lēode "bronde forbærnan, nē on bǣl hladan "lēofne mannan: hīo þæt līc ætbær "fēondes fæðmum under firgen-strēam. 2130 "Þæt wæs Hrōðgāre hrēowa tornost "þāra þe lēod-fruman lange begeāte; "þā se þēoden mec þīne līfe "healsode hrēoh-mōd, þæt ic on holma geþring "eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genēðde, 2135 "mǣrðo fremede: hē mē mēde gehēt. "Ic þā þæs wælmes, þē is wīde cūð, "grimne gryrelīcne grund-hyrde fond. "Þǣr unc hwīle wæs hand gemǣne; "holm heolfre wēoll and ic hēafde becearf 2140 "in þām grund-sele Grendeles mōdor "ēacnum ecgum, unsōfte þonan "feorh oðferede; næs ic fǣge þā gȳt, "ac mē eorla hlēo eft gesealde "māðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH. BĒOWULF REIGNS.
2145 "Swā se þēod-kyning þēawum lyfde; "nealles ic þām lēanum forloren hæfde, "mægnes mēde, ac hē mē māðmas geaf, "sunu Healfdenes, on sīnne sylfes dōm; "þā ic þē, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle, 2150 "ēstum geȳwan. Gēn is eall æt þē "lissa gelong: ic lȳt hafo "hēafod-māga, nefne Hygelāc þec!" Hēt þā in beran eafor, hēafod-segn, heaðo-stēapne helm, hāre byrnan, 2155 gūð-sweord geatolīc, gyd æfter wræc: "Mē þis hilde-sceorp Hrōðgār sealde, "snotra fengel, sume worde hēt, "þæt ic his ǣrest þē eft gesægde, "cwæð þæt hyt hæfde Hiorogār cyning, 2160 "lēod Scyldunga lange hwīle: "nō þȳ ǣr suna sīnum syllan wolde, "hwatum Heorowearde, þēah hē him hold wǣre, "brēost-gewǣdu. Brūc ealles well!" Hȳrde ic þæt þām frætwum fēower mēaras 2165 lungre gelīce lāst weardode, æppel-fealuwe; hē him ēst getēah mēara and māðma. Swā sceal mǣg dōn, nealles inwit-net ōðrum bregdan, dyrnum cræfte dēað rēnian 2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelāce wæs, nīða heardum, nefa swȳðe hold and gehwæðer ōðrum hrōðra gemyndig. Hȳrde ic þæt hē þone heals-bēah Hygde gesealde, wrǣtlīcne wundur-māððum, þone þe him Wealhþēo geaf, 2175 þēodnes dōhtor, þrīo wicg somod swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wæs æfter bēah-þege brēost geweorðod. Swā bealdode bearn Ecgþēowes, guma gūðum cūð, gōdum dǣdum, 2180 drēah æfter dōme, nealles druncne slōg heorð-genēatas; næs him hrēoh sefa, ac hē man-cynnes mǣste cræfte gin-fæstan gife, þē him god sealde, hēold hilde-dēor. Hēan wæs lange, 2185 swā hyne Gēata bearn gōdne ne tealdon, nē hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne drihten wereda gedōn wolde; swȳðe oft sægdon, þæt hē slēac wǣre, æðeling unfrom: edwenden cwōm 2190 tīr-ēadigum menn torna gehwylces. Hēt þā eorla hlēo in gefetian, heaðo-rōf cyning, Hrēðles lāfe, golde gegyrede; næs mid Gēatum þā sinc-māððum sēlra on sweordes hād; 2195 þæt hē on Bīowulfes bearm ālegde, and him gesealde seofan þūsendo, bold and brego-stōl. Him wæs bām samod on þām lēod-scipe lond gecynde, eard ēðel-riht, ōðrum swīðor 2200 sīde rīce, þām þǣr sēlra wæs. Eft þæt geīode ufaran dōgrum hilde-hlæmmum, syððan Hygelāc læg and Heardrēde hilde-mēceas under bord-hrēoðan tō bonan wurdon, 2205 þā hyne gesōhtan on sige-þēode hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas, nīða genǣgdan nefan Hererīces. Syððan Bēowulfe brāde rīce on hand gehwearf: hē gehēold tela 2210 fīftig wintru (wæs þā frōd cyning, eald ēðel-weard), oð þæt ān ongan deorcum nihtum draca rīcsian, sē þe on hēare hǣðe hord beweotode, stān-beorh stēapne: stīg under læg, 2215 eldum uncūð. Þǣr on innan gīong niða nāt-hwylces nēode gefēng hǣðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc since fāhne, hē þæt syððan . . . . . . . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g 2220 slǣpende be fȳre, fyrena hyrde þēofes cræfte, þæt sie . . . . ðioð . . . . . . idh . folc-beorn, þæt hē gebolgen wæs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cræft sōhte sylfes willum, sē þe him sāre gesceōd, 2225 ac for þrēa-nēdlan þēow nāt-hwylces hæleða bearna hete-swengeas flēah, for ofer-þearfe and þǣr inne fealh secg syn-bysig. Sōna in þā tīde þæt . . . . . þām gyste . . . . br . g . stōd, 2230 hwæðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . . . . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fǣs begeat, sinc-fæt geseah: þǣr wæs swylcra fela in þām eorð-scræfe ǣr-gestrēona, swā hȳ on geār-dagum gumena nāt-hwylc 2235 eormen-lāfe æðelan cynnes þanc-hycgende þǣr gehȳdde, dēore māðmas. Ealle hīe dēað fornam ǣrran mǣlum, and se ān þā gēn lēoda duguðe, sē þǣr lengest hwearf, 2240 weard wine-geōmor wīscte þæs yldan, þæt hē lȳtel fæc long-gestrēona brūcan mōste. Beorh eal gearo wunode on wonge wæter-ȳðum nēah, nīwe be næsse nearo-cræftum fæst: 2245 þǣr on innan bær eorl-gestrēona hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dǣl fǣttan goldes, fēa worda cwæð: "Heald þū nū, hrūse, nū hæleð ne mōston, "eorla ǣhte. Hwæt! hit ǣr on þē 2250 "gōde begeāton; gūð-dēað fornam, "feorh-bealo frēcne fȳra gehwylcne, "lēoda mīnra, þāra þe þis līf ofgeaf, "gesāwon sele-drēam. Nāh hwā sweord wege "oððe fetige fǣted wǣge, 2255 "drync-fæt dēore: duguð ellor scōc. "Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde "fǣtum befeallen: feormiend swefað, "þā þe beado-grīman bȳwan sceoldon, "gē swylce sēo here-pād, sīo æt hilde gebād 2260 "ofer borda gebræc bite īrena, "brosnað æfter beorne. Ne mæg byrnan hring "æfter wīg-fruman wīde fēran "hæleðum be healfe; næs hearpan wyn, "gomen glēo-bēames, nē gōd hafoc 2265 "geond sæl swingeð, nē se swifta mearh "burh-stede bēateð. Bealo-cwealm hafað "fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended!" Swā giōmor-mōd giohðo mǣnde, ān æfter eallum unblīðe hwēop, 2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond eald ūht-sceaða opene standan, sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð 2275 fȳre befangen; hyne fold-būend wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl. Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra 2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod, 2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe. Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad; stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand 2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp, dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah. Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte 2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan, þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode: hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf, ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh, 2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf, sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand, þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm; 2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde, wolde se lāða līge forgyldan drinc-fæt dȳre. Þā wæs dæg sceacen wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr, 2310 fȳre gefȳsed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod.