Old English Text - Chapter V PREV | NEXT

320
Stræt wæs stanfah,         stig wisode
gumum ætgædere.         Guðbyrne scan
heard hondlocen,         hringiren scir
song in searwum,         þa hie to sele furðum
in hyra gryregeatwum         gangan cwomon.
325
Setton sæmeþe         side scyldas,
rondas regnhearde,         wið þæs recedes weal,
bugon þa to bence.         Byrnan hringdon,
guðsearo gumena;         garas stodon,
sæmanna searo,         samod ætgædere,
330
æscholt ufan græg;         wæs se irenþreat
wæpnum gewurþad.         þa ðær wlonc hæleð
oretmecgas         æfter æþelum frægn:
"Hwanon ferigeað ge         fætte scyldas,
græge syrcan         ond grimhelmas,
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heresceafta heap?         Ic eom Hroðgares
ar ond ombiht.         Ne seah ic elþeodige
þus manige men         modiglicran.
Wen ic þæt ge for wlenco,         nalles for wræcsiðum,
ac for higeþrymmum         Hroðgar sohton."
340
Him þa ellenrof         andswarode,
wlanc Wedera leod,         word æfter spræc,
heard under helme:         "We synt Higelaces
beodgeneatas;         Beowulf is min nama.
Wille ic asecgan         sunu Healfdenes,
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mærum þeodne,         min ærende,
aldre þinum,         gif he us geunnan wile
þæt we hine swa godne         gretan moton."
Wulfgar maþelode         (þæt wæs Wendla leod;
wæs his modsefa         manegum gecyðed,
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wig ond wisdom):         "Ic þæs wine Deniga,
frean Scildinga,         frinan wille,
beaga bryttan,         swa þu bena eart,
þeoden mærne,         ymb þinne sið,
ond þe þa ondsware         ædre gecyðan
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ðe me se goda         agifan þenceð."
Hwearf þa hrædlice         þær Hroðgar sæt
eald ond anhar         mid his eorla gedriht;
eode ellenrof,         þæt he for eaxlum gestod
Deniga frean;         cuþe he duguðe þeaw.
360
Wulfgar maðelode         to his winedrihtne:
"Her syndon geferede,         feorran cumene
ofer geofenes begang         Geata leode;
þone yldestan         oretmecgas
Beowulf nemnað.         Hy benan synt
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þæt hie, þeoden min,         wið þe moton
wordum wrixlan.         No ðu him wearne geteoh
ðinra gegncwida,         glædman Hroðgar.
Hy on wiggetawum         wyrðe þinceað
eorla geæhtlan;         huru se aldor deah,
se þæm heaðorincum         hider wisade."

Summary :
Arriving in *Heorot, the travelers observe the decorated streets. *Wulfgar stops them to ask their business. The leader of the *Geat seafarers is named *Beowulf and he seeks an audience with *Hrothgar.

*Hrothgar is upon his throne as *Wulfgar asks him to speak with these armed men led by *Beowulf of the *Geats. Their leader appears to him a very strong warrior.


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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