BEOWULF

diacritically-marked text and facing translation

last updated on 12-June-2005

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XVII
Gewiton him ðá wígend      wíca néosian		The warriors returned then      to seek their houses,
fréondum befeallen,      Frýsland geséon,	1126	bereft of friends,      to see Frisia,
hámas ond héaburh·      Hengest ðá gýt		their homes and high fort;      yet Hengest
wælfágne winter      wunode mid Finn		the death-stained winter      spent with Finn,
eal unhlitine·      eard gemunde		in a place with no fellowship at all;      he remembered his land,
þéah þe ne meahte      on mere drífan		though he could not      drive on the sea
hringedstefnan:      holm storme wéol·	1131	the ring-prowed ship:      the sea welled in storm,
won wið winde·      winter ýþe beléac		fought against the wind;      the winter locked the waves
ísgebinde      oþ ðæt óþer cóm		in icy bonds,      until came another
géar in geardas      swá nú gýt déëð·		year to the courtyards,      as it still does now,
þá ðe syngáles      séle bewitiað		those which continuously      carry out their seasons,
wuldortorhtan weder.      Ðá wæs winter scacen,	1136	gloriously bright weathers.      Then winter was gone,
fæger foldan bearm·      fundode wrecca		fair was the Earth's breast;      the exile was anxious to go,
gist of geardum·      hé tó gyrnwræce		the guest of the dwellings;      he of vengeance for grief
swíðor þóhte      þonne tó saéláde·		sooner thought      than of sea-path,
gif hé torngemót      þurhtéon mihte		and whether he a bitter encounter      could bring about,
þæt hé eotena bearn      inne gemunde·	1141	for that he of the Eotens' sons      inwardly remembered;
swá hé ne forwyrnde      woroldraédenne		so he did not refuse      the worldly practice,
þonne him Húnláfing,      hildeléoman		when to him Hunlafing      the battle-light,
billa sélest      on bearm dyde·		the finest blade      he placed on (Hnaef's) lap;
þæs waéron mid eotenum      ecge cúðe.		among the Eotens its      edges were known.
Swylce ferhðfrecan      Fin eft begeat	1146	So too his mortal enemy's      --Finn in turn received--
sweordbealo slíðen      æt his selfes hám		dire sword-onslaught      in his own home,
siþðan grimne gripe      Gúðláf ond Ósláf		when concerning the fierce attack      Guthlaf and Oslaf,
æfter saésíðe      sorge maéndon·		following their sea-journey,      declared their grief,
ætwiton wéana daél·      ne meahte waéfre mód		blamed for their share of woes;      he could not his restless spirit
forhabban in hreþre·      ðá wæs heal hroden	1151	contain in his breast;      then the hall were decorated
féonda féorum·      swilce Fin slægen		with the foes' lives,      so too Finn was slain,
cyning on corþre      ond séo cwén numen·		the king amid his troop,      and the queen was seized;
scéotend Scyldinga      tó scypon feredon		Scylding shooters      ferried to the ships
eal ingesteald      eorðcyninges·		all of the house-goods      of the nation's king,
swylce híe æt Finnes hám      findan meahton	1156	which they at Finn's estate      could find:
sigla searogimma·      híe on saéláde		shining jewels and well-cut gems;      they on the sea-path
drihtlíce wíf      tó Denum feredon·		the noble lady      ferried to the Danes,
laéddon tó léodum.      Léoð wæs ásungen		led to the people.      The lay was sung,
gléomannes gyd·      gamen eft ástáh·		the gleeman's tale;      joy again sprang up,
beorhtode bencswég·      byrelas sealdon	1161	music rang out from the bench,      cup-bearers served
wín of wunderfatum.      Þá cwóm Wealhþéo forð		wine from wondrous vessels.      Then Wealhtheow came forth,
g�n under gyldnum b�age      �a�r �� g�dan tw�gen		walking in a golden neck-ring      to where the good pair
s�ton suhtergef�deran      �� g�t w�s hiera sib �tg�dere,		sat, uncle and nephew;      then their kinship was still together,
a�ghwylc ��rum tr�we�     swylce �a�r Hunfer� �yle		each to the other true;      Unferth the �yle was also there
�t f�tum s�t fr�an Scyldinga�    gehwylc hiora his ferh�e tr�owde	1166	sitting at the feet of the Scylding lord;     each of them trusted his spirit,
��t h� h�fde m�d micel      ��ah �e h� his m�gum na�re		and that he had great courage,      though he to his kin was not
�rf�st �t ecga gel�cum�      spr�c �� ides Scyldinga:		honourable in clash of blades;      the Scylding lady then spoke:
'Onf�h �issum fulle,      fr�odrihten m�n,		'Receive this full cup,      my noble lord,
sinces brytta�      �� on sa�lum wes,		dispenser of treasure;      you--be joyful,
goldwine gumena,      ond tó Géatum spræc		gold-friend of men,      and to the Geats speak
mildum wordum      swá sceal man dóön·		with gentle words      so ought a man to do;
béo wið Géatas glæd,      geofena gemyndig	1173	be gracious with the Geats,      mindful of gifts
néan ond feorran      þú nú hafast·		which from near and far      you now have;
mé man sægde      þæt þú ðé for sunu wolde		it has been said to me      that you wish for a son,
hereric habban·      Heorot is gefaélsod		to have this leader of armies;      Heorot is cleansed,
béahsele beorhta·      brúc þenden þú móte		the bright ring-hall;      enjoy, while you may, ** 1177-87**
manigra médo      ond þínum mágum laéf	1178	many rewards,      and leave to your kinsmen
folc ond ríce      þonne ðú forð scyle		folk and kingdom      when you must go forth
metodsceaft séön·      ic mínne can		to meet what is fated;      I know my
glædne Hróþulf·      þæt hé þá geogoðe wile		gracious Hrothulf,      that he the youths wishes
árum healdan      gyf þú aér þonne hé,		to hold in honour,      if you earlier than he,
wine Scildinga,      worold oflaétest	1183	friend of the Scyldings,      leave behind the world,
wéne ic þæt hé mid góde      gyldan wille		I think that he with good      will repay
uncran eaferan      gif hé þæt eal gemon·		our children,      if he that at all remembers,
hwæt wit tó willan      ond tó worðmyndum		what we for his sake      and for his worldly renown,
umborwesendum aér      árna gefremedon.'		before, in his youth,      bestowed our favours.'
Hwearf þá bí bence      þaér hyre byre waéron	1188	She turned then by the bench,      where her boys were,
Hréðríc ond Hróðmund      ond hæleþa bearn	�	Hrethric and Hrothmund,      and heroes' sons,
giogoð æt gædere·      þaér se góda sæt		the young company all together;      there sat the good
Béowulf Géata      be þaém gebróðrum twaém.		Beowulf of the Geats      by the two brothers.