BEOWULF

diacritically-marked text and facing translation

last updated on 29-August-2012

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XXXVI
Wígláf wæs háten     Wéoxstánes sunu		Wiglaf he was called,    son of Weohstan,
léoflíc lindwiga    léod Scylfinga		noble shield-fighter,    man of the Scylfings,
maég Ælfheres·    geseah his mondryhten	2604	kinsman of Ælfhere;    he saw his liege-lord
under heregríman    hát þrówian·		under the war-mask    suffering heat;
gemunde ðá ðá áre    þé hé him aér forgeaf		he remembered then the honour    that he had given him before,
wícstede weligne    Waégmundinga,		lush dwelling-place    of the Waegmundings,
folcrihta gehwylc    swá his fæder áhte·		to each folk-rights,    as his father had owned;
ne mihte ðá forhabban·    hond rond geféng	2609	then he could not hold back,    his hand seized his round shield,
geolwe linde·    gomelswyrd getéah·		yellow lindenwood,    he drew his ancient sword;
þæt wæs mid eldum    Éanmundes láf		it was among men    the legacy of Eanmund,
suna Óhtere·    þám æt sæcce wearð		son of Ohthere;    of him in battle was,
wræcca wineléasum    Wéohstánes bana		of the friendless exile,    Weohstan his slayer
méces ecgum    ond his mágum ætbær	2614	by maiche's edges,    and to his kinsman he brought back
brúnfágne helm    hringde byrnan		bright-gleaming helm,    ringed byrnie,
ealdsweord etonisc·    þæt him Onela forgeaf		an old ogrish sword;    that to him Onela returned,
his gædelinges    gúðgewaédu		his kinsman's    war-garment,
fyrdsearo fúslíc·    nó ymbe ðá faéhðe spræc		war-devised clothing;    he did not speak of the feud,
þéah ðe hé his bróðor bearn    ábredwade·	2619	though he his brother's son    had slain;
hé frætwe gehéold    fela misséra		he held the treasures    for many seasons,
bill ond byrnan    oð ðæt his byre mihte		bill and byrnie,    until his son could
eorlscipe efnan    swá his aérfæder·		accomplish noble deeds    like his old father;
geaf him ðá mid Géatum     gúðgewaéda		then, among the Geats, he gave him     war-clothing,
aéghwæs unrím    þá hé of ealdre gewát	2624	of all kinds, in countless number,    then he went from life,
fród on forðweg.    Þá wæs forma síð		wise, on the way forth.    Then was the first time
geongan cempan     þæt hé gúðe raés		for the young champion,    that he the rush of war
mid his fréodryhtne    fremman sceolde·		with his noble lord    had to perform;
ne gemealt him se módsefa    né his mægenes láf		his spirited heart in him did not melt away,    nor the remainder of his strength
gewác æt wíge·    þa se wyrm onfand	2629	fail in the fight;    then the wyrm had discovered,
syððan híe tógædre     gegán hæfdon.		when they together    had come.
Wígláf maðelode·    wordrihta fela		Wiglaf spoke,    many proper words
sægde gesíðum    --him wæs sefa geómor--:		he said to his companions    --his heart was sad in him--:
'Ic ðæt maél geman     þaér wé medu þégun		'I recall that time,     where we partook of mead,
þonne wé gehéton    ússum hláforde	2634	when we promised    to our lord
in bíorsele    ðé ús ðás béagas geaf		in the beer-hall,    he who gave us rings,
þæt wé him ðá gúðgetawa    gyldan woldon		that we to him for the war-gear    wished to repay,
gif him þyslicu    þearf gelumpe,		if for him such    a need arose,
helmas ond heard sweord.    Ðé hé úsic on herge gecéas		with helmets and hard swords.    Because of that he chose us from the army
tó ðyssum síðfate    sylfes willum·	2639	for this adventure    of his own desire;
onmunde úsic maérða    ond mé þás máðmas geaf		he deemed us worthy of renown,    and gave me these treasures,
þé hé úsic gárwígend    góde tealde		because he us spear-warriors    considered excellent,
hwate helmberend    þéah ðe hláford ús		bold helm-bearers,    though the lord for us
þis ellenweorc    áná áðóhte		this valiant work    intended alone
tó gefremmanne,    folces hyrde,	2644	to perform,    the keeper of the folk,
forðán hé manna maést     maérða gefremede		because he of men the most    glories has achieved,
daéda dollícra.    Nú is sé dæg cumen		the most audacious deeds.    Now is the day come
þæt úre mandryhten    mægenes behófað		that our liege-lord    has need of strength
gódra gúðrinca·    wutun gongan tó		of good war-men;    let us go to,
helpan hildfruman    þenden hyt sÿ	2649	aid the battle-leader,    while the heat lasts,
glédegesa grim.    God wát on mec		the fierce fire-terror.    God knows of me
þæt mé is micle léofre     þæt mínne líchaman		that to me it is much more agreeable,    that my body
mid mínne goldgyfan    gléd fæðmie·		with my gold-giver    the fire embraces;
ne þynceð mé gerysne    þæt wé rondas beren		it does not seem proper to me,    that we bear shields
eft tó earde    nemne we aéror mægen	2654	back to our land,    unless we first can
fáne gefyllan,    feorh ealgian		fell the foe,    defend the life
Wedra ðéodnes·    ic wát geare		of the chief of the Wederas;    I know well,
þæt naéron ealdgewyrht     þæt hé ána scyle		that his deeds of old are not such,    that he alone should
Géata duguðe    gnorn þrówian,		of the Geats' retinue    sorrow suffer,
gesígan æt sæcce·    úrum sceal sweord ond helm	2659	to sink in strife;    for the two of us must sword and helm,
byrne ond byrduscrúd    bám gemaéne.'		byrnie and rich shroud    both share.'
Wód þá þurh þone wælréc·    wígheafolan bær		Then he waded through the smoke of slaughter,     bore his war-head
fréan on fultum·    féa worda cwæð:		to the support of his lord;    a few words he spoke:
'Léofa Bíowulf,    laést eall tela		'Dear Beowulf,    carry out all well,
swá ðú on geoguðféore    geára gecwaéde	2664	as you in youth-life    long ago said,
þæt ðú ne álaéte    be ðé lifigendum		that you would not allow,    with you still living,
dóm gedréosan·    scealt nú daédum róf,		glory to fail;    you must now in bold deeds,
æðeling anhýdig,    ealle mægene		a noble firm in mind,    with all of your strength,
feorh ealgian·    ic ðé fullaéstu.'		defend your life;     I shall support you.'
Æfter ðám wordum    wyrm yrre cwóm	2669	After those words    the wrathful wyrm came,
atol inwitgæst    óðre síðe		awful cruel visitor    a second time,
fýrwylmum fáh    fíonda níosian		with hostile, gleaming flood of fire    to seek his foes
láðra manna·    líg ýðum for·		the hated humans;    the flame came forth in waves,
born bord wið rond·    byrne ne meahte		burned shield to the boss;    the byrnie could not
geongum gárwigan    géoce gefremman	2674	to the young spear-fighter    lend support
ac se maga geonga    under his maéges scyld		but the young man,    under his kinsman's shield
elne geéode    þá his ágen wæs		courageously advanced,    when his own was
glédum forgrunden.    Þá gén gúðcyning		consumed by fire.    Then again the war-king
miht gemunde·    mægenstrengo slóh		remembered his strength,    with mighty force struck
hildebille    þæt hyt on heafolan stód	2679	with his battle-bill,    so that it stood in (the serpent's) head
níþe genýded·    Nægling forbærst·		driven by violence;    Naegling burst asunder,
geswác æt sæcce    sweord Bíowulfes		failed in the fight    Beowulf's sword
gomol ond graégmaél·    him þæt gifeðe ne wæs		ancient and silver-streaked;    it was not granted to him,
þæt him írenna    ecge mihton		that for him irons'    edges could
helpan æt hilde:    wæs sío hond tó strong	2684	help in battle:    the hand was too strong,
sé ðe méca gehwane    míne gefraége		that each one of the blades     --I heard--
swenge ofersóhte    þonne hé tó sæcce bær		in stroke he over-taxed;    when he bore to battle
waépen wundum heard    næs him wihte ðé sél.		a weapon hardened by wounds,     it was not any better for him.
Þá wæs þéodsceaða    þriddan síðe		Then the scourge of people     a third time,
frécne fýrdraca    faéhða gemyndig·	2689	the fierce fire-drake     enmity in mind,
raésde on ðone rófan    þá him rúm ágeald		rushed at the brave man,    when he was yielded space,
hát ond heaðogrim    heals ealne ymbeféng		hot and battle-fierce,    (Beowulf's) whole neck he clamped
biteran bánum·    hé geblódegod wearð		between sharp fangs;    he was drenched
sáwuldríore·     swát ýðum wéoll.		in life-blood;    gore gushed in waves.