BEOWULF
diacritically-marked text and facing translation
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last updated on 12-June-2005
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|
VIII | ||||
| Hunferð maþelode Ecgláfes bearn |
| |||
| þe æt fótum sæt fréan Scyldinga· | who sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings; | |||
| onband beadurúne --wæs him Béowulfes síð |
501 | he unbound battle-runes --for him was the venture of Beowulf, | ||
| módges merefaran micel æfþunca |
| brave seafarer's, a source of great displeasure, | ||
| forþon þe hé ne úþe þæt aénig óðer man |
| because he did not grant that any other man | ||
| aéfre maérða þon má middangeardes |
| ever glorious deeds the more on middle-earth | ||
| gehédde under heofenum þonne hé sylfa--: |
| heeded under the heavens than he himself--: | ||
| 'Eart þú sé Béowulf sé þe wið Brecan wunne |
506 |
| ||
| on sídne saé ymb sund flite? |
| on the broad sea, contended around the ocean-sound? | ||
| Ðaér git for wlence wada cunnedon |
| Where you for bravado tempted the waters | ||
| ond for dolgilpe on déop wæter |
| and for a foolish boast in deep sea | ||
| aldrum néþdon né inc aénig mon |
| risked your lives, you no man | ||
| né léof né láð beléan mihte |
511 | --neither friend nor foe-- could dissuade | ||
| sorhfullne síð þa git on sund réön· |
| from that sorrowful jaunt, when you rowed into the strait; | ||
| þaér git éagorstréam earmum þehton· |
| there you sea-currents in your arms embraced, | ||
| maéton merestraéta mundum brugdon· |
| traversed the ocean-roads, with hands wove, | ||
| glidon ofer gársecg· geofon ýþum |
| gliding over the sea; the ocean in waves | ||
| wéol wintrys wylm· git on wæteres aéht |
516 | welled, in winter's swells; you in the water's grasp | ||
| seofon niht swuncon· hé þé æt sunde oferflát· |
| toiled for seven nights; he got the better of you on the sea, | ||
| hæfde máre mægen. Þá hine on morgentíd |
| he had more might. Then he in the morning | ||
| on Heaþo-Raémes holm up ætbær· |
| on Heatho-Reams' shore was cast up by the sea; | ||
| ðonon hé gesóhte swaésne éðel, |
| thence he sought his own homeland, | ||
| léof his léodum, lond Brondinga |
521 | dear to his people, the land of the Brondings, | ||
| freoðoburh fægere þaér hé folc áhte |
| the fair citadel, he had folk there, | ||
| burh ond béagas· béot eal wið þé |
| boroughs and rings; the entire boast with you | ||
| sunu Béanstánes sóðe gelaéste. |
| the son of Beanstan truly fulfilled. | ||
| Ðonne wéne ic tó þé wyrsan geþingea |
| I expect then for you worse results, | ||
| ðéah þú heaðoraésa gehwaér dohte |
526 | though you in war-assaults everywhere prevailed, | ||
| grimre gúðe gif þú Grendles dearst |
| grim combat, if you for Grendel dare | ||
| nihtlongne fyrst néän bídan.' |
| the space of a night nearby wait.' | ||
| Béowulf maþelode bearn Ecgþéowes: |
| Beowulf spoke, the son of Edgetheow: | ||
| 'Hwæt, þú worn fela, wine mín Hunferð, |
| 'Listen, you a great deal --Unferth, my friend, | ||
| béore druncen ymb Brecan spraéce· |
531 | drunk on beer-- have spoken about Breca, | ||
| sægdest from his síðe. Sóð ic talige |
| told of his journey. Truth I claim | ||
| þæt ic merestrengo máran áhte |
| that I sea-strength greater had, | ||
| earfeþo on ýþum ðonne aénig óþer man· |
| hardship on the waves, than any other man; | ||
| wit þæt gecwaédon cnihtwesende |
| we had it agreed, being lads, | ||
| ond gebéotedon --waéron bégen þá git |
536 | and vowed --being both then still | ||
| on geogoðféore-- þæt wit on gársecg út |
| in the years of youth-- that we out on the ocean | ||
| aldrum néðdon ond þæt geæfndon swá. |
| our lives would risk, and thus that we did. | ||
| Hæfdon swurd nacod þá wit on sund réön |
| We had naked swords when we rowed on the ocean-sound, | ||
| heard on handa: wit unc wið hronfixas |
| hard in our hands: we ourselves against whales | ||
| werian þóhton· nó hé wiht fram mé |
541 | planned to defend; not a whit from me was he | ||
| flódýþum feor fléotan meahte |
| on the sea-waves far able to float, | ||
| hraþor on holme· nó ic fram him wolde· |
| swifter on water, nor did I wish to part from him; | ||
| ðá wit ætsomne on saé waéron |
| then we together were on the sea, | ||
| fíf nihta fyrst oþ þæt unc flód tódráf |
| for the space of five nights, until the sea-waves drove us apart, | ||
| wado weallende wedera cealdost |
546 | the water welling, the coldest of weathers, | ||
| nípende niht ond norþanwind |
| the darkening night and the north wind | ||
| heaðogrim ondhwearf· hréo waéron ýþa· |
| fierce turned against us; wild were the waves; | ||
| wæs merefixa mód onhréred· |
| then was the sea-fishes' wrath roused; | ||
| þaér mé wið láðum lícsyrce mín |
| there me against foes my body-shirt | ||
| heard hondlocen helpe gefremede· |
551 | strong and hand-linked, did me help, | ||
| beadohrægl bróden on bréostum læg |
| my battle-garment braided lay on my breast, | ||
| golde gegyrwed· mé tó grunde téah |
| adorned with gold; to the bottom of the sea I was drawn | ||
| fáh féondscaða· fæste hæfde |
| by the hostile foe-scather, it held me fast, | ||
| grim on grápe· hwæþre mé gyfeþe wearð |
| cruel in grip; however, to it was granted | ||
| þæt ic áglaécan orde geraéhte |
556 | that I the monster reached with my point, | ||
| hildebille· heaþoraés fornam |
| with battle-bill; in the battle-rush I destroyed | ||
| mihtig meredéor þurh míne hand. |
| the mighty sea-beast with my hand. |