Beowulf ch. XXXVII
Beowulf 37x — ed. Tarrin Wills
Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. XXXVII)
text and translation
The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):
ða ic æt þearfe gefrægn | þeodcyninges
andlongne eorl | ellen cyðan,
cræft ond cenðu, | swa him gecynde wæs.
Ne hedde he þæs heafolan, | ac sio hand gebarn
modiges mannes, | þær he his mæges healp,
þæt he þone niðgæst | nioðor hwene sloh,
secg on searwum, | þæt ðæt sweord gedeaf,
fah ond fæted, | þæt ðæt fyr ongon
sweðrian syððan. | þa gen sylf cyning
geweold his gewitte, | wællseaxe gebræd
biter ond beaduscearp, | þæt he on byrnan wæg;
forwrat Wedra helm | wyrm on middan.
Feond gefyldan | (ferh ellen wræc),
ond hi hyne þa begen | abroten hæfdon,
sibæðelingas. | Swylc sceolde secg wesan,
þegn æt ðearfe! | þæt ðam þeodne wæs
siðast sigehwila | sylfes dædum,
worlde geweorces. | ða sio wund ongon,
þe him se eorðdraca | ær geworhte,
swelan ond swellan; | he þæt sona onfand,
þæt him on breostum | bealoniðe weoll
attor on innan. | ða se æðeling giong
þæt he bi wealle | wishycgende
gesæt on sesse; | seah on enta geweorc,
hu ða stanbogan | stapulum fæste
ece eorðreced | innan healde.
Hyne þa mid handa | heorodreorigne,
þeoden mærne, | þegn ungemete till
winedryhten his | wætere gelafede,
hilde sædne, | ond his helm onspeon.
Biowulf maþelode | (he ofer benne spræc,
wunde wælbleate; | wisse he gearwe
þæt he dæghwila | gedrogen hæfde,
eorðan wynne; | ða wæs eall sceacen
dogorgerimes, | deað ungemete neah):
"Nu ic suna minum | syllan wolde
guðgewædu, | þær me gifeðe swa
ænig yrfeweard | æfter wurde
lice gelenge. | Ic ðas leode heold
fiftig wintra; | næs se folccyning,
ymbesittendra | ænig ðara,
þe mec guðwinum | gretan dorste,
egesan ðeon. | Ic on earde bad
mælgesceafta, | heold min tela,
ne sohte searoniðas, | ne me swor fela
aða on unriht. | Ic ðæs ealles mæg
feorhbennum seoc | gefean habban;
for ðam me witan ne ðearf | waldend fira
morðorbealo maga, | þonne min sceaceð
lif of lice. | Nu ðu lungre geong
hord sceawian | under harne stan,
Wiglaf leofa, | nu se wyrm ligeð,
swefeð sare wund, | since bereafod.
Bio nu on ofoste, | þæt ic ærwelan,
goldæht ongite, | gearo sceawige
swegle searogimmas, | þæt ic ðy seft mæge
æfter maððumwelan | min alætan
lif ond leodscipe, | þone ic longe heold."
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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