BEOWULF
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last updated on 15-June-2005

IIII
Him se yldesta   andswarode
werodes wisa   wordhord onleac
we synt gumcynnes   geata leode 260
ond higelaces   heorðgeneatas.
wæs min fæder    folcum gecyþed
æþele ordfruma    ecgþeow haten.
gebád wintra worn   ær he on weg hwurfe.
gamol of geardum   hine gearwe geman 265
witena welhwylc   wide geond eorþan.
we þurh holdne hige    hlaford þinne
sunu healfdenes   secean cwomon
leodgebyrgean   wes þu us larena god.
habbað we to þæm mæran       micel ærende 270
deniga frean.   ne sceal þær dyrne sum
wesan þæs ic wene    þu wast gif hit is
swa we.soþlice    / (s)ecgan hyrdon 136r
þ mid scyldingum    scea(ðona) ic nat hwylc.
deogol dædhata   deorcu(m) nihtum 275
eaweð þurh egsan    uncuðne ni(ð)
hynðu 7 hrafyl   ic þæs hroðgar mæg
þur(h) rumne sefan    ræd gelæran
hu he fro(d 7) god    feond oferswyðeþ
gyf him edwend(an)   æfre scolde. 280
bealuwa bisigu   bot eft cuman
7 þa cearwylmas    colran wurðaþ
oððe a syþðan    earfoðþrage
þreanyd þolað    þenden þær wunað
on heahstede   husa selest. 285
weard maþelode   ðær on wicge sæt
ombeht unforht   æghwæþres sceal
scearp scyldwiga    gescad witan
worda 7 worca   se þe wel þenceð
ic þ gehyre    þæt þis is hold weorod 290
frean scyldinga   gewitaþ forð beran
wæpen 7 gewædu    ic eow wisige
swylce ic maguþegnas    mine hate
wið feonda gehwone     flotan eowerne
niwtyrwydne   nacan on sande 295
arum healdan   oþ ðæt eft byreð
ofer lagustrea/ (mas)    leofne mannan 136v
wudu wundenha(ls)   (t)o wedermearce
godfremmendra   swylcum gifeþe bið
þ þone hilderæs       hál gedigeð. 300
gewiton him þa feran    flota (s)tille bád
seomode on sole sidfæþmed (sc)ip
on ancre fæst   eoforlic scionon
(o)fer hleorberan    gehroden golde
fah 7 fyrheard   ferhwearde heold 305
guþmod grummon    guman onetton
sigon ætsomne   oþ þ hy {s}æltimbred.
geatolic 7 goldfah   ongyton mihton.
þ wæs foremærost    foldbuendum
receda under roderum   on þæm se rica bad. 310
lixte se leoma   ofer landa fela.
him þa hildedeor    {h}of modigra
torht getæhte   þæt hie him to mihton
gegnum gangan   guðbeorna sum
wicg gewende   word æfter cwæð. 315
mæl is me to feran    fæder alwalda
mid arstafum   eowic gehealde.
siða gesunde    ic to sæ wille
wið / (w)ra(ð) werod    wearde healdan. 137r