BEOWULF
diacritically-marked text and facing translation
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last updated on 10-January-2006
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XIII |
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| Ðá wæs on morgen míne gefraége |
| Then was in the morning, as I heard tell, | ||
| ymb þá gifhealle gúðrinc monig |
| about the gift-hall many warriors, | ||
| férdon folctogan feorran ond néän |
| folk-chiefs arrived from far and near | ||
| geond wídwegas wundor scéawian |
| across wide regions to behold the wonder, | ||
| láþes lástas· nó his lífgedál |
841 | the foe's foot-prints; his parting from life did not | ||
| sárlíc þúhte secga aénegum |
| seem mournful to any man | ||
| þára þe tírléases trode scéawode· |
| of those who the gloryless foe's track observed, | ||
| hú hé wérigmód on weg þanon |
| how he weary away thence, | ||
| níða ofercumen on nicera mere |
| vanquished by violence, to the nicors' mere | ||
| faége ond geflýmed feorhlástas bær. |
846 | doomed and driven back left behind life-trails. | ||
| Ðaér wæs on blóde brim weallende, |
| There with blood was the water seething, | ||
| atol ýða geswing eal gemenged |
| terrible swirling of swells all mingled | ||
| háton heolfre heorodréore wéol· |
| with boiling gore, with sword-blood it welled, | ||
| déaðfaége déog siððan dréama léas |
| doomed to die he hid himself, then, bereft of pleasure, | ||
| in fenfreoðo feorh álegde |
851 | in his fen-refuge he laid down his life, | ||
| haéþene sáwle· þaér him hel onféng. | his heathen soul; there Hel embraced him. | |||
| Þanon eft gewiton ealdgesíðas |
| Thence returned old companions, | ||
| swylce geong manig of gomenwáþe |
| also many young, from the sport-chase, | ||
| fram mere módge méarum rídan |
| from the mere full-spirited, riding horses, | ||
| beornas on blancum· ðaér wæs Béowulfes |
856 | warriors on fair steeds, there was Beowulf's | ||
| maérðo maéned· monig oft gecwæð |
| glory proclaimed; many often said | ||
| þætte súð né norð be saém twéonum |
| that neither south nor north between the seas | ||
| ofer eormengrund óþer naénig |
| over the whole vast earth, no other | ||
| under swegles begong sélra naére |
| under the sky's expanse was ne'er better | ||
| rondhæbbendra, ríces wyrðra· |
861 | shield-bearer, of a worthier kingdom; | ||
| né híe húru winedrihten wiht ne lógon |
| nor, however, the friend and lord, did they blame at all, | ||
| glædne Hróðgár ac þæt wæs gód cyning. |
| gracious Hrothgar, for he was a good king. | ||
| Hwílum heaþorófe hléapan léton |
| At times the brave warriors let leap, | ||
| on geflit faran fealwe méaras |
| in a contest raced fallow horses, | ||
| ðaér him foldwegas fægere þúhton |
866 | where to them the earth-roads seemed suitable, | ||
| cystum cúðe. Hwílum cyninges þegn |
| and known to be the best. At times the king's thane, | ||
| guma gilphlæden gidda gemyndig |
| a man laden with fine speech, remembering songs, | ||
| sé ðe ealfela ealdgesegena |
| he who very many of ancient traditions | ||
| worn gemunde word óþer fand |
| recalled scores, found new words | ||
| sóðe gebunden· secg eft ongan |
871 | bound in truth; the man then began | ||
| síð Béowulfes snyttrum styrian |
| Beowulf's exploit skilfully to recite, | ||
| ond on spéd wrecan spel geráde, |
| and artfully utter an adept tale, | ||
| wordum wrixlan· wélhwylc gecwæð |
| varying his words; he spoke of almost everything | ||
| þæt hé fram Sigemunde secgan hyrde |
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| ellendaédum: uncúþes fela |
876 | of his deeds of glory: many uncanny things, | ||
| Wælsinges gewin wíde síðas |
| the striving of Wael's son, his great journeys; | ||
| þára þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston |
| those things of which the childen of men by no means knew, | ||
| faéhðe ond fyrena búton Fitela mid hine, |
| feuds and feats of arms, only Fitela with him, | ||
| þonne hé swulces hwæt secgan wolde |
| then he of such matters was wont to speak of, | ||
| éäm his nefan swá híe á waéron |
881 | uncle to his nephew, as they always were | ||
| æt níða gehwám nýdgesteallan· |
| in every conflict comrades in need; | ||
| hæfdon ealfela eotena cynnes |
| they had a great many of the giantkind | ||
| sweordum gesaéged· Sigemunde gesprong |
| laid low with swords; for Sigmund arose, | ||
| æfter déaðdæge dóm unlýtel |
| after the day of his death, no little fame, | ||
| syþðan wíges heard wyrm ácwealde |
886 | since the fierce warrior had quelled the great serpent, | ||
| hordes hyrde· hé under hárne stán |
| the keeper of a hoard; beneath the hoary grey stone he, | ||
| æþelinges bearn ána genéðde |
| the prince's son, alone ventured | ||
| frécne daéde ne waés him Fitela mid· |
| a dangerous deed, Fitela was not with him; | ||
| hwæþre him gesaélde ðæt þæt swurd þurhwód |
| however it was granted him that the sword pierced | ||
| wraétlícne wyrm þæt hit on wealle ætstód |
891 | the wondrous wyrm, so that it stood fixed in the wall, | ||
| dryhtlíc íren· draca morðre swealt· |
| the noble iron; the dragon perished in the slaughter; | ||
| hæfde áglaéca elne gegongen |
| the fearsome one had ensured by courage | ||
| þæt hé béahhordes brúcan móste |
| that he the ring-hoard might possess | ||
| selfes dóme· saébát gehléod· |
| at his own choosing; he loaded the sea-boat, | ||
| bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa |
896 | bore in the bosom of his ship the gleaming treasures, | ||
| Wælses eafera --wyrm hát gemealt-- |
| Wael's son --the wyrm in its heat melted-- | ||
| sé wæs wreccena wíde maérost |
| he was of adventurers the most widely famed | ||
| ofer werþéode wígendra hléo |
| among nations, the warriors' protector, | ||
| ellendaédum --hé þæs aér onðáh-- |
| for deeds of valour --he had prospered by this-- | ||
| siððan Heremódes hild sweðrode, |
901 | since Heremod's skirmishing had abated, | ||
| earfoð ond ellen· he mid eotenum wearð |
| affliction and spirit; he among the Etins was | ||
| on féonda geweald forð forlácen |
| into enemy hands given up, | ||
| snúde forsended· hine sorhwylmas |
| quickly despatched; the surgings of sorrow him | ||
| lemede tó lange· hé his léodum wearð |
| hindered too long; he to his people became, | ||
| eallum æþellingum tó aldorceare· |
906 | to all of the nobles, a great mortal sorrow; | ||
| swylce oft bemearn aérran maélum |
| moreover they often mourned, for in earlier times, | ||
| swíðferhþes síð snotor ceorl monig |
| the departure of the stouted-hearted king, many learnèd sages | ||
| sé þe him bealwa tó bóte gelýfde |
| who to him for miseries' remedy had trusted and believed | ||
| þæt þæt ðéodnes bearn geþéon scolde, |
| that that prince's son must prosper, | ||
| fæderæþelum onfón, folc gehealdan |
911 | take up his father's rank, rule the folk, | ||
| hord ond hléoburh hæleþa ríce |
| their treasury and citadel, the heroes' kingdom, | ||
| éðel Scyldinga· hé þaér eallum wearð |
| homeland of the Scyldings; he by all became, | ||
| maég Higeláces manna cynne |
| the kinsman of Hygelac, by mankind, | ||
| fréondum gefægra· hine fyren onwód. |
| more esteemed; wickedness undid him. | ||
| Hwílum flítende fealwe straéte |
916 | Now and then racing, dusky streets | ||
| méarum maéton. Ðá waés morgenléoht |
| on their mounts they traversed. Then was the morning light | ||
| scofen ond scynded· éode scealc monig |
| hurried and hastened; many retainers went | ||
| swíðhicgende tó sele þám héan |
| determined to the high hall | ||
| searowundor séon· swylce self cyning |
| to see the strange wonder; the king himself too | ||
| of brýdbúre béahhorda weard |
921 | from his wife's bower, the ward of the ring-hoard, | ||
| tryddode tírfæst getrume micle |
| stepped out splendid with his great troop, | ||
| cystum gecýþed ond his cwén mid him |
| famed for his excellence, and his queen with him, | ||
| medostigge mæt mægþa hóse. |
| passed down the meadhall-path, accompanied by maidens. |