BEOWULF
a new critical text based on an examination of the original MS
Images of the Beowulf MS are reproduced by kind permission of the British Library Board (who retain copyright)
All other material on this site under copyright 2002-5, Benjamin Slade
Please include proper citation reference if quoting a short passage;
otherwise no part of these documents may be reproduced without expressed permission from the author.
last updated on 15-June-2005

X
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 666
seleweard aseted    sundornytte beheold
ymb aldor dena    eotonweard abead
huru geata leod    georne truwode
modgan mægnes    metodes hyldo.
ða he him of dyde   isernbyrnan 671
helm of hafelan    sealde his hyrsted sweord
irena cyst    ombihtþegne
7 gehealdan het    hildegeatwe
gespræc þa se goda     gylpworda sum.
beowulf / geata     ær he on bed stige 676 145v
no ic me an herewæsmun    hnagran talige
guþgeweorca    þonne grendel hine
forþan ic hine sweorde    swebban nelle
aldre beneotan    þeah ic eal mæge
nát he þara goda    þ he me ongean slea 681
rand geheawe    þeah ðe he rof sie
niþgeweorca    ac wit on niht sculon.
secge ofersittan    gif h{e} gesecean dear.
wig ofer wæpen    7 siþðan witig god
on swa hwæþere hond     halig dryhten 686
mærðo deme    swa him gemet þince.
hylde hine þa heaþodeor     hleorbolster onfeng
eorles andwlitan    7 hine ymb monig
snellic saérinc    selereste gebeah.
nænig heora þohte     þ he þanon scolde 691
eft eardlufan    æfre gesecean
folc oþðe freoburh     þær he afeded wæs.
ac hie hæfdon gefrunen    þ hie ær to fela micles
in þæm winsele    wældeað fornam
denigea leode    ac him dryhten forgeaf 696
wigspeda gewiofu.   / wedera leodum 146r
frofor 7 fult(um)    (þ hie) feond heora
ðurh anes cræft    ealle ofercomon
selfes mihtum    soð is gecyþed
þ mihtig god    manna cynnes 701
weold ({w}ide)ferhð     com on wanre niht
scriðan s(cea)dugenga     sceotend swæfon
þa þ hornreced    healdan scoldon.
ealle buton an(um)    þ wæs yldum cuþ
þ hie ne moste        þa meto(d) nolde. 706
se synscaþa    under sceadu bregdan.
ac he wæccende    wraþum on andan
bad bolgenmod    beadwa geþinges.