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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Beowulf ch. XXV

Beowulf 26x — ed. Tarrin Wills

Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch.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

AnonymousBeowulf
25xXXV27x

text and translation

The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable.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

oðþæt him on innan | oferhygda dæl
weaxeð ond wridað. | þonne se weard swefeð,
sawele hyrde; | bið se slæp to fæst,
bisgum gebunden, | bona swiðe neah,
se þe of flanbogan | fyrenum sceoteð.
þonne bið on hreþre | under helm drepen
biteran stræle | (him bebeorgan ne con),
wom wundorbebodum | wergan gastes;
þinceð him to lytel | þæt he lange heold,
gytsað gromhydig, | nallas on gylp seleð
fædde beagas, | ond he þa forðgesceaft
forgyteð ond forgymeð, | þæs þe him ær god sealde,
wuldres waldend, | weorðmynda dæl.
Hit on endestæf | eft gelimpeð
þæt se lichoma | læne gedreoseð,
fæge gefealleð; | fehð oþer to,
se þe unmurnlice | madmas dæleþ,
eorles ærgestreon, | egesan ne gymeð.
Bebeorh þe ðone bealonið, | Beowulf leofa,
secg betsta, | ond þe þæt selre geceos,
ece rædas; | oferhyda ne gym,
mære cempa. | Nu is þines mægnes blæd
ane hwile. | Eft sona bið
þæt þec adl oððe ecg | eafoþes getwæfeð,
oððe fyres feng, | oððe flodes wylm,
oððe gripe meces, | oððe gares fliht,
oððe atol yldo; | oððe eagena bearhtm
forsiteð ond forsworceð; | semninga bið
þæt ðec, dryhtguma, | deað oferswyðeð.
Swa ic Hringdena | hund missera
weold under wolcnum | ond hig wigge beleac
manigum mægþa | geond þysne middangeard,
æscum ond ecgum, | þæt ic me ænigne
under swegles begong | gesacan ne tealde.
Hwæt, me þæs on eþle | edwenden cwom,
gyrn æfter gomene, | seoþðan Grendel wearð,
ealdgewinna, | ingenga min;
ic þære socne | singales wæg
modceare micle. | þæs sig metode þanc,
ecean dryhtne, | þæs ðe ic on aldre gebad
þæt ic on þone hafelan | heorodreorigne
ofer ealdgewin | eagum starige!
Ga nu to setle, | symbelwynne dreoh
wigge weorþad; | unc sceal worn fela
maþma gemænra, | siþðan morgen bið."
Geat wæs glædmod, | geong sona to
setles neosan, | swa se snottra heht.
þa wæs eft swa ær | ellenrofum
fletsittendum | fægere gereorded
niowan stefne. | Nihthelm geswearc
deorc ofer dryhtgumum. | Duguð eal aras.
Wolde blondenfeax | beddes neosan,
gamela Scylding. | Geat unigmetes wel,
rofne randwigan, | restan lyste;
sona him seleþegn | siðes wergum,
feorrancundum, | forð wisade,
se for andrysnum | ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, | swylce þy dogore
heaþoliðende | habban scoldon.
Reste hine þa rumheort; | reced hliuade
geap ond goldfah; | gæst inne swæf
oþþæt hrefn blaca | heofones wynne
bliðheort bodode. | ða com beorht scacan
scaþan onetton,
wæron æþelingas | eft to leodum
fuse to farenne; | wolde feor þanon
cuma collenferhð | ceoles neosan.
Heht þa se hearda | Hrunting beran
sunu Ecglafes, | heht his sweord niman,
leoflic iren; | sægde him þæs leanes þanc,
cwæð, he þone guðwine | godne tealde,
wigcræftigne, | nales wordum log
meces ecge; | þæt wæs modig secg.
Ond þa siðfrome, | searwum gearwe
wigend wæron; | eode weorð Denum
æþeling to yppan, | þær se oþer wæs,
hæle hildedeor | Hroðgar grette.

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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