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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Beowulf ch. XXVII

Beowulf 28x — ed. Tarrin Wills

Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. XXVII)

AnonymousBeowulf
27xXXVII29x

text and translation

The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):

Cwom þa to flode | felamodigra,
hægstealdra heap, | hringnet bæron,
locene leoðosyrcan. | Landweard onfand
eftsið eorla, | swa he ær dyde;
no he mid hearme | of hliðes nosan
gæstas grette, | ac him togeanes rad,
cwæð þæt wilcuman | Wedera leodum
scaþan scirhame | to scipe foron.
þa wæs on sande | sægeap naca
hladen herewædum, | hringedstefna,
mearum ond maðmum; | mæst hlifade
ofer Hroðgares | hordgestreonum.
He þæm batwearde | bunden golde
swurd gesealde, | þæt he syðþan wæs
on meodubence | maþme þy weorþra,
yrfelafe. | Gewat him on naca
drefan deop wæter, | Dena land ofgeaf.
þa wæs be mæste | merehrægla sum,
segl sale fæst; | sundwudu þunede.
No þær wegflotan | wind ofer yðum
siðes getwæfde; | sægenga for,
fleat famigheals | forð ofer yðe,
bundenstefna | ofer brimstreamas,
þæt hie Geata clifu | ongitan meahton,
cuþe næssas. | Ceol up geþrang
lyftgeswenced, | on lande stod.
Hraþe wæs æt holme | hyðweard geara,
se þe ær lange tid | leofra manna
fus æt faroðe | feor wlatode;
sælde to sande | sidfæþme scip,
oncerbendum fæst, | þy læs hym yþa ðrym
wudu wynsuman | forwrecan meahte.
Het þa up beran | æþelinga gestreon,
frætwe ond fætgold; | næs him feor þanon
to gesecanne | sinces bryttan,
Higelac Hreþling, | þær æt ham wunað
selfa mid gesiðum | sæwealle neah.
Bold wæs betlic, | bregorof cyning,
heah in healle, | Hygd swiðe geong,
wis, welþungen, | þeah ðe wintra lyt
under burhlocan | gebiden hæbbe,
Hæreþes dohtor; | næs hio hnah swa þeah,
ne to gneað gifa | Geata leodum,
maþmgestreona. | Mod þryðo wæg,
fremu folces cwen, | firen ondrysne.
Nænig þæt dorste | deor geneþan
swæsra gesiða, | nefne sinfrea,
þæt hire an dæges | eagum starede,
ac him wælbende | weotode tealde
handgewriþene; | hraþe seoþðan wæs
æfter mundgripe | mece geþinged,
þæt hit sceadenmæl | scyran moste,
cwealmbealu cyðan. | Ne bið swylc cwenlic þeaw
idese to efnanne, | þeah ðe hio ænlicu sy,
þætte freoðuwebbe | feores onsæce
æfter ligetorne | leofne mannan.
Huru þæt onhohsnode | Hemminges mæg;
ealodrincende | oðer sædan,
þæt hio leodbealewa | læs gefremede,
inwitniða, | syððan ærest wearð
gyfen goldhroden | geongum cempan,
æðelum diore, | syððan hio Offan flet
ofer fealone flod | be fæder lare
siðe gesohte; | ðær hio syððan well
in gumstole, | gode, mære,
lifgesceafta | lifigende breac,
hiold heahlufan | wið hæleþa brego,
ealles moncynnes | mine gefræge
þone selestan | bi sæm tweonum,
eormencynnes. | Forðam Offa wæs
geofum ond guðum, | garcene man,
wide geweorðod, | wisdome heold
eðel sinne; | þonon Eomer woc
hæleðum to helpe, | Hemminges mæg,
nefa Garmundes, | niða cræftig.

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.

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