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 16-July-2005

[XXXVIIII]
Ða wæs gegongen    gum{an} unfrodum
earfoðlice      þ he on eorðan geseah
þone leofestan    lifes æt ende
bleate gebæran     bona swylce læg 2824
egeslic eorðdraca    ealdr(e) bereafod
bealwe gebæded     beahhordum leng
wyrm wohbogen      wealdan ne moste
ac him irenna      ecga fornamon
hearde heaðoscearde    homera lafe 2829
þ se widfloga     wundum stille
hreas on hrusan      hordærne neah
nalles / æfter lyfte    lacende. hwearf 191v
middelnih(tum)      maðmæhta wlonc
ansyn ywde     ac he eorðan gefeoll 2834
for ðæs hildfruman    hondgeweorce
huru þ on lande     lyt manna ðah
mægenagendra      mine gefræge
þeah ðe he dæda gehwæs    dyrstig wære
þ he wið attorsceaðan    oreðe geræsde 2839
oððe hringsele    hondum styrede
gif he wæccende    weard onfunde
buon on beorge      biowulfe wearð
dryhtmaðma dæl     deaðe forgolden
hæfde æghwæðre   ende gefered 2844
lænan lifes      næs ða lang to ðon
þ ða hildlatan     holt ofgefan
tydre treowlogan      tyne ætsomne
ða ne dorston ær    dareðum lacan
on hyra mandryhtnes      miclan þearfe 2849
ac hy scamiende      scyldas bæran
guðgewædu      þær se gomela læg
wlitan on wilaf      he gewergad sæt
feðecempa      frean eaxlum neah
wehte hyne wætre     him wiht ne speo{w} 2854
ne meahte he on eorðan     ðeah he uðe wel
on ðam frumgare      feorh gehealdan
ne ðæs wealdendes    wiht oncirran
wolde dóm/ (go)des    dædum rædan 192r
gumena gehwylcum      sw(a) he nu gen deð 2859
þa wæs æt ðam geong{an} grim 7swar(u)
eðbegete      þam ðe ær his elne forleas.
wiglaf maðelode     weohstanes sunu
sec{g} sarigferð   seah on unleofe
þ la mæg secgan    se ðe wyle soð specan 2864
þ se mondryhten     se eow ða maðmas geaf
eoredgeatwe      þe ge þær on standað.
þonne he on ealubence    oft gesealde
healsittendum      helm 7 byrnan
þeoden his þegnum    swylce he þrydlicost 2869
ower feor oððe neah    findan meahte
þ he genunga    guðgewædu
wraðe forwurpe.      ða hyne wig beget
nealles folccyning      fyrdgeste(allum)
gylpan þorfte     hwæðre him god uðe 2874
sigor(a) waldend      þ he hyne sylfne gewræc
ana mid ecge      þa him wæs elnes þearf.
Ic him lifwraðe      lytle meahte
ætgifan æt guðe   7 ongan swa þeah
ofer min gemet      mæges helpan. 2879
Symle wæs þy sæmra    þonne ic sweorde drep
ferhðgeniðlan      fyr unswiðor
weoll of gewitte      fergendra to lyt
þrong ymbe þeoden     þa hyne sio / (þ)rag becwom. 192v
hu sceal sincþego  7 swyrd(gifu) 2884
eall eðelwyn      eowrum cynne.
lufen alicgean      londrihtes mot
þære mægburge    monna æghwylc
idel hweorfan      syððan æðelingas
feorran gefricgean      fleam eowerne 2889
domleasan dæd     deað bið sella
eorla gehwylcum      þonne edwitlif