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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Beowulf ch. XXII

Beowulf 23x — ed. Tarrin Wills

Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch.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

AnonymousBeowulf
22xXXII24x

text and translation

The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable.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

Beowulf maðelode, | bearn Ecgþeowes:
"Geþenc nu, se mæra | maga Healfdenes,
snottra fengel, | nu ic eom siðes fus,
goldwine gumena, | hwæt wit geo spræcon,
gif ic æt þearfe | þinre scolde
aldre linnan, | þæt ðu me a wære
forðgewitenum | on fæder stæle.
Wes þu mundbora | minum magoþegnum,
hondgesellum, | gif mec hild nime;
swylce þu ða madmas | þe þu me sealdest,
Hroðgar leofa, | Higelace onsend.
Mæg þonne on þæm golde ongitan | Geata dryhten,
geseon sunu Hrædles, | þonne he on þæt sinc starað,
þæt ic gumcystum | godne funde
beaga bryttan, | breac þonne moste.
Ond þu Unferð læt | ealde lafe,
wrætlic wægsweord, | widcuðne man
heardecg habban; | ic me mid Hruntinge
dom gewyrce, | oþðe mec deað nimeð."
æfter þæm wordum | Wedergeata leod
efste mid elne, | nalas ondsware
bidan wolde; | brimwylm onfeng
hilderince. | ða wæs hwil dæges
ær he þone grundwong | ongytan mehte.
Sona þæt onfunde | se ðe floda begong
heorogifre beheold | hund missera,
grim ond grædig, | þæt þær gumena sum
ælwihta eard | ufan cunnode.
Grap þa togeanes, | guðrinc gefeng
atolan clommum. | No þy ær in gescod
halan lice; | hring utan ymbbearh,
þæt heo þone fyrdhom | ðurhfon ne mihte,
locene leoðosyrcan | laþan fingrum.
Bær þa seo brimwylf, | þa heo to botme com,
hringa þengel | to hofe sinum,
swa he ne mihte, | no he þæs modig wæs,
wæpna gewealdan, | ac hine wundra þæs fela
swencte on sunde, | sædeor monig
hildetuxum | heresyrcan bræc,
ehton aglæcan. | ða se eorl ongeat
þæt he in niðsele | nathwylcum wæs,
þær him nænig wæter | wihte ne sceþede,
ne him for hrofsele | hrinan ne mehte
færgripe flodes; | fyrleoht geseah,
blacne leoman, | beorhte scinan.
Ongeat þa se goda | grundwyrgenne,
merewif mihtig; | mægenræs forgeaf
hildebille, | hond sweng ne ofteah,
þæt hire on hafelan | hringmæl agol
grædig guðleoð. | ða se gist onfand
þæt se beadoleoma | bitan nolde,
aldre sceþðan, | ac seo ecg geswac
ðeodne æt þearfe; | ðolode ær fela
hondgemota, | helm oft gescær,
fæges fyrdhrægl; | ða wæs forma sið
deorum madme, | þæt his dom alæg.
Eft wæs anræd, | nalas elnes læt,
mærða gemyndig | mæg Hylaces.
Wearp ða wundenmæl | wrættum gebunden
yrre oretta, | þæt hit on eorðan læg,
stið ond stylecg; | strenge getruwode,
mundgripe mægenes. | Swa sceal man don,
þonne he æt guðe | gegan þenceð
longsumne lof, | na ymb his lif cearað.
Gefeng þa be eaxle | (nalas for fæhðe mearn)
Guðgeata leod | Grendles modor;
brægd þa beadwe heard, | þa he gebolgen wæs,
feorhgeniðlan, | þæt heo on flet gebeah.
Heo him eft hraþe | andlean forgeald
grimman grapum | ond him togeanes feng;
oferwearp þa werigmod | wigena strengest,
feþecempa, | þæt he on fylle wearð.
Ofsæt þa þone selegyst | ond hyre seax geteah,
brad ond brunecg, | wolde hire bearn wrecan,
angan eaferan. | Him on eaxle læg
breostnet broden; | þæt gebearh feore,
wið ord ond wið ecge | ingang forstod.
Hæfde ða forsiðod | sunu Ecgþeowes
under gynne grund, | Geata cempa,
nemne him heaðobyrne | helpe gefremede,
herenet hearde, | ond halig god
geweold wigsigor; | witig drihten,
rodera rædend, | hit on ryht gesced
yðelice, | syþðan he eft astod.

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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