Chapter XXXIV: Retrospect of Beówulf.--Strife Between Sweonas and Geatas

Se þäs leód-hryres leán gemunde
uferan dôgrum, Eádgilse wearð
feá-sceaftum feónd. Folce gestepte
2395 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,
2400 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,
2405 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
2410 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,
2415 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
2420 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
2425 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,
2430 "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,
2435 "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,
2440 "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.
2445 "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,
2450 "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
2455 "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,
2460 "gomen in geardum, swylce þær iú wæron.