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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Beowulf ch. XXXV

Beowulf 35x — ed. Tarrin Wills

Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch.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

AnonymousBeowulf
34xXXXV36x

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.

text and translation

The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable.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

Gewiteð þonne on sealman, | sorhleoð gæleð
an æfter anum; | þuhte him eall to rum,
wongas ond wicstede. | Swa Wedra helm
æfter Herebealde | heortan sorge
weallende wæg. | Wihte ne meahte
on ðam feorhbonan | fæghðe gebetan;
no ðy ær he þone heaðorinc | hatian ne meahte
laðum dædum, | þeah him leof ne wæs.
He ða mid þære sorhge, | þe him swa sar belamp,
gumdream ofgeaf, | godes leoht geceas,
eaferum læfde, | swa deð eadig mon,
lond ond leodbyrig, | þa he of life gewat.
þa wæs synn ond sacu | Sweona ond Geata
ofer wid wæter, | wroht gemæne,
herenið hearda, | syððan Hreðel swealt,
oððe him Ongenðeowes | eaferan wæran
frome, fyrdhwate, | freode ne woldon
ofer heafo healdan, | ac ymb Hreosnabeorh
eatolne inwitscear | oft gefremedon.
þæt mægwine | mine gewræcan,
fæhðe ond fyrene, | swa hyt gefræge wæs,
þeah ðe oðer his | ealdre gebohte,
heardan ceape; | Hæðcynne wearð,
Geata dryhtne, | guð onsæge.
þa ic on morgne gefrægn | mæg oðerne
billes ecgum | on bonan stælan,
þær Ongenþeow | Eofores niosað.
Guðhelm toglad, | gomela Scylfing
hreas hildeblac; | hond gemunde
fæhðo genoge, | feorhsweng ne ofteah.
Ic him þa maðmas, | þe he me sealde,
geald æt guðe, | swa me gifeðe wæs,
leohtan sweorde; | he me lond forgeaf,
eard, eðelwyn. | Næs him ænig þearf
þæt he to Gifðum | oððe to Gardenum
oððe in Swiorice | secean þurfe
wyrsan wigfrecan, | weorðe gecypan.
Symle ic him on feðan | beforan wolde,
ana on orde, | ond swa to aldre sceall
sæcce fremman, | þenden þis sweord þolað,
þæt mec ær ond sið | oft gelæste.
Syððan ic for dugeðum | Dæghrefne wearð
to handbonan, | Huga cempan;
nalles he ða frætwe | Frescyninge,
breostweorðunge, | bringan moste,
ac in compe gecrong | cumbles hyrde,
æþeling on elne; | ne wæs ecg bona,
ac him hildegrap | heortan wylmas,
banhus gebræc. | Nu sceall billes ecg,
hond ond heard sweord, | ymb hord wigan."
Beowulf maðelode, | beotwordum spræc
niehstan siðe: | "Ic geneðde fela
guða on geogoðe; | gyt ic wylle,
frod folces weard, | fæhðe secan,
mærðu fremman, | gif mec se mansceaða
of eorðsele | ut geseceð."
Gegrette ða | gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helmberend, | hindeman siðe,
swæse gesiðas: | "Nolde ic sweord beran,
wæpen to wyrme, | gif ic wiste hu
wið ðam aglæcean | elles meahte
gylpe wiðgripan, | swa ic gio wið Grendle dyde.
Ac ic ðær heaðufyres | hates wene,
oreðes ond attres; | forðon ic me on hafu
bord ond byrnan. | Nelle ic beorges weard
forfleon fotes trem, | ac unc furður sceal
weorðan æt wealle, | swa unc wyrd geteoð,
metod manna gehwæs. | Ic eom on mode from
þæt ic wið þone guðflogan | gylp ofersitte.
Gebide ge on beorge | byrnum werede,
secgas on searwum, | hwæðer sel mæge
æfter wælræse | wunde gedygan
uncer twega. | Nis þæt eower sið
ne gemet mannes, | nefne min anes,
þæt he wið aglæcean | eofoðo dæle,
eorlscype efne. | Ic mid elne sceall
gold gegangan, | oððe guð nimeð,
feorhbealu frecne, | frean eowerne!"
Aras ða bi ronde | rof oretta,
heard under helme, | hiorosercean bær
under stancleofu, | strengo getruwode
anes mannes. | Ne bið swylc earges sið!
Geseah ða be wealle | se ðe worna fela,
gumcystum god, | guða gedigde,
hildehlemma, | þonne hnitan feðan,
stondan stanbogan, | stream ut þonan
brecan of beorge. | Wæs þære burnan wælm
heaðofyrum hat; | ne meahte horde neah
unbyrnende | ænige hwile
deop gedygan | for dracan lege.
Let ða of breostum, | ða he gebolgen wæs,
Wedergeata leod | word ut faran,
stearcheort styrmde; | stefn in becom
heaðotorht hlynnan | under harne stan.
Hete wæs onhrered, | hordweard oncniow
mannes reorde; | næs ðær mara fyrst
freode to friclan. | From ærest cwom
oruð aglæcean | ut of stane,
hat hildeswat. | Hruse dynede.
Biorn under beorge | bordrand onswaf
wið ðam gryregieste, | Geata dryhten;
ða wæs hringbogan | heorte gefysed
sæcce to seceanne. | Sweord ær gebræd
god guðcyning, | gomele lafe,
ecgum unslaw; | æghwæðrum wæs
bealohycgendra | broga fram oðrum.
Stiðmod gestod | wið steapne rond
winia bealdor, | ða se wyrm gebeah
snude tosomne; | he on searwum bad.
Gewat ða byrnende | gebogen scriðan,
to gescipe scyndan. | Scyld wel gebearg
life ond lice | læssan hwile
mærum þeodne | þonne his myne sohte,
ðær he þy fyrste, | forman dogore
wealdan moste | swa him wyrd ne gescraf
hreð æt hilde. | Hond up abræd
Geata dryhten, | gryrefahne sloh
incgelafe, | þæt sio ecg gewac
brun on bane, | bat unswiðor
þonne his ðiodcyning | þearfe hæfde,
bysigum gebæded. | þa wæs beorges weard
æfter heaðuswenge | on hreoum mode,
wearp wælfyre; | wide sprungon
hildeleoman. | Hreðsigora ne gealp
goldwine Geata; | guðbill geswac,
nacod æt niðe, | swa hyt no sceolde,
iren ærgod. | Ne wæs þæt eðe sið,
þæt se mæra | maga Ecgðeowes
grundwong þone | ofgyfan wolde;
sceolde ofer willan | wic eardian
elles hwergen, | swa sceal æghwylc mon
alætan lændagas. | Næs ða long to ðon
þæt ða aglæcean hy | eft gemetton.
Hyrte hyne hordweard | (hreðer æðme weoll)
niwan stefne; | nearo ðrowode,
fyre befongen, | se ðe ær folce weold.
Nealles him on heape | handgesteallan,
æðelinga bearn, | ymbe gestodon
hildecystum, | ac hy on holt bugon,
ealdre burgan. | Hiora in anum weoll
sefa wið sorgum; | sibb æfre ne mæg
wiht onwendan | þam ðe wel þenceð.

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