Beowulf 39x — ed. Tarrin Wills
Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. [XXXVIIII])
The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):
ða wæs gegongen | guman unfrodum
earfoðlice, | þæt he on eorðan geseah
þone leofestan | lifes æt ende
bleate gebæran. | Bona swylce læg,
egeslic eorðdraca | ealdre bereafod,
bealwe gebæded. | Beahhordum leng
wyrm wohbogen | wealdan ne moste,
ac hine irenna | ecga fornamon,
hearde, heaðoscearde | homera lafe,
þæt se widfloga | wundum stille
hreas on hrusan | hordærne neah.
Nalles æfter lyfte | lacende hwearf
middelnihtum, | maðmæhta wlonc
ansyn ywde, | ac he eorðan gefeoll
for ðæs hildfruman | hondgeweorce.
Huru þæt on lande | lyt manna ðah,
mægenagendra, | mine gefræge,
þeah ðe he dæda gehwæs | dyrstig wære,
þæt he wið attorsceaðan | oreðe geræsde,
oððe hringsele | hondum styrede,
gif he wæccende | weard onfunde
buon on beorge. | Biowulfe wearð
dryhtmaðma dæl | deaðe forgolden;
hæfde æghwæðer | ende gefered
lænan lifes. | Næs ða lang to ðon
þæt ða hildlatan | holt ofgefan,
tydre treowlogan | tyne ætsomne.
ða ne dorston ær | dareðum lacan
on hyra mandryhtnes | miclan þearfe,
ac hy scamiende | scyldas bæran,
guðgewædu, | þær se gomela læg,
wlitan on Wilaf. | He gewergad sæt,
feðecempa, | frean eaxlum neah,
wehte hyne wætre; | him wiht ne speow.
Ne meahte he on eorðan, | ðeah he uðe wel,
on ðam frumgare | feorh gehealdan,
ne ðæs wealdendes | wiht oncirran;
wolde dom godes | dædum rædan
gumena gehwylcum, | swa he nu gen deð.
þa wæs æt ðam geongan | grim ondswaru
eðbegete | þam ðe ær his elne forleas.
Wiglaf maðelode, | Weohstanes sunu,
sec, sarigferð | (seah on unleofe):
"þæt, la, mæg secgan | se ðe wyle soð specan
þæt se mondryhten | se eow ða maðmas geaf,
eoredgeatwe, | þe ge þær on standað,
þonne he on ealubence | oft gesealde
healsittendum | helm ond byrnan,
þeoden his þegnum, | swylce he þrydlicost
ower feor oððe neah | findan meahte,
þæt he genunga | guðgewædu
wraðe forwurpe, | ða hyne wig beget.
Nealles folccyning | fyrdgesteallum
gylpan þorfte; | hwæðre him god uðe,
sigora waldend, | þæt he hyne sylfne gewræc
ana mid ecge, | þa him wæs elnes þearf.
Ic him lifwraðe | lytle meahte
ætgifan æt guðe, | ond ongan swa þeah
ofer min gemet | mæges helpan;
symle wæs þy sæmra, | þonne ic sweorde drep
ferhðgeniðlan, | fyr unswiðor
weoll of gewitte. | Wergendra to lyt
þrong ymbe þeoden, | þa hyne sio þrag becwom.
Nu sceal sincþego | ond swyrdgifu,
eall eðelwyn | eowrum cynne,
lufen alicgean; | londrihtes mot
þære mægburge | monna æghwylc
idel hweorfan, | syððan æðelingas
feorran gefricgean | fleam eowerne,
domleasan dæd. | Deað bið sella
eorla gehwylcum | þonne edwitlif!"
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.
Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.
The text and translation are given here, with buttons to toggle whether the text is shown in the verse order or prose word order. Clicking on indiviudal words gives dictionary links, variant readings, kennings and notes, where relevant.
This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.
This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.