Lines 1–124

þa wæs agangen geara hwyrftum
tu hund ond þreo geteled rimes,
swylce XXX eac, þinggemearces,
wintra for worulde, þæs þe wealdend god
acenned wearð, cyninga wuldor,
in middangeard þurh mennisc heo,
soðfæstra leoht. þa wæs syxte gear
Constantines caserdomes,
þæt he Romwara in rice wearð
ahæfen, hildfruma, to hereteman.
Wæs se leodhwata lindgeborga
eorlum arfæst. æðelinges weox
rice under roderum. He wæs riht cyning,
guðweard gumena. Hine god trymede
mærðum ond mihtum, þæt he manegum wearð
geond middangeard mannum to hroðer,
werþeodum to wræce, syððan wæpen ahof
wið hetendum. Him wæs hild boden,
wiges woma. Werod samnodan
Huna leode ond Hreðgotan,
foron fyrdhwate Francan ond Hugas.
Wæron hwate weras,
gearwe to guðe. Garas lixtan,
wriðene wælhlencan. Wordum ond bordum
hofon herecombol. þa wæron heardingas
sweotole gesamnod ond eal sib geador.
For folca gedryht. Fyrdleoð agol
wulf on wealde, wælrune ne mað.
Urigfeðera earn sang ahof,
laðum on laste. Lungre scynde
ofer burg enta beaduþreata mæst,
hergum to hilde, swylce Huna cyning
ymbsittendra awer meahte
abannan to beadwe burgwigendra.
For fyrda mæst. Feðan trymedon
eoredcestum, þæt on ælfylce
deareðlacende on Danubie,
stærcedfyrhðe, stæðe wicedon
ymb þæs wæteres wylm. Werodes breahtme
woldon Romwara rice geþringan,
hergum ahyðan. þær wearð Huna cyme
cuð ceasterwarum. þa se casere heht
ongean gramum guðgelæcan
under earhfære ofstum myclum
bannan to beadwe, beran ut þræce
rincas under roderum. Wæron Romware,
secgas sigerofe, sona gegearwod
wæpnum to wigge, þeah hie werod læsse
hæfdon to hilde þonne Huna cining;
ridon ymb rofne, þonne rand dynede,
campwudu clynede, cyning þreate for,
herge to hilde. Hrefen uppe gol,
wan ond wælfel. Werod wæs on tyhte.
Hleopon hornboran, hreopan friccan,
mearh moldan træd. Mægen samnode,
cafe to cease. Cyning wæs afyrhted,
egsan geaclad, siððan elþeodige,
Huna ond Hreða here sceawede,
ðæt he on Romwara rices ende
ymb þæs wæteres stæð werod samnode,
mægen unrime. Modsorge wæg
Romwara cyning, rices ne wende
for werodleste, hæfde wigena to lyt,
eaxlgestealna wið ofermægene,
hrora to hilde. Here wicode,
eorlas ymb æðeling, egstreame neah
on neaweste nihtlangne fyrst,
þæs þe hie feonda gefær fyrmest gesægon.
þa wearð on slæpe sylfum ætywed
þam casere, þær he on corðre swæf,
sigerofum gesegen swefnes woma.
þuhte him wlitescyne on weres hade
hwit ond hiwbeorht hæleða nathwylc
geywed ænlicra þonne he ær oððe sið
gesege under swegle. He of slæpe onbrægd,
eofurcumble beþeaht. Him se ar hraðe,
wlitig wuldres boda, wið þingode
ond be naman nemde, (nihthelm toglad):
"Constantinus, heht þe cyning engla,
wyrda wealdend, wære beodan,
duguða dryhten. Ne ondræd þu ðe,
ðeah þe elþeodige egesan hwopan,
heardre hilde. þu to heofenum beseoh
on wuldres weard, þær ðu wraðe findest,
sigores tacen." He wæs sona gearu
þurh þæs halgan hæs, hreðerlocan onspeon,
up locade, swa him se ar abead,
fæle friðowebba. Geseah he frætwum beorht
wliti wuldres treo ofer wolcna hrof,
golde geglenged, (gimmas lixtan);
wæs se blaca beam bocstafum awriten,
beorhte ond leohte: "Mid þys beacne ðu
on þam frecnan fære feond oferswiðesð,
geletest lað werod." þa þæt leoht gewat,
up siðode, ond se ar somed,
on clænra gemang. Cyning wæs þy bliðra
ond þe sorgleasra, secga aldor,
on fyrhðsefan, þurh þa fægeran gesyhð.
Heht þa onlice æðelinga hleo,
beorna beaggifa, swa he þæt beacen geseah,
heria hildfruma, þæt him on heofonum ær
geiewed wearð, ofstum myclum,
Constantinus, Cristes rode,
tireadig cyning, tacen gewyrcan.
Heht þa on uhtan mid ærdæge
wigend wreccan, ond wæpenþræce
hebban heorucumbul, ond þæt halige treo
him beforan ferian on feonda gemang,
beran beacen godes. Byman sungon
hlude for hergum. Hrefn weorces gefeah,
urigfeðra, earn sið beheold,
wælhreowra wig. Wulf sang ahof,
holtes gehleða. Hildegesa stod.
þær wæs borda gebrec ond beorna geþrec,
heard handgeswing ond herga gring,
syððan heo earhfære ærest metton.
On þæt fæge folc flana scuras,
garas ofer geolorand on gramra gemang,
hetend heorugrimme, hildenædran,
þurh fingra geweald forð onsendan.
Stopon stiðhidige, stundum wræcon,
bræcon bordhreðan, bil in dufan,
þrungon þræchearde. þa wæs þuf hafen,
segn for sweotum, sigeleoð galen.