Lines 2922–3046

Ne ic to Sweoðeode sibbe oððe treowe
wihte ne wene, ac wæs wide cuð
þætte Ongenðio ealdre besnyðede
Hæðcen Hreþling wið Hrefnawudu,
þa for onmedlan ærest gesohton
Geata leode Guðscilfingas.
Sona him se froda fæder Ohtheres,
eald ond egesfull, ondslyht ageaf,
abreot brimwisan, bryd ahredde,
gomela iomeowlan golde berofene,
Onelan modor ond Ohtheres,
ond ða folgode feorhgeniðlan,
oððæt hi oðeodon earfoðlice
in Hrefnesholt hlafordlease.
Besæt ða sinherge sweorda lafe,
wundum werge, wean oft gehet
earmre teohhe ondlonge niht,
cwæð, he on mergenne meces ecgum
getan wolde, sum on galgtreowum
fuglum to gamene. Frofor eft gelamp
sarigmodum somod ærdæge,
syððan hie Hygelaces horn ond byman,
gealdor ongeaton, þa se goda com
leoda dugoðe on last faran.
Wæs sio swatswaðu Sweona ond Geata,
wælræs weora wide gesyne,
hu ða folc mid him fæhðe towehton.
Gewat him ða se goda mid his gædelingum,
frod, felageomor, fæsten secean,
eorl Ongenþio, ufor oncirde;
hæfde Higelaces hilde gefrunen,
wlonces wigcræft, wiðres ne truwode,
þæt he sæmannum onsacan mihte,
heaðoliðendum hord forstandan,
bearn ond bryde; beah eft þonan
eald under eorðweall. þa wæs æht boden
Sweona leodum, segn Higelaces
freoðowong þone forð ofereodon,
syððan Hreðlingas to hagan þrungon.
þær wearð Ongenðiow ecgum sweorda,
blondenfexa, on bid wrecen,
þæt se þeodcyning ðafian sceolde
Eafores anne dom. Hyne yrringa
Wulf Wonreding wæpne geræhte,
þæt him for swenge swat ædrum sprong
forð under fexe. Næs he forht swa ðeh,
gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraðe
wyrsan wrixle wælhlem þone,
syððan ðeodcyning þyder oncirde.
Ne meahte se snella sunu Wonredes
ealdum ceorle ondslyht giofan,
ac he him on heafde helm ær gescer,
þæt he blode fah bugan sceolde,
feoll on foldan; næs he fæge þa git,
ac he hyne gewyrpte, þeah ðe him wund hrine.
Let se hearda Higelaces þegn
bradne mece, þa his broðor læg,
eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm
brecan ofer bordweal; ða gebeah cyning,
folces hyrde, wæs in feorh dropen.
ða wæron monige þe his mæg wriðon,
ricone arærdon, ða him gerymed wearð
þæt hie wælstowe wealdan moston.
þenden reafode rinc oðerne,
nam on Ongenðio irenbyrnan,
heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod,
hares hyrste Higelace bær.
He ðam frætwum feng ond him fægre gehet
leana mid leodum, ond gelæste swa;
geald þone guðræs Geata dryhten,
Hreðles eafora, þa he to ham becom,
Iofore ond Wulfe mid ofermaðmum,
sealde hiora gehwæðrum hund þusenda
landes ond locenra beaga (ne ðorfte him ða lean oðwitan
mon on middangearde), syððan hie ða mærða geslogon,
ond ða Iofore forgeaf angan dohtor,
hamweorðunge, hyldo to wedde.
þæt ys sio fæhðo ond se feondscipe,
wælnið wera, ðæs ðe ic wen hafo,
þe us seceað to Sweona leoda,
syððan hie gefricgeað frean userne
ealdorleasne, þone ðe ær geheold
wið hettendum hord ond rice
æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scildingas,
folcred fremede oððe furður gen
eorlscipe efnde. Nu is ofost betost
þæt we þeodcyning þær sceawian
ond þone gebringan, þe us beagas geaf,
on adfære. Ne scel anes hwæt
meltan mid þam modigan, ac þær is maðma hord,
gold unrime grimme geceapod,
ond nu æt siðestan sylfes feore
beagas gebohte. þa sceall brond fretan,
æled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan
maððum to gemyndum, ne mægð scyne
habban on healse hringweorðunge,
ac sceal geomormod, golde bereafod,
oft nalles æne elland tredan,
nu se herewisa hleahtor alegde,
gamen ond gleodream. Forðon sceall gar wesan
monig, morgenceald, mundum bewunden,
hæfen on handa, nalles hearpan sweg
wigend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
fus ofer fægum fela reordian,
earne secgan hu him æt æte speow,
þenden he wið wulf wæl reafode."
Swa se secg hwata secggende wæs
laðra spella; he ne leag fela
wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall aras;
eodon unbliðe under Earnanæs,
wollenteare wundur sceawian.
Fundon ða on sande sawulleasne
hlimbed healdan þone þe him hringas geaf
ærran mælum; þa wæs endedæg
godum gegongen, þæt se guðcyning,
Wedra þeoden, wundordeaðe swealt.
ær hi þær gesegan syllicran wiht,
wyrm on wonge wiðerræhtes þær
laðne licgean; wæs se legdraca
grimlic, gryrefah, gledum beswæled.
Se wæs fiftiges fotgemearces
lang on legere, lyftwynne heold
nihtes hwilum, nyðer eft gewat
dennes niosian; wæs ða deaðe fæst,
hæfde eorðscrafa ende genyttod.