Beowulf by Anonymous, James Albert Harrison, Robert Sharp, John Lesslie Hall

XXXIV. Retrospect of Beówulf.—Strife Between Sweonas and Geatas

Se þäs leód-hryres leán gemunde

uferan dôgrum, Eádgilse wearð

feá-sceaftum feónd. Folce gestepte

ofer sæ sîde sunu Ôhteres

wîgum and wæpnum: he gewräc syððan

cealdum cear-sîðum, cyning ealdre bineát.

Swâ he nîða gehwane genesen häfde,

slîðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþiówes,

ellen-weorca, ôð þone ânne däg,

þe he wið þam wyrme gewegan sceolde.

Gewât þâ twelfa sum torne gebolgen

dryhten Geáta dracan sceáwian;

häfde þâ gefrunen, hwanan sió fæhð ârâs,

bealo-nîð biorna; him tô bearme cwom

mâððum-fät mære þurh þäs meldan hond,

Se wäs on þam þreáte þreotteoða secg,

se þäs orleges ôr onstealde,

häft hyge-giômor, sceolde heán þonon

wong wîsian: he ofer willan gióng

tô þäs þe he eorð-sele ânne wisse,

hlæw under hrusan holm-wylme nêh,

ýð-gewinne, se wäs innan full

wrätta and wîra: weard unhióre,

gearo gûð-freca, gold-mâðmas heóld,

eald under eorðan; näs þät ýðe ceáp,

tô gegangenne gumena ænigum.

Gesät þâ on nässe nîð-heard cyning,

þenden hælo âbeád heorð-geneátum

gold-wine Geáta: him wäs geômor sefa,

wäfre and wäl-fûs, Wyrd ungemete neáh,

se þone gomelan grêtan sceolde,

sêcean sâwle hord, sundur gedælan

lîf wið lîce: nô þon lange wäs

feorh äðelinges flæsce bewunden.

Biówulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþeówes:

"Fela ic on giogoðe guð-ræsa genäs,

"orleg-hwîla: ic þät eall gemon.

"Ic wäs syfan-wintre, þâ mec sinca baldor,

"freá-wine folca ät mînum fäder genam,

"heóld mec and häfde Hrêðel cyning,

"geaf me sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;

"näs ic him tô lîfe lâðra ôwihte

"beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,

"Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelâc mîn.

"Wäs þam yldestan ungedêfelîce

"mæges dædum morðor-bed strêd,

"syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,

"his freá-wine flâne geswencte,

"miste mercelses and his mæg ofscêt,

"brôðor ôðerne, blôdigan gâre:

"þät wäs feoh-leás gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad

"hreðre hyge-mêðe; sceolde hwäðre swâ þeáh

"äðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.

"Swâ bið geômorlîc gomelum ceorle

"tô gebîdanne, þät his byre rîde

"giong on galgan, þonne he gyd wrece,

"sârigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað

"hrefne tô hrôðre and he him helpe ne mäg,

"eald and in-frôd, ænige gefremman.

"Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce

"eaforan ellor-sîð; ôðres ne gýmeð

"tô gebîdanne burgum on innan

"yrfe-weardes, þonne se ân hafað

"þurh deáðes nýd dæda gefondad.

"Gesyhð sorh-cearig on his suna bûre

"wîn-sele wêstne, wind-gereste,

"reóte berofene; rîdend swefað

"häleð in hoðman; nis þær hearpan swêg,

"gomen in geardum, swylce þær iú wæron.

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Next: XXXV. Memories of Past Time.—The Feud with the Fire-Drake