Lines 2653–2782

Ne þynceð me gerysne þæt we rondas beren
eft to earde, nemne we æror mægen
fane gefyllan, feorh ealgian
Wedra ðeodnes. Ic wat geare
þæt næron ealdgewyrht, þæt he ana scyle
Geata duguðe gnorn þrowian,
gesigan æt sæcce; urum sceal sweord ond helm,
byrne ond beaduscrud, bam gemæne."
Wod þa þurh þone wælrec, wigheafolan bær
frean on fultum, fea worda cwæð:
"Leofa Biowulf, læst eall tela,
swa ðu on geoguðfeore geara gecwæde
þæt ðu ne alæte be ðe lifigendum
dom gedreosan. Scealt nu dædum rof,
æðeling anhydig, ealle mægene
feorh ealgian; ic ðe fullæstu."
æfter ðam wordum wyrm yrre cwom,
atol inwitgæst, oðre siðe
fyrwylmum fah fionda niosian,
laðra manna; ligyðum for.
Born bord wið rond, byrne ne meahte
geongum garwigan geoce gefremman,
ac se maga geonga under his mæges scyld
elne geeode, þa his agen wæs
gledum forgrunden. þa gen guðcyning
mærða gemunde, mægenstrengo sloh
hildebille, þæt hyt on heafolan stod
niþe genyded; Nægling forbærst,
geswac æt sæcce sweord Biowulfes,
gomol ond grægmæl. Him þæt gifeðe ne wæs
þæt him irenna ecge mihton
helpan æt hilde; wæs sio hond to strong,
se ðe meca gehwane, mine gefræge,
swenge ofersohte, þonne he to sæcce bær
wæpen wundrum heard; næs him wihte ðe sel.
þa wæs þeodsceaða þriddan siðe,
frecne fyrdraca, fæhða gemyndig,
ræsde on ðone rofan, þa him rum ageald,
hat ond heaðogrim, heals ealne ymbefeng
biteran banum; he geblodegod wearð
sawuldriore, swat yðum weoll.
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."
ða ic snude gefrægn sunu Wihstanes
æfter wordcwydum wundum dryhtne
hyran heaðosiocum, hringnet beran,
brogdne beadusercean under beorges hrof.
Geseah ða sigehreðig, þa he bi sesse geong,
magoþegn modig maððumsigla fealo,
gold glitinian grunde getenge,
wundur on wealle, ond þæs wyrmes denn,
ealdes uhtflogan, orcas stondan,
fyrnmanna fatu feormendlease,
hyrstum behrorene; þær wæs helm monig
eald ond omig, earmbeaga fela
searwum gesæled. Sinc eaðe mæg,
gold on grunde, gumcynnes gehwone
oferhigian, hyde se ðe wylle.
Swylce he siomian geseah segn eallgylden
heah ofer horde, hondwundra mæst,
gelocen leoðocræftum; of ðam leoma stod,
þæt he þone grundwong ongitan meahte,
wræte giondwlitan. Næs ðæs wyrmes þær
onsyn ænig, ac hyne ecg fornam.
ða ic on hlæwe gefrægn hord reafian,
eald enta geweorc, anne mannan,
him on bearm hladon bunan ond discas
sylfes dome; segn eac genom,
beacna beorhtost. Bill ær gescod
(ecg wæs iren) ealdhlafordes
þam ðara maðma mundbora wæs
longe hwile, ligegesan wæg
hatne for horde, hioroweallende
middelnihtum, oðþæt he morðre swealt.