Chapter XII: Grendel's Raid

Þâ com of môre under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bär.
Mynte se mân-scaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þam heán;
715 wôd under wolcnum, tô þäs þe he wîn-reced,
gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse
fättum fâhne. Ne wäs þät forma sîð,
þät he Hrôðgâres hâm gesôhte:
næfre he on aldor-dagum ær ne siððan
720 heardran häle, heal-þegnas fand!
Com þâ tô recede rinc sîðian
dreámum bedæled. Duru sôna onarn
fýr-bendum fäst, syððan he hire folmum hrân;
onbräd þâ bealo-hydig, þâ he âbolgen wäs,
725 recedes mûðan. Raðe äfter þon
on fâgne flôr feónd treddode,
eode yrre-môd; him of eágum stôd
lîge gelîcost leóht unfäger.
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ätgädere,
mago-rinca heáp: þâ his môd âhlôg,
mynte þät he gedælde, ær þon däg cwôme,
atol aglæca, ânra gehwylces
lîf wið lîce, þâ him âlumpen wäs
735 wist-fylle wên. Ne wäs þät wyrd þâ gen,
þät he mâ môste manna cynnes
þicgean ofer þâ niht. Þrýð-swýð beheóld
mæg Higelâces, hû se mân-scaða
under fær-gripum gefaran wolde.
740 Ne þät se aglæca yldan þôhte,
ac he gefêng hraðe forman siðe
slæpendne rinc, slât unwearnum,
bât bân-locan, blôd êdrum dranc,
syn-snædum swealh: sôna häfde
745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod
fêt and folma. Forð neár ätstôp,
nam þâ mid handa hige-þihtigne
rinc on räste; ræhte ongeán
feónd mid folme, he onfêng hraðe
750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesät.
Sôna þät onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þät he ne mêtte middan-geardes
eorðan sceáta on elran men
mund-gripe mâran: he on môde wearð
755 forht on ferhðe, nô þý ær fram meahte;
hyge wäs him hin-fûs, wolde on heolster fleón,
sêcan deófla gedräg: ne wäs his drohtoð þær,
swylce he on ealder-dagum ær gemêtte.
Gemunde þâ se gôda mæg Higelâces
760 æfen-spræce, up-lang âstôd
and him fäste wiðfêng. Fingras burston;
eoten wäs ût-weard, eorl furður stôp.
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swâ,
wîdre gewindan and on weg þanon
765 fleón on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grâpum. Þät wäs geócor sîð,
þät se hearm-scaða tô Heorute âteáh:
dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,
ceaster-bûendum, cênra gehwylcum,
770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wæron begen,
rêðe rên-weardas. Reced hlynsode;
þâ wäs wundor micel, þät se wîn-sele
wiðhäfde heaðo-deórum, þät he on hrusan ne feól,
fäger fold-bold; ac he þäs fäste wäs
775 innan and ûtan îren-bendum
searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þær fram sylle âbeág
medu-benc monig mîne gefræge,
golde geregnad, þær þâ graman wunnon;
þäs ne wêndon ær witan Scyldinga,
780 þät hit â mid gemete manna ænig
betlîc and bân-fâg tôbrecan meahte,
listum tôlûcan, nymðe lîges fäðm
swulge on swaðule. Swêg up âstâg
niwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stôd
785 atelîc egesa ânra gehwylcum
þâra þe of wealle wôp gehýrdon,
gryre-leóð galan godes andsacan,
sige-leásne sang, sâr wânigean
helle häftan. Heóld hine tô fäste
790 se þe manna wäs mägene strengest
on þäm däge þysses lîfes.