Chapter XXIII: The Battle with the Water-Drake

Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
1475 "geþenc nu, se mæra maga Healfdenes,
"snottra fengel, nu ic eom sîðes fûs,
"gold-wine gumena, hwät wit geó spræcon,
"gif ic ät þearfe þînre scolde
"aldre linnan, þät þu me â wære
1480 "forð-gewitenum on fäder stäle;
"wes þu mund-bora mînum mago-þegnum,
"hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime:
"swylce þu þâ mâdmas, þe þu me sealdest,
"Hrôðgâr leófa, Higelâce onsend.
1485 "Mäg þonne on þäm golde ongitan Geáta dryhten,
"geseón sunu Hrêðles, þonne he on þät sinc starað,
"þät ic gum-cystum gôdne funde
"beága bryttan, breác þonne môste.
"And þu Ûnferð læt ealde lâfe,
1490 "wrätlîc wæg-sweord wîd-cûðne man
"heard-ecg habban; ic me mid Hruntinge
"dôm gewyrce, oððe mec deáð nimeð."
Äfter þæm wordum Weder-Geáta leód
êfste mid elne, nalas andsware
1495 bîdan wolde; brim-wylm onfêng
hilde-rince. Þâ wäs hwîl däges,
ær he þone grund-wong ongytan mehte.
Sôna þät onfunde, se þe flôda begong
heoro-gîfre beheóld hund missera,
1500 grim and grædig, þät þær gumena sum
äl-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grâp þâ tôgeánes, gûð-rinc gefêng
atolan clommum; nô þý ær in gescôd
hâlan lîce: hring ûtan ymb-bearh,
1505 þät heó þone fyrd-hom þurh-fôn ne mihte,
locene leoðo-syrcan lâðan fingrum.
Bär þâ seó brim-wylf, þâ heó tô botme com,
hringa þengel tô hofe sînum,
swâ he ne mihte nô (he þäs môdig wäs)
1510 wæpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þäs fela
swencte on sunde, sæ-deór monig
hilde-tuxum here-syrcan bräc,
êhton aglæcan. Þâ se eorl ongeat,
þät he in nið-sele nât-hwylcum wäs,
1515 þær him nænig wäter wihte ne sceðede,
ne him for hrôf-sele hrînan ne mehte
fær-gripe flôdes: fýr-leóht geseah,
blâcne leóman beorhte scînan.
Ongeat þâ se gôda grund-wyrgenne,
1520 mere-wîf mihtig; mägen-ræs forgeaf
hilde-bille, hond swenge ne ofteáh,
þät hire on hafelan hring-mæl âgôl
grædig gûð-leóð. Þâ se gist onfand,
þät se beado-leóma bîtan nolde,
1525 aldre sceððan, ac seó ecg geswâc
þeódne ät þearfe: þolode ær fela
hond-gemôta, helm oft gescär,
fæges fyrd-hrägl: þät wäs forma sîð
deórum mâðme, þät his dôm âläg.
1530 Eft wäs ân-ræd, nalas elnes lät,
mærða gemyndig mæg Hygelâces;
wearp þâ wunden-mæl wrättum gebunden
yrre oretta, þät hit on eorðan läg,
stîð and stýl-ecg; strenge getrûwode,
1535 mund-gripe mägenes. Swâ sceal man dôn,
þonne he ät gûðe gegân þenceð
longsumne lof, nâ ymb his lîf cearað.
Gefêng þâ be eaxle (nalas for fæhðe mearn)
Gûð-Geáta leód Grendles môdor;
1540 brägd þâ beadwe heard, þâ he gebolgen wäs,
feorh-genîðlan, þät heó on flet gebeáh.
Heó him eft hraðe and-leán forgeald
grimman grâpum and him tôgeánes fêng;
oferwearp þâ wêrig-môd wîgena strengest,
1545 fêðe-cempa, þät he on fylle wearð.
Ofsät þâ þone sele-gyst and hyre seaxe geteáh,
brâd and brûn-ecg wolde hire bearn wrecan,
ângan eaferan. Him on eaxle läg
breóst-net broden; þät gebearh feore,
1550 wið ord and wið ecge ingang forstôd.
Häfde þâ forsîðod sunu Ecgþeówes
under gynne grund, Geáta cempa,
nemne him heaðo-byrne helpe gefremede,
here-net hearde, and hâlig god
1555 geweóld wîg-sigor, witig drihten;
rodera rædend hit on ryht gescêd,
ýðelîce syððan he eft âstôd.