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Wiglaf wæs haten Weoxstanes sunu,
leoflic lindwiga, leod Scylfinga,
mæg ælfheres; geseah his mondryhten
- 2605
-
under heregriman hat þrowian.
Gemunde ða ða are þe he him ær forgeaf,
wicstede weligne Wægmundinga,
folcrihta gehwylc, swa his fæder ahte.
Ne mihte ða forhabban; hond rond gefeng,
- 2610
-
geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteah,
þæt wæs mid eldum Eanmundes laf,
suna Ohteres. þam æt sæcce wearð,
wræccan wineleasum, Weohstan bana
meces ecgum, ond his magum ætbær
- 2615
-
brunfagne helm, hringde byrnan,
eald sweord etonisc; þæt him Onela forgeaf,
his gædelinges guðgewædu,
fyrdsearo fuslic, no ymbe ða fæhðe spræc,
þeah ðe he his broðor bearn abredwade.
- 2620
-
He frætwe geheold fela missera,
bill ond byrnan, oððæt his byre mihte
eorlscipe efnan swa his ærfæder;
geaf him ða mid Geatum guðgewæda,
æghwæs unrim, þa he of ealdre gewat,
- 2625
-
frod on forðweg. þa wæs forma sið
geongan cempan, þæt he guðe ræs
mid his freodryhtne fremman sceolde.
Ne gemealt him se modsefa, ne his mæges laf
gewac æt wige; þæt se wyrm onfand,
- 2630
-
syððan hie togædre gegan hæfdon.
Wiglaf maðelode, wordrihta fela
sægde gesiðum (him wæs sefa geomor):
"Ic ðæt mæl geman, þær we medu þegun,
þonne we geheton ussum hlaforde
- 2635
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in biorsele, ðe us ðas beagas geaf,
þæt we him ða guðgetawa gyldan woldon
gif him þyslicu þearf gelumpe,
helmas ond heard sweord. ðe he usic on herge geceas
to ðyssum siðfate sylfes willum,
- 2640
-
onmunde usic mærða, ond me þas maðmas geaf,
þe he usic garwigend gode tealde,
hwate helmberend, þeah ðe hlaford us
þis ellenweorc ana aðohte
to gefremmanne, folces hyrde,
- 2645
-
for ðam he manna mæst mærða gefremede,
dæda dollicra. Nu is se dæg cumen
þæt ure mandryhten mægenes behofað,
godra guðrinca; wutun gongan to,
helpan hildfruman, þenden hyt sy,
- 2650
-
gledegesa grim. God wat on mec
þæt me is micle leofre þæt minne lichaman
mid minne goldgyfan gled fæðmie.
Ne þynceð me gerysne þæt we rondas beren
eft to earde, nemne we æror mægen
- 2655
-
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,
- 2660
-
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
- 2665
-
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,
- 2670
-
atol inwitgæst, oðre siðe
fyrwylmum fah fionda niosian,
laðra manna; ligyðum for.
Born bord wið rond, byrne ne meahte
geongum garwigan geoce gefremman,
- 2675
-
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
- 2680
-
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,
- 2685
-
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,
- 2690
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ræsde on ðone rofan, þa him rum ageald,
hat ond heaðogrim, heals ealne ymbefeng
biteran banum; he geblodegod wearð
sawuldriore, swat yðum weoll.
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Summary :
*Wiglaf, son of *Weohstan, a *Scylfling and kinsman to *Aelfhere. He saw his king oppressed by the fire, and recalled all of the gifts he and the *Waegmunding family had recieved for loyalty to him. He took up his wooden shield and his sword -- given to *Weohstan by *Onela, for slaying *Eanmund, son of *Othere; the old sword of *Eotens. His first battle alongside his lord, *Wiglaf was brave, so the dragon was to learn.
*Wiglaf spoke of the mead hall where thier lord had distibuted hard swords and helmets. He had chosen them to assist him in battle, and though the hero might win the day by himself, this is the day when he requires the help of his kinsmen. If *Beowulf should fall, his follower will fall with him. It was not fit to retreat but to remain and defend the life of their lord. To the shame of the *Geats if they allowed thier leader to fall alone. His sword and shield must then serve both himself and his lord.
Entering the smoke, *Wiglaf called out to *Beowulf to fight for his life, for he had arrived to help.
Hearing the words, the dragon was again enraged and he let fly his breath of fire. The flames quickly consumed *Wiglaf's wooden shield and his mail shirt would serve no protection. He quickly entered to cover of the iron shield. *Beowulf, aware of assistance, stuck out with *Naegling and struck the dragon on the head, but the sword broke. *Beowulf had simply been too strong for swords to be of great use to him.
For the third time the dragon struck at *Beowulf and succeded in biting him about the neck and the blood welled about his breast.
Select Bibliography :
Anonymous. Beowulf - Verse Intermediate Saxon. Transcribed by Altman, R.I. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
Anonymous. Beowulf Gummere, F.B. trans., Eliot, C.W. ed.. Harvard Classics, Vol. 49.: PF Collier & Sons, New York. 1910. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
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