Lines 1269–1389

þær him aglæca ætgræpe wearð;
hwæþre he gemunde mægenes strenge,
gimfæste gife ðe him god sealde,
ond him to anwaldan are gelyfde,
frofre ond fultum; ðy he þone feond ofercwom,
gehnægde helle gast. þa he hean gewat,
dreame bedæled, deaþwic seon,
mancynnes feond, ond his modor þa gyt,
gifre ond galgmod, gegan wolde
sorhfulne sið, sunu deað wrecan.
Com þa to Heorote, ðær Hringdene
geond þæt sæld swæfun. þa ðær sona wearð
edhwyrft eorlum, siþðan inne fealh
Grendles modor. Wæs se gryre læssa
efne swa micle swa bið mægþa cræft,
wiggryre wifes, be wæpnedmen,
þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,
sweord swate fah swin ofer helme
ecgum dyhttig andweard scireð.
þa wæs on healle heardecg togen
sweord ofer setlum, sidrand manig
hafen handa fæst; helm ne gemunde,
byrnan side, þa hine se broga angeat.
Heo wæs on ofste, wolde ut þanon,
feore beorgan, þa heo onfunden wæs.
Hraðe heo æþelinga anne hæfde
fæste befangen, þa heo to fenne gang.
Se wæs Hroþgare hæleþa leofost
on gesiðes had be sæm tweonum,
rice randwiga, þone ðe heo on ræste abreat,
blædfæstne beorn. Næs Beowulf ðær,
ac wæs oþer in ær geteohhod
æfter maþðumgife mærum Geate.
Hream wearð in Heorote; heo under heolfre genam
cuþe folme; cearu wæs geniwod,
geworden in wicun. Ne wæs þæt gewrixle til,
þæt hie on ba healfa bicgan scoldon
freonda feorum. þa wæs frod cyning,
har hilderinc, on hreon mode,
syðþan he aldorþegn unlyfigendne,
þone deorestan deadne wisse.
Hraþe wæs to bure Beowulf fetod,
sigoreadig secg. Samod ærdæge
eode eorla sum, æþele cempa
self mid gesiðum þær se snotera bad,
hwæþer him alwalda æfre wille
æfter weaspelle wyrpe gefremman.
Gang ða æfter flore fyrdwyrðe man
mid his handscale (healwudu dynede),
þæt he þone wisan wordum nægde
frean Ingwina, frægn gif him wære
æfter neodlaðum niht getæse.
Hroðgar maþelode, helm Scyldinga:
"Ne frin þu æfter sælum! Sorh is geniwod
Denigea leodum. Dead is æschere,
Yrmenlafes yldra broþor,
min runwita ond min rædbora,
eaxlgestealla, ðonne we on orlege
hafelan weredon, þonne hniton feþan,
eoferas cnysedan. Swylc scolde eorl wesan,
æþeling ærgod, swylc æschere wæs!
Wearð him on Heorote to handbanan
wælgæst wæfre; ic ne wat hwæder
atol æse wlanc eftsiðas teah,
fylle gefægnod. Heo þa fæhðe wræc
þe þu gystran niht Grendel cwealdest
þurh hæstne had heardum clammum,
forþan he to lange leode mine
wanode ond wyrde. He æt wige gecrang
ealdres scyldig, ond nu oþer cwom
mihtig manscaða, wolde hyre mæg wrecan,
ge feor hafað fæhðe gestæled
(þæs þe þincean mæg þegne monegum,
se þe æfter sincgyfan on sefan greoteþ),
hreþerbealo hearde; nu seo hand ligeð,
se þe eow welhwylcra wilna dohte.
Ic þæt londbuend, leode mine,
selerædende, secgan hyrde
þæt hie gesawon swylce twegen
micle mearcstapan moras healdan,
ellorgæstas. ðæra oðer wæs,
þæs þe hie gewislicost gewitan meahton,
idese onlicnæs; oðer earmsceapen
on weres wæstmum wræclastas træd,
næfne he wæs mara þonne ænig man oðer;
þone on geardagum Grendel nemdon
foldbuende. No hie fæder cunnon,
hwæþer him ænig wæs ær acenned
dyrnra gasta. Hie dygel lond
warigeað, wulfhleoþu, windige næssas,
frecne fengelad, ðær fyrgenstream
under næssa genipu niþer gewiteð,
flod under foldan. Nis þæt feor heonon
milgemearces þæt se mere standeð;
ofer þæm hongiað hrinde bearwas,
wudu wyrtum fæst wæter oferhelmað.
þær mæg nihta gehwæm niðwundor seon,
fyr on flode. No þæs frod leofað
gumena bearna, þæt þone grund wite;
ðeah þe hæðstapa hundum geswenced,
heorot hornum trum, holtwudu sece,
feorran geflymed, ær he feorh seleð,
aldor on ofre, ær he in wille
hafelan hydan. Nis þæt heoru stow!
þonon yðgeblond up astigeð
won to wolcnum, þonne wind styreþ,
lað gewidru, oðþæt lyft drysmaþ,
roderas reotað. Nu is se ræd gelang
eft æt þe anum. Eard git ne const,
frecne stowe, ðær þu findan miht
felasinnigne secg; sec gif þu dyrre.
Ic þe þa fæhðe feo leanige,
ealdgestreonum, swa ic ær dyde,
wundnum golde, gyf þu on weg cymest."
Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes:
"Ne sorga, snotor guma; selre bið æghwæm
þæt he his freond wrece, þonne he fela murne.
Ure æghwylc sceal ende gebidan
worolde lifes; wyrce se þe mote
domes ær deaþe; þæt bið drihtguman
unlifgendum æfter selest.