BEOWULF

diacritically-marked text and facing translation

last updated on 29-August-2012

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XXIII
Geseah ðá on searwum     sigeéadig bil		He saw then among the arms     a victory-blessed bill,
ealdsweord eotenisc    ecgum þýhtig	1558	an old giantish sword    with firm edges,
wigena weorðmynd·    þæt wæs waépna cyst		an honour of warriors,    it was the choicest weapon,
búton hit wæs máre    ðonne aénig mon óðer		but it was more    than any other man
tó beaduláce    ætberan meahte		to battle-play    could carry,
gód ond geatolíc    gíganta geweorc·		good and stately,    the work of giants;
hé geféng þá fetelhilt·    freca Scyldinga	1563	he seized then the ring-hilt,    champion of the Scyldings
hréoh ond heorogrim    hringmaél gebrægd		wild and furiously battle-fierce,    he drew the ring-marked (sword)
aldres orwéna·    yrringa slóh		without hope of life,    angrily struck,
þæt hire wið halse    heard grápode·		so that through her neck    it clutched hard,
bánhringas bræc·    bil eal ðurhwód		broke bone-rings;     the bill passed entirely through
faégne flaéschoman·    héo on flet gecrong·	1568	the doomed cloak of flesh;    she fell on the floor;
sweord wæs swátig·    secg weorce gefeh.		the sword was bloody,    the warrior rejoiced in his work.
Líxte se léoma·    léoht inne stód		The gleam flashed,     the light stood within,
efne swá of hefene    hádre scíneð		even as from heaven    shines brightly
rodores candel·    hé æfter recede wlát·		the sky's candle;    he looked about the hall;
hwearf þá be wealle·    waépen hafenade	1573	moved along the wall,    weapon raised
heard be hiltum    Higeláces ðegn		fierce with hilts,    Hygelac's thane,
yrre ond anraéd·    næs séo ecg fracod		angry and single-minded;    nor was that edge useless
hilderince    ac hé hraþe wolde		to the battle-man,    but he quickly wished
Grendle forgyldan    gúðraésa fela		to repay Grendel    for the many war-raids
ðára þe hé geworhte    tó West-Denum	1578	which he had carried out    on the West-Danes
oftor micle     ðonne on aénne síð		much more often    than on a single venture,
þonne hé Hróðgáres     heorðgenéatas		when he Hrothgar's    hearth-companions
slóh on sweofote·    slaépende fraét		slaughter in their slumber,    devoured in their sleep,
folces Denigea    fýftýne men		of the folk of the Danes    fifteen men,
ond óðer swylc    út offerede	1583	and other such    had he carried out and off
láðlicu lác·      hé him þæs léan forgeald		hideous haul;    he paid him the reward of that,
réþe cempa    tó ðæs þe hé on ræste geseah		the fierce fighter,    in that he saw in repose
gúðwérigne     Grendel licgan		war-weary    Grendel lying,
aldorléasne    swá him aér gescód		lifeless,     as he had injured him earlier
hild æt Heorote    --hrá wíde sprong	1588	in the conflict at Heorot    --the corpse burst wide open,
syþðan hé æfter déaðe     drepe þrówade		when it after death    suffered a blow,
heorosweng heardne--    ond hine þá héafde becearf.		a hard sword-stroke--    and then its head he cut off.
Sóna þæt gesáwon     snottre ceorlas		Suddenly that saw     the wise fellows,
þá ðe mid Hróðgáre    on holm wliton·		who with Hrothgar    looked at the lake,
þæt wæs ýðgeblond    eal gemenged		that was turmoil of waves    all stirred up
brim blóde fáh·    blondenfeaxe	1593	the water coloured with blood;    with blended-hair,
gomele ymb gódne    ongeador spraécon		aged, about the good man,    together they spoke,
þæt hig þæs æðelinges     eft ne wéndon·		that they that noble one    did not expect again
þæt hé sigehréðig     sécean cóme		that he, triumphing in victory,    would come to seek
maérne þéoden·    þá ðæs monige gewearð	1598	the glorious ruler;    then it many agreed,
þæt hine séo brimwylf    ábreoten hæfde.		that the sea-wolf him    had destroyed.
Ðá cóm nón dæges·    næs ofgéafon		Then came then ninth hour of the day;    they abandoned the cape,
hwate Scyldingas·    gewát him hám þonon		the brave Scyldings;    he went home hence,
goldwine gumena·    gistas sécan		the gold-friend of men;    the guests looked about
módes séoce    ond on mere staredon·	1603	sick at heart,    and stared into the mere,
wíston, ond ne wéndon    þæt híe heora winedrihten		wished, and did not expect,    that they their lord and friend
selfne gesáwon.    Þá þæt sweord ongan		himself would see.    Then that sword began
æfter heaþoswáte    hildegicelum		caused by the gore of battle    in icycles of battle,
wígbil wanian·    þæt wæs wundra sum		the war-bill to wane;    that was a great wonder
þæt hit eal gemealt    íse gelícost	1608	that it all melted,    so like ice,
ðonne forstes bend    fæder onlaéteð·		when frost's bond    the Father loosens,
onwindeð waélrápas    sé geweald hafað		unwinds water-ropes,    who has control
saéla ond maéla·    þæt is sóð metod.		of times and seaons;    that is the true Creator.
Ne nóm hé in þaém wícum     Weder-Géata léod		He did not take into those dwelling,    the leader of the Weder-Geats,
máðmaéhta má    þéh hé þaér monige geseah	1613	more treasures,    though he there saw a great number,
búton þone hafelan    ond þá hilt somod		but that head    and the hilt as well
since fáge·    sweord aér gemealt·		shining with ornament;    the sword had already melted,
forbarn bródenmaél·    wæs þæt blód tó þæs hát,		burned up the wavy-patterned (blade);     that blood was so hot,
ættren ellorgaést    sé þaér inne swealt.		the venomous foreign-spirit    who had perished there inside.
Sóna wæs on sunde    sé þe aér æt sæcce gebád	1618	Straightaway he was in the water,    he who survived in strife,
wíghryre wráðra    wæter úp þurhdéaf·		the enemies' fall in war;    he dove up through the water,
waéron ýðgebland    eal gefaélsod		the turmoil of waves was    all cleared,
éacne eardas    þá se ellorgást		the vast regions,    where the alien ghosts
oflét lífdagas    ond þás laénan gesceaft·		gave up their life-days    and this borrowed world;
cóm þá to lande    lidmanna helm	1623	he came then to the land,    the seafarer's leader,
swíðmód swymman·    saéláce gefeah		swimming stout-hearted;    he rejoiced in the sea-loot,
mægenbyrþenne,     þára þe hé him mid hæfde.		the great burden,    which he had with him.
Éodon him þá tógéanes·    gode þancodon		They went towards him,    thanked God,
ðrýðlíc þegna héap     þéodnes gefégon		the mighty band of thanes,    they rejoiced for their lord,
þæs þe hí hyne gesundne     geséon móston·	1628	that they him sound    were able to see;
ðá wæs of þaém hróran    helm ond byrne		then the vigorous man was from    helm and byrnie
lungre álýsed    --lagu drúsade,		quickly loosened    --the water grew still,
wæter under wolcnum    wældréore fág--		the lake under the clouds,    stained with the gore of death--
férdon forð þonon     féþelástum		they fared forth thence     along foot-paths
ferhþum fægne·    foldweg maéton	1633	happy in their hearts,    traversed the trail over the earth,
cúþe straéte·    cyningbalde men		the familiar streets;    the men, bold as kings,
from þaém holmclife    hafelan baéron		from that lake-cliff    bore the head
earfoðlíce    heora aéghwæþrum		arduously,    for all of them,
felamódigra     --féower scoldon		full of spirit    --four had to
on þaém wælstenge    wærcum geferian	1638	on the pole of the slain    to carry with difficulty
tó þaém goldsele    Grendles héafod--		to the gold-hall    Grendel's head--
oþ ðæt semninga    tó sele cómon		until presently    they came to the hall,
frome fyrdhwate    féowertýne		brave army-keen    fourteen
Géata gongan    gumdryhten mid·		of the Geats moving,    with their lord of men,
módig on gemonge    meodowongas træd.	1643	proud in the throng,    trod on the plain near the mead-hall.
Ðá cóm in gaän    ealdor ðegna		Then came in marching     the lord of the thanes,
daédcéne mon    dóme gewurþad		the deed-bold man    exalted by glory,
hæle hildedéor    Hróðgár grétan·		the battle-brave hero,    to greet Hrothgar;
þá wæs be feaxe    on flet boren		then it was by the hair    borne to the floor
Grendles héafod    þaér guman druncon,	1648	the head of Grendel,    where men were drinking,
egeslíc for eorlum    ond þaére idese mid,		dreadful for the earls,    and the ladies with them,
wliteséon wraétlíc·    weras onsáwon.		a wondrous spectacle;    the men stared.