Lines 642–766

þa wæs eft swa ær inne on healle
þryðword sprecen, ðeod on sælum,
sigefolca sweg, oþþæt semninga
sunu Healfdenes secean wolde
æfenræste; wiste þæm ahlæcan
to þæm heahsele hilde geþinged,
siððan hie sunnan leoht geseon ne meahton,
oþðe nipende niht ofer ealle,
scaduhelma gesceapu scriðan cwoman,
wan under wolcnum. Werod eall aras.
Gegrette þa guma oþerne,
Hroðgar Beowulf, ond him hæl abead,
winærnes geweald, ond þæt word acwæð:
"Næfre ic ænegum men ær alyfde,
siþðan ic hond ond rond hebban mihte,
ðryþærn Dena buton þe nu ða.
Hafa nu ond geheald husa selest,
gemyne mærþo, mægenellen cyð,
waca wið wraþum. Ne bið þe wilna gad,
gif þu þæt ellenweorc aldre gedigest."
ða him Hroþgar gewat mid his hæleþa gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga, ut of healle;
wolde wigfruma Wealhþeo secan,
cwen to gebeddan. Hæfde kyningwuldor
Grendle togeanes, swa guman gefrungon,
seleweard aseted; sundornytte beheold
ymb aldor Dena, eotonweard abead.
Huru Geata leod georne truwode
modgan mægnes, metodes hyldo.
ða he him of dyde isernbyrnan,
helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
irena cyst, ombihtþegne,
ond gehealdan het hildegeatwe.
Gespræc þa se goda gylpworda sum,
Beowulf Geata, ær he on bed stige:
"No ic me an herewæsmun hnagran talige,
guþgeweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
aldre beneotan, þeah ic eal mæge.
Nat he þara goda þæt he me ongean slea,
rand geheawe, þeah ðe he rof sie
niþgeweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
secge ofersittan, gif he gesecean dear
wig ofer wæpen, ond siþðan witig god
on swa hwæþere hond, halig dryhten,
mærðo deme, swa him gemet þince."
Hylde hine þa heaþodeor, hleorbolster onfeng
eorles andwlitan, ond hine ymb monig
snellic særinc selereste gebeah.
Nænig heora þohte þæt he þanon scolde
eft eardlufan æfre gesecean,
folc oþðe freoburh, þær he afeded wæs;
ac hie hæfdon gefrunen þæt hie ær to fela micles
in þæm winsele wældeað fornam,
Denigea leode. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wigspeda gewiofu, Wedera leodum,
frofor ond fultum, þæt hie feond heora
ðurh anes cræft ealle ofercomon,
selfes mihtum. Soð is gecyþed
þæt mihtig god manna cynnes
weold wideferhð. Com on wanre niht
scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,
þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,
ealle buton anum. þæt wæs yldum cuþ
þæt hie ne moste, þa metod nolde,
se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;
ac he wæccende wraþum on andan
bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.
ða com of more under misthleoþum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær;
mynte se manscaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.
Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced,
goldsele gumena, gearwost wisse,
fættum fahne. Ne wæs þæt forma sið
þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;
næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan
heardran hæle, healðegnas fand.
Com þa to recede rinc siðian,
dreamum bedæled. Duru sona onarn,
fyrbendum fæst, syþðan he hire folmum æthran;
onbræd þa bealohydig, ða he gebolgen wæs,
recedes muþan. Raþe æfter þon
on fagne flor feond treddode,
eode yrremod; him of eagum stod
ligge gelicost leoht unfæger.
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere,
magorinca heap. þa his mod ahlog;
mynte þæt he gedælde, ærþon dæg cwome,
atol aglæca, anra gehwylces
lif wið lice, þa him alumpen wæs
wistfylle wen. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þa gen
þæt he ma moste manna cynnes
ðicgean ofer þa niht. þryðswyð beheold
mæg Higelaces, hu se manscaða
under færgripum gefaran wolde.
Ne þæt se aglæca yldan þohte,
ac he gefeng hraðe forman siðe
slæpendne rinc, slat unwearnum,
bat banlocan, blod edrum dranc,
synsnædum swealh; sona hæfde
unlyfigendes eal gefeormod,
fet ond folma. Forð near ætstop,
nam þa mid handa higeþihtigne
rinc on ræste, ræhte ongean
feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe
inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt.
Sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde
þæt he ne mette middangeardes,
eorþan sceata, on elran men
mundgripe maran. He on mode wearð
forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte.
Hyge wæs him hinfus, wolde on heolster fleon,
secan deofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þær
swylce he on ealderdagum ær gemette.
Gemunde þa se goda, mæg Higelaces,
æfenspræce, uplang astod
ond him fæste wiðfeng; fingras burston.
Eoten wæs utweard; eorl furþur stop.
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swa,
widre gewindan ond on weg þanon
fleon on fenhopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grapum. þæt wæs geocor sið
þæt se hearmscaþa to Heorute ateah.