BEOWULF

diacritically-marked text and facing translation

last updated on 29-August-2012

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XII
Nolde eorla hléo      aénige þinga	791	The protector of earls had no wish      for any reason
þone cwealmcuman      cwicne forlaétan		the murderous guest      to release alive,
né his lífdagas      léoda aénigum		nor his life-days      to any people
nytte tealde.      Þær genehost brægd		counted as advantage.      There many brandished
eorl Béowulfes      ealde láfe·		warriors of Beowulf,      old heirlooms,
wolde fréadrihtnes      feorh ealgian	796	they wished prince-lord's      life defend,
maéres þéodnes      ðaér híe meahton swá·		the legendary leader's,      if they could do so;
híe þæt ne wiston      þá híe gewin drugon		they did not know that,      when they joined the fray,
heardhicgende      hildemecgas		the bold-minded      battle-men,
ond on healfa gehwone      héawan þóhton,		and on each side      thought to heaw,
sáwle sécan:      þone synscaðan	801	to seek the soul:      that the sin-scather
aénig ofer eorþan      írenna cyst		any on earth,      of the choicest of irons,
gúðbilla nán      grétan nolde		of war-bills, none,      could not at all greet him
ac hé sigewaépnum      forsworen hæfde		but he victory-weapons      had forsworn,
ecga gehwylcre.      Scolde his aldorgedál		every blade-edge.      His life-severing was bound to
on ðaém dæge      þysses lífes	806	on that day      in this life
earmlíc wurðan      ond se ellorgást		be wretched,      and the alien-spirit
on féonda geweald      feor síðian·		into the administration of fiends      would journey far away;
ðá þæt onfunde      sé þe fela aéror		then he found,      he who before many,
módes myrðe      manna cynne		miseries in his mind,      on mankind
fyrene gefremede      --he, fág wið god--	811	atrocities committed      --he, who fought with God--
þæt him se líchoma      laéstan nolde		that him his body-shell      would not obey,
ac hine se módega      maég Hygeláces		but him the daring      kinsman of Hygelac
hæfde be honda·      wæs gehwæþer óðrum		had by the hand;      each was by the other
lifigende láð·      lícsár gebád		loathed while living;      body-pain he felt,
atol aéglaéca·      him on eaxle wearð	816	the awful ogre;      on his shoulder was
syndolh sweotol·      seonowe onsprungon·		a great wound apparent,      sinows sprang asunder,
burston bánlocan·      Béowulfe wearð		bone-locks burst;      to Beowulf was
gúðhréð gyfeþe·      scolde Grendel þonan		war-glory given;      thence Grendel had to
feorhséoc fléön      under fenhleoðu,		flee sick unto death      under the hills of the fen,
sécean wynléas wíc·      wiste þé geornor	821	to seek his joyless abode;      he knew it more surely
þæt his aldres wæs      ende gegongen		that was his life's      end arrived,
dógera dægrím.      Denum eallum wearð		the day-count of his days.      For the Danes were all,
æfter þám wælraése      willa gelumpen:		after that slaughter-storm,      wishes come to pass:
hæfde þá gefaélsod      sé þe aér feorran cóm		he had then cleansed,      he who had before come from afar,
snotor ond swýðferhð      sele Hróðgáres,	826	shrewd and strong-minded,      the hall of Hrothgar,
genered wið níðe·      nihtweorce gefeh		rescued from ruin;      in his night's work he rejoiced,
ellenmaérþum·      hæfde Éast-Denum		in valour from great deeds;      to the East-Danes had
Géatmecga léod      gilp gelæsted·		the Geatmen's leader,      his oath fulfilled;
swylce oncýþðe      ealle gebétte		so too anguish      all remedied,
inwidsorge      þé híe aér drugon	831	grievous sorrow,      that they had ere endured,
ond for þréanýdum      þolian scoldon		and in hard distress      had to suffer,
torn unlýtel·      þæt wæs tácen sweotol		no small misery;      that was a clear sign,
syþðan hildedéor      hond álegde		when the battle-bold one      the hand placed,
earm ond eaxle      --þaér wæs eal geador		arm and shoulder      --there was all together
Grendles grápe--      under géapne hróf.	836	the grip of Grendel--      under the gaping roof.