Beowulf ch. II
Beowulf 3x — ed. Tarrin Wills
Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. II)
text and translation
The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):
Gewat ða neosian, | syþðan niht becom,
hean huses, | hu hit Hringdene
æfter beorþege | gebun hæfdon.
Fand þa ðær inne | æþelinga gedriht
swefan æfter symble; | sorge ne cuðon,
wonsceaft wera. | Wiht unhælo,
grim ond grædig, | gearo sona wæs,
reoc ond reþe, | ond on ræste genam
þritig þegna, | þanon eft gewat
huðe hremig | to ham faran,
mid þære wælfylle | wica neosan.
ða wæs on uhtan | mid ærdæge
Grendles guðcræft | gumum undyrne;
þa wæs æfter wiste | wop up ahafen,
micel morgensweg. | Mære þeoden,
æþeling ærgod, | unbliðe sæt,
þolode ðryðswyð, | þegnsorge dreah,
syðþan hie þæs laðan | last sceawedon,
wergan gastes; | wæs þæt gewin to strang,
lað ond longsum. | Næs hit lengra fyrst,
ac ymb ane niht | eft gefremede
morðbeala mare | ond no mearn fore,
fæhðe ond fyrene; | wæs to fæst on þam.
þa wæs eaðfynde | þe him elles hwær
gerumlicor | ræste sohte,
bed æfter burum, | ða him gebeacnod wæs,
gesægd soðlice | sweotolan tacne
healðegnes hete; | heold hyne syðþan
fyr ond fæstor | se þæm feonde ætwand.
Swa rixode | ond wið rihte wan,
ana wið eallum, | oðþæt idel stod
husa selest. | Wæs seo hwil micel;
XII wintra tid | torn geþolode
wine Scyldinga, | weana gehwelcne,
sidra sorga. | Forðam secgum wearð,
ylda bearnum, | undyrne cuð,
gyddum geomore, | þætte Grendel wan
hwile wið Hroþgar, | heteniðas wæg,
fyrene ond fæhðe | fela missera,
singale sæce, | sibbe ne wolde
wið manna hwone | mægenes Deniga,
feorhbealo feorran, | fea þingian,
ne þær nænig witena | wenan þorfte
beorhtre bote | to banan folmum,
ac se æglæca | ehtende wæs,
deorc deaþscua, | duguþe ond geogoþe,
seomade ond syrede, | sinnihte heold
mistige moras; | men ne cunnon
hwyder helrunan | hwyrftum scriþað.
Swa fela fyrena | feond mancynnes,
atol angengea, | oft gefremede,
heardra hynða. | Heorot eardode,
sincfage sel | sweartum nihtum;
no he þone gifstol | gretan moste,
maþðum for metode, | ne his myne wisse.
þæt wæs wræc micel | wine Scyldinga,
modes brecða. | Monig oft gesæt
rice to rune; | ræd eahtedon
hwæt swiðferhðum | selest wære
wið færgryrum | to gefremmanne.
Hwilum hie geheton | æt hærgtrafum
wigweorþunga, | wordum bædon
þæt him gastbona | geoce gefremede
wið þeodþreaum. | Swylc wæs þeaw hyra,
hæþenra hyht; | helle gemundon
in modsefan, | metod hie ne cuþon,
dæda demend, | ne wiston hie drihten god,
ne hie huru heofena helm | herian ne cuþon,
wuldres waldend. | Wa bið þæm ðe sceal
þurh sliðne nið | sawle bescufan
in fyres fæþm, | frofre ne wenan,
wihte gewendan; | wel bið þæm þe mot
æfter deaðdæge | drihten secean
ond to fæder fæþmum | freoðo wilnian.
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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