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

XXII
BEOWVLF maðelode     bearn ecgþeowes 1473
geþenc nu se mæra    maga healfdenes
snottra fengel      nu ic eom siðes fus
goldwine gumena      hwæt wit geo spræcon
gif ic æt þearfe    þinre scolde
aldre linnan      þ ðu me a wære 1478
forðgewitenum      on fæder stæle
wes þu mundbora minum    magoþegnum
hondgesellum      gif mec hild nime.
Swylce þu ða madmas     þe þu me sealdest
hroðgar leofa      higelace onsend. 1483
mæg þonne on þæm golde ongitan    geata dryhten
geseon sunu hrædles      þonne he on þæt sinc starað
þ ic gumcystum    godne funde
beaga bryttan      breac þonne moste.
7 þu hunferð læt    ealde lafe 1488
wrætlic wægsweord    widcuðne man
heardecg habban      ic me mid hruntinge
dóm gewyrce /     oþðe mec deað nimeð. 163r
æfter þæ(m wordum)    weder-geata leod
efste mid elne      na(las and)sware 1493
bidan wolde      brimwylm onfen(g)
[hil]derince      ða wæs hwil dæges
ær he þone grundwong    ongytan mehte.
Sona þ (on)funde     se ðe floda begong
heorogifre beheold      hund missera 1498
grim 7 grædig     þ þ(ær) gumena sum
ælwihta eard      ufan cunno(de)
grap þa togeanes     guðrinc gefeng
at(olan) clommum      no þy ær in gescod
halan lice     hring utan ymbbearh 1503
þ heo þone fyrdhom    ðurhfon ne mihte
locene leoð(o)syrcan     laþan fingrum
bær þa seo brimwyl{f}   þa heo to botme com
hringa þengel      to hofe sinum
swa he ne mihte      no he þæs modig wæs 1508
wæpna gewealdan     ac hine wundra þæs fela
swecte on sunde   sædeor monig
hildetuxum     heresyrcan bræc
ehton aglæcan     ða se eorl ongeat
þ he <..> niðsele      nathwylcum wæs 1513
þær him nænig wæter    wihte ne sceþede
ne him for hrofsele      hrinan ne mehte
færgripe flodes    /(fyrleoh)t geseah 163v
blacne leoman      beorht(e) [scinan]
ongeat þa se goda    grundwyrgenne 1518
(mer)ewif mihtig      mægenræs forgeaf
hildebille      ho{n}dswenge ne ofteah
þ hire on ha(fe)lan    hringmæl agol
grædig guðleoð     [ð]a se gist onfand
þ se beadoleoma    bitan (no)lde 1523
aldre sceþðan.    ac seo ecg geswac
(ð)eodne æt þearfe     ðolode ær fela
hond(ge)mota      helm oft gescær
fæges fyrd(hr)ægl     ða wæs forma sið
deorum madme      þ his dóm alæg. 1528
eft wæs anræd     nalas elnes (l)æt
mærða gemyndig    mæg hy{g}laces
wearp ða wunde{n}mæl     wrættum gebunden
yrre oretta      þ hit on eorðan læg
stið 7 stylecg     strenge getruwode 1533
mundgripe mægenes     swa sceal man don
þonne he æt guðe    gegan þenceð
longsumne lof     na ymb his lif cearað.
Gefeng þa be eaxle      nalas for fæhðe mearn
guð-geata leod      grendles modor 1538
brægd þa beadwe heard     þa he gebolgen wæs
feorhgeniðlan     þ heo on flet gebeah
heo him eft hraþe    handlean forgeald
grim/ man grapum    7 him togeanes feng 164r
oferwear[p] þa werigmod     wigena strengest 1543
feþecempa      þ he on fylle wearð.
Ofsæt þa þone selegy(st)     7 hyre sea{x} geteah
brad <ond> brúnecg     wolde hire bearn wrecan
angan eaferan      him on eaxle læg
breostnet broden      þ gebearh feore 1548
wið ord 7 wið ecge    ingang forstod
Hæfde ða forsiðod    sunu ecgþeowes
und(er) gynne grund     geata cempa
nemne him heaðobyrne    helpe gefremede
herenet hearde      7 halig god 1553
geweold wigsigor      witig drihten
rodera rædend     hit on ryht gesced
yðelice      syþðan he eft asto(d)