BEOWULF
diacritically-marked text and facing translation
| Images of the Beowulf MS are reproduced by kind permission
of the British Library Board (who retain
copyright) All other material on this site under copyright 2002-2005, Please include proper citation reference if quoting a short passage; otherwise no part of these documents may be reproduced without expressed permission from the author. |
last updated on 16-July-2005
(click on the 'lyre icon' [ 
] to listen to a reading of selected passages in Old
English)
|
XLI |
| |||
| Wæs sío swátswaðu Swóna ond Géata |
| The bloody swathe of the Swedes and Geats, | ||
| wælraés weora wíde gesýne· |
| the slaughter-rush of men was widely seen; | ||
| hú ðá folc mid him faéhðe tówehton· |
| how the folk between them awoke a feud; | ||
| gewát him ðá se góda mid his gædelingum |
2949 | then the good man went with his fellow kinsmen, | ||
| fród felageómor fæsten sécean· |
| old and wise, greated saddened, to seek a citadel; | ||
| eorl Ongenþío ufor oncirde· |
| the warrior Ongentheow retreated higher up, | ||
| hæfde Higeláces hilde gefrúnen |
| he had of Hygelac's battle-skill heard, | ||
| wlonces wígcræft· wiðres ne trúwode· |
| the proud man's war-craft; he did not trust his resistance, | ||
| þæt hé saémannum onsacan mihte, |
2954 | that he the sea-men could oppose, | ||
| heaðolíðendum hord forstandan |
| against battle travellers defend the hoard, | ||
| bearn ond brýde· béah eft þonan |
| children and women; he fell back thence | ||
| eald under eorðweall· þá wæs aéht boden |
| old behind the earth-wall; then pursuit was offered | ||
| Swéona léodum· segn Higeláces |
| to the Swedish nation, the standards of Hygelac | ||
| freoðowong þone forð oferéodon |
2959 | that place of refuge forth overran, | ||
| syððan Hréðlingas tó hagan þrungon. |
| when the Hrethelings pressed forward into that entrenchment. | ||
| Þaér wearð Ongenðíow ecgum sweordan |
| There was Ongentheow by edges of swords, | ||
| blondenfexa on bid wrecen |
| the grizzle-haired was compelled to pause, | ||
| þæt se þéodcyning ðafian sceolde |
| so that the tribe-king had to submit | ||
| Eafores ánne dóm· hyne yrringa |
2964 | to the sole judgement of Eofor; him wrathfully | ||
| Wulf Wonréðing waépne geraéhte |
| Wulf, Wonred's son, reached with his weapon, | ||
| þæt him for swenge swát aédrum sprong |
| so that from him by the blow blood in streams sprang | ||
| forð under fexe· næs hé forht swá ðéh |
| forth beneath his hair; he was not frightened though, | ||
| gomela Scilfing ac forgeald hraðe |
| the aged Scilfing, but quickly repaid | ||
| wyrsan wrixle wælhlem þone |
2969 | with a more terrible response for that slaughter-stroke, | ||
| syððan ðéodcyning þyder oncirde· |
| when the tribe-king turned thither; | ||
| ne meahte se snella sunu Wonrédes |
| he could not, the brave son of Wonred, | ||
| ealdum ceorle hondslyht giofan |
| to the old fellow offer onslaught by hand, | ||
| ac hé him on héafde helm aér gescer |
| rather he him on his head had sheared his helm, | ||
| þæt he blode fah bugan sceolde· |
2974 | so that he, blood-stained, had to bow down; | ||
| féoll on foldan· næs hé faége þá gít |
| he fell on the field; he was not doomed yet, | ||
| ac hé hyne gewyrpte þéah ðe him wund hrine· |
| but he recovered himself, though the wound touched him; | ||
| lét se hearda Higeláces þegn |
| Let he, the hard thane of Hygelac, | ||
| bráde méce þá his bróðor læg |
| broad maiche, when his brother lay dead, | ||
| ealdsweord eotonisc entiscne helm |
2979 | the old ogrish sword, the giantish helm | ||
| brecan ofer bordweal· ðá gebéah cyning |
| break over the shield-wall; then the king bowed down, | ||
| folces hyrde· wæs in feorh dropen. |
| the shepherd of the folk, was struck to his life. | ||
| Ðá waéron monige þé his maég wriðon· |
| Then there were many, who bandaged his kinsman, | ||
| ricone áraérdon ðá him gerýmed wearð |
| they quickly raised him up, when room was made for them, | ||
| þæt híe wælstówe wealdan móston· |
2984 | so that they the place of slaughter were able to control; | ||
| þenden réafode rinc óðerne· |
| then plunder the one man the other, | ||
| nam on Ongenðío írenbyrnan |
| he took from Ongentheow his iron byrnie, | ||
| heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod· |
| his hard hilted sword, and his helmet too; | ||
| háres hyrste Higeláce bær· |
| the hoary one's armour he bore to Hygelac; | ||
| hé ðám frætwum féng ond him fægre gehét |
2989 | he took the treasures and fairly pledged to him | ||
| léana mid léodum ond gelaéste swá· |
| rewards among the people, and did so; | ||
| geald þone gúðraés Géata dryhten |
| he paid for the war-onslaught, the lord of the Geats, | ||
| Hréðles eafora þá hé tó hám becóm |
| Hrethel's heir, when he returned home, | ||
| Iofore ond Wulfe mid ofermáðmum· |
| to Eofor and Wulf with an abundance of treasure; | ||
| sealde hiora gehwæðrum hund þúsenda |
2994 | he gave them both a hundred thousand worth of | ||
| landes ond locenra béaga --ne ðorfte him ðá léan oðwítan |
| land and interlocked rings --he needed not the gifts scorn, | ||
| mon on middangearde syððan híe ðá maérða geslógon-- |
| (any) man on middle-earth, since they gained those glories in fighting-- | ||
| ond ðá Iofore forgeaf ángan dohtor |
| and then to Eofor he gave his only daughter, | ||
| hámweorðunge hyldo tó wedde. |
2998 | a honour to the home, as pledge of friendship. | ||
| Þæt ys sío faéhðo ond se féondscipe |
| That is the feud and the enmity, | ||
| wælníð wera ðæs ðe ic wéan hafo |
| the slaughterous hate of men, for which I have woe, | ||
| þé ús séceað tó Swéona léoda |
| they shall attack us, the Swedish nation, | ||
| syððan híe gefricgeað fréan úserne |
| when they learn our lord | ||
| ealdorléasne þone ðe aér gehéold |
3003 | is lifeless, he who formerly preserved | ||
| wið hettendum hord ond ríce |
| against despisers our hoard and kingdom, | ||
| æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scildingas· |
| after fall of heroes, bold Scyldings, | ||
| folcréd fremede oððe furður gén |
| supported the welfare of the folk, or moreover | ||
| eorlscipe efnde. Mé is ofost betost |
| accomplished noble deeds. For me haste is best, | ||
| þæt wé þéodcyning þaér scéawian |
3008 | that we the people-king look upon there, | ||
| ond þone gebringan þé ús béagas geaf |
| and that one bring, he who gave us rings, | ||
| on ádfære· ne scel ánes hwæt |
| on a journey to the pyre; nor must a part only | ||
| meltan mid þám módigan ac þaér is máðma hord |
| melt with that great-spirited one, but there is the treasure's hoard, | ||
| gold unríme grimme gecéapod |
| gold uncounted, bitterly purchased, | ||
| ond nú æt síðestan sylfes féore |
3013 | and now at last with his own life | ||
| béagas gebohte: þá sceall brond fretan, |
| bought the rings: then the blaze must devour, | ||
| aéled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan |
| the fire cover, no man shall wear | ||
| máððum tó gemyndum né mægð scýne |
| these treasures in remembrance, no pretty girl | ||
| habban on healse hringweorðunge |
| shall have on her neck ring-adornment, | ||
| ac sceal geómormód golde beréafod |
3018 | but must, sad-hearted, bereft of gold, | ||
| oft nalles aéne elland tredan |
| often, not once, tread in alien land, | ||
| nú se herewísa hleahtor álegde |
| now the cohort-leader has laid aside laughter | ||
| gamen ond gléodréam. Forðon sceall gár wesan |
| pleasure and merriment. Therefore must be spears | ||
| monig morgenceald mundum bewunden, |
| many, morning-cold, grasped in palms, | ||
| hæfen on handa, nalles hearpan swég |
3023 | raised in hands, not at all the sound of harp | ||
| wígend weccean ac se wonna hrefn |
| to wake the warrior, but the black raven, | ||
| fús ofer faégum fela reordian, |
| eager over the doomed, speaking many things, | ||
| earne secgan hú him æt aéte spéow |
| telling the eagle, how he succeeded in eating, | ||
| þenden hé wið wulf wæl réafode.' |
| when he with the wolf despoiled the slain.' | ||
| Swá se secg hwata secggende wæs |
3028 | So the bold men was teller | ||
| láðra spella· hé ne léag fela |
| of hateful tidings; he did not lie much | ||
| wyrda né worda. Weorod eall árás· |
| in deeds or in words. The troop all arose; | ||
| éodon unblíðe under earna næs |
| they went unhappily under the eagle's headland, | ||
| wollentéare wundur scéawian· |
| with welling tears, to gaze upon the wonder; | ||
| fundon ðá on sande sáwulléasne |
3033 | they found then on the sand, soulless, | ||
| hlimbed healdan þone þe him hringas geaf |
| ruling over his bed of rest, the who gave them rings | ||
| aérran maélum· þá wæs endedæg |
| in earlier times; then it was the end-day | ||
| gódum gegongen þæt se gúðcyning |
| come for good men, that the war-king, | ||
| Wedra þéoden wundordéaðe swealt. |
| the Wederas' chieftain, died a wondrous death. | ||
| AÉr hí þaér geségan syllícran wiht |
3038 | First they saw there a rarer creature, | ||
| wyrm on wonge wiðerræhtes þaér |
| the wyrm on the ground just opposite there, | ||
| láðne licgean: wæs se légdraca |
| the loathsome one lying dead: the fire-drake was | ||
| grimlíc gryregiest glédum beswaéled· |
| a grim gruesome guest burnt by flames; | ||
| sé wæs fíftiges fótgemearces |
| it was fifty foot-measures | ||
| lang on legere· lyftwynne héold |
3043 | long as it lay; in air-joy it had ruled | ||
| nihtes hwílum· nyðer eft gewát |
| the times of the night, down again had gone | ||
| dennes níosian· wæs ðá déaðe fæst· |
| to seek its den; it was then still in death, | ||
| hæfde eorðscrafa ende genyttod. |
| it had of earth-caverns enjoyed its end. | ||
| Him big stódan bunan ond orcas· |
| They stood by him goblets and beakers, | ||
| discas lágon ond dýre swyrd |
3048 | lay plates and precious swords, | ||
| ómige þurhetone swá híe wið eorðan fæðm |
| eaten through by rust, as if they had in the embrace of the earth | ||
| þúsend wintra þaér eardodon· |
| a thousand winters remained there; | ||
| þonne wæs þæt yrfe éacencræftig, |
|
| ||
| iúmonna gold galdre bewunden |
| gold of men of yore, encompassed by an incantation, | ||
| þæt ðám hringsele hrínan ne móste |
3053 | that the ring-hall could not touch | ||
| gumena aénig nefne god sylfa |
| any man, unless God himself, | ||
| sigora sóðcyning sealde þám ðe hé wolde |
| victories' Truth-king allowed he who He wished | ||
| --hé is manna gehyld-- hord openian· |
| --He is man's protector-- to open the hoard, | ||
| efne swá hwylcum manna swá him gemet ðúhte. |
| even so to every man as it seemed fitting to Him. |