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- 1740
-
oðþæt him on innan oferhygda dæl
weaxeð ond wridað. þonne se weard swefeð,
sawele hyrde; bið se slæp to fæst,
bisgum gebunden, bona swiðe neah,
se þe of flanbogan fyrenum sceoteð.
- 1745
-
þonne bið on hreþre under helm drepen
biteran stræle (him bebeorgan ne con),
wom wundorbebodum wergan gastes;
þinceð him to lytel þæt he lange heold,
gytsað gromhydig, nallas on gylp seleð
- 1750
-
fædde beagas, ond he þa forðgesceaft
forgyteð ond forgymeð, þæs þe him ær god sealde,
wuldres waldend, weorðmynda dæl.
Hit on endestæf eft gelimpeð
þæt se lichoma læne gedreoseð,
- 1755
-
fæge gefealleð; fehð oþer to,
se þe unmurnlice madmas dæleþ,
eorles ærgestreon, egesan ne gymeð.
Bebeorh þe ðone bealonið, Beowulf leofa,
secg betsta, ond þe þæt selre geceos,
- 1760
-
ece rædas; oferhyda ne gym,
mære cempa. Nu is þines mægnes blæd
ane hwile. Eft sona bið
þæt þec adl oððe ecg eafoþes getwæfeð,
oððe fyres feng, oððe flodes wylm,
- 1765
-
oððe gripe meces, oððe gares fliht,
oððe atol yldo; oððe eagena bearhtm
forsiteð ond forsworceð; semninga bið
þæt ðec, dryhtguma, deað oferswyðeð.
Swa ic Hringdena hund missera
- 1770
-
weold under wolcnum ond hig wigge beleac
manigum mægþa geond þysne middangeard,
æscum ond ecgum, þæt ic me ænigne
under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
Hwæt, me þæs on eþle edwenden cwom,
- 1775
-
gyrn æfter gomene, seoþðan Grendel wearð,
ealdgewinna, ingenga min;
ic þære socne singales wæg
modceare micle. þæs sig metode þanc,
ecean dryhtne, þæs ðe ic on aldre gebad
- 1780
-
þæt ic on þone hafelan heorodreorigne
ofer ealdgewin eagum starige!
Ga nu to setle, symbelwynne dreoh
wigge weorþad; unc sceal worn fela
maþma gemænra, siþðan morgen bið."
- 1785
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Geat wæs glædmod, geong sona to
setles neosan, swa se snottra heht.
þa wæs eft swa ær ellenrofum
fletsittendum fægere gereorded
niowan stefne. Nihthelm geswearc
- 1790
-
deorc ofer dryhtgumum. Duguð eal aras.
Wolde blondenfeax beddes neosan,
gamela Scylding. Geat unigmetes wel,
rofne randwigan, restan lyste;
sona him seleþegn siðes wergum,
- 1795
-
feorrancundum, forð wisade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þy dogore
heaþoliðende habban scoldon.
Reste hine þa rumheort; reced hliuade
- 1800
-
geap ond goldfah; gæst inne swæf
oþþæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne
bliðheort bodode. ða com beorht scacan
scaþan onetton,
wæron æþelingas eft to leodum
- 1805
-
fuse to farenne; wolde feor þanon
cuma collenferhð ceoles neosan.
Heht þa se hearda Hrunting beran
sunu Ecglafes, heht his sweord niman,
leoflic iren; sægde him þæs leanes þanc,
- 1810
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cwæð, he þone guðwine godne tealde,
wigcræftigne, nales wordum log
meces ecge; þæt wæs modig secg.
Ond þa siðfrome, searwum gearwe
wigend wæron; eode weorð Denum
- 1815
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æþeling to yppan, þær se oþer wæs,
hæle hildedeor Hroðgar grette.
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Summary :
Guard the heart against greed and the devil: jewels and fame kept from the worthy will yield to the weakness of the body and another will take the place of ruler.
*Hrothgar warns *Beowulf to ban the thoughts of selfishness. For his strength will wane, his tempered pride will last eternally.
For fifty years, *Hrothgar ruled over the *Danes until he thought that no foe would appear that could oppose him. Until *Grendel came and caused him no end to grief. Now he thanked God that he should live long enough to gaze upon the enemy's bloody head. He calls for a feast and in the morning, more gold would pass between himself and *Beowulf.
Our hero sat at his place as the feast was served for the brave once again.
Later, as night fell across the hall, the king retired to bed, and all warriors slept soundly until the raven cawed at the coming of morning.
*Beowulf called for *Unferth, the son of *Ecgtheow so that he could return *Hrunting, the ancient sword that served him well. Prepared to depart, they awaited the arrival of *Hrothgar at the sea-shore.
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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