Beowulf ch. [Prol.]
Beowulf 1x — ed. Tarrin Wills
Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. [Prol.])
text and translation
The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):
Hwæt! We Gardena | in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, | þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas | ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing | sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum, | meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas. | Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden, | he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, | weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc | þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade | hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. | þæt wæs god cyning!
ðæm eafera wæs | æfter cenned,
geong in geardum, | þone god sende
folce to frofre; | fyrenðearfe ongeat
þe hie ær drugon | aldorlease
lange hwile. | Him þæs liffrea,
wuldres wealdend, | woroldare forgeaf;
Beowulf wæs breme | (blæd wide sprang),
Scyldes eafera | Scedelandum in.
Swa sceal geong guma | gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftum | on fæder bearme,
þæt hine on ylde | eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas, | þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten; | lofdædum sceal
in mægþa gehwære | man geþeon.
Him ða Scyld gewat | to gescæphwile
felahror feran | on frean wære.
Hi hyne þa ætbæron | to brimes faroðe,
swæse gesiþas, | swa he selfa bæd,
þenden wordum weold | wine Scyldinga;
leof landfruma | lange ahte.
þær æt hyðe stod | hringedstefna,
isig ond utfus, | æþelinges fær.
Aledon þa | leofne þeoden,
beaga bryttan, | on bearm scipes,
mærne be mæste. | þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum, | frætwa, gelæded;
ne hyrde ic cymlicor | ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum | ond heaðowædum,
billum ond byrnum; | him on bearme læg
madma mænigo, | þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht | feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan | lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum, | þon þa dydon
þe hine æt frumsceafte | forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe | umborwesende.
þa gyt hie him asetton | segen geldenne
heah ofer heafod, | leton holm beran,
geafon on garsecg; | him wæs geomor sefa,
murnende mod. | Men ne cunnon
secgan to soðe, | selerædende,
hæleð under heofenum, | hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.
sources
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
Stanza/chapter/text segment
Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.
Information tab
- text: if the stanza has been published, the edited text of the stanza and translation are here; if it hasn't been published an old edition (usually Skj) is given for reference
- sources: a list of the manuscripts or inscriptions containing this stanza, with page and line references and links (eye button) to images where available, and transcription where available
- readings: a list of variant manuscript readings of words in the main text
- editions and texts: a list of editions of the stanza with links to the bibliography; and a list of prose works in which the stanza occurs, allowing you to navigate within the prose context
- notes and context: notes not linked to individual words are given here, along with the account of the prose context for the stanza, where relevant
Interactive tab
The text and translation are given here, with buttons to toggle whether the text is shown in the verse order or prose word order. Clicking on indiviudal words gives dictionary links, variant readings, kennings and notes, where relevant.
Full text tab
This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.
Chapter/text segment
This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.