BEOWULF
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last updated on 14-December-2005
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XI |
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| Ðá cóm of móre under misthleoþum |
| Then came from the moor under the misty cliffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grendel gongan· godes yrre bær· |
711 | Grendel walking, God's wrath he bore; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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mynte se mánscaða manna cynnes |
| the vile ravager meant from mankind | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sumne besyrwan in sele þám héan· |
| a sample to snare in the high hall; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| wód under wolcnum tó þæs þe hé wínreced |
| he waded under the clouds until he the wine-hall, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| goldsele gumena gearwost wisse |
| --the gold-hall of men-- mostly-certainly saw, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| faéttum fáhne· ne wæs þæt forma síð |
716 | shining gold; it was not the first time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæt hé Hróþgáres hám gesóhte· |
| that he Hrothgar's home had sought; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| naéfre hé on aldordagum aér ne siþðan |
| he never in the days of his life, ere nor after, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| heardran haéle healðegnas fand. |
| harder luck or hall-thanes found. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cóm þá to recede rinc síðian |
| He came then to the hall the fighter journeying, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| dréamum bedaéled· duru sóna onarn |
721 | cut-off from merriment; the door soon rushed open, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fýrbendum fæst syþðan hé hire folmum æthrán |
| firm with fire-forged bands, when he tapped it with his hands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| onbraéd þá bealohýdig ðá hé gebolgen wæs, |
| plotting evil then he tore open, now that he was enraged, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| recedes múþan· raþe æfter þon |
| the mouth of the building; straight after that | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| on fágne flór féond treddode· |
| on the tessellated floor the fiend treaded, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| éode yrremód· him of éagum stód |
726 | advanced angrily; from his eyes issued, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ligge gelícost léoht unfaéger· |
| most like a flame, a distorted light; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| geseah hé in recede rinca manige |
| he saw in the hall many warriors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere |
| a sleeping company of kinsmen gathered together | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| magorinca héap. Þá his mód áhlóg: |
| a great host of warriors. Then his heart laughed: � | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| mynte þæt hé gedaélde aér þon dæg cwóme |
731 | he intended to deprive, ere the day came, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| atol áglaéca ánra gehwylces |
| the cruel beast, from each one | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| líf wið líce þá him álumpen wæs |
| life from body, now had befallen him | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| wistfylle wén. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þá gén |
| a hope of a full feast. It was not his fate again | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæt hé má móste manna cynnes |
| that he might more of mankind | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ðicgean ofer þá niht· þrýðswýð behéold |
736 | partake of after that night; the mighty man beheld, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| maég Higeláces hú se mánscaða |
| the kinsman of Hygelac, how the cruel killer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| under faérgripum gefaran wolde. |
| by means of a sudden attack wished to proceed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Né þæt se áglaéca yldan þóhte |
| That the monster did not think to delay, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ac hé geféng hraðe forman síðe |
| but he quickly grasped, at the first occasion, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| slaépendne rinc slát unwearnum· |
741 | a sleeping warrior, rended without restraint, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| bát bánlocan· blód édrum dranc· |
| bit into the bone-locks, from the veins drank blood, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| synsnaédum swealh· sóna hæfde |
| swallowed great chunks; soon he had | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| unlyfigendes ealgefeormod |
| the unliving one all devoured, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fét ond folma· forð néar ætstóp· |
| feet and hands; nearer he stepped forth, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| nam þá mid handa higeþíhtigne |
746 | taking then with his hands a stout-hearted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rinc on ræste· raéhte ongéan |
| warrior from his rest, reached towards him | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| féond mid folme· hé onféng hraþe |
| the foe with his palm; quickly he grasped | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt. |
| the malice thoughts and clamped down on the arm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sóna þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde· |
| At once he found, the shepherd of atrocities, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæt hé ne métte middangeardes |
751 | that he had not met in middle-earth, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| eorþan scéatta on elran men |
| in the expanse of the world, in another man | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| mundgripe máran· hé on móde wearð |
| a greater hand-grip; he in his heart grew | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| forht on ferhðe· nó þý aér fram meahte· |
| fearing for life; none the sooner could he away; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hyge wæs him hinfús· wolde on heolster fléon, |
| eager-to-go-hence was the thought in him, he wanted to flee into the darkness, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sécan déofla gedræg· ne wæs his drohtoð þaér |
756 | to seek the devils' concourse; his situation there was not | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| swylce hé on ealderdagum aér gemétte. |
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like he in the days of his life ever had met. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gemunde þá se góda maég Higeláces |
| The good man then recalled, the kinsman of Hygelac, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| aéfenspraéce· uplang ástód |
| his evening-speech; upright he stood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ond him fæste wiðféng· fingras burston· |
| and laid hold of him tight; fingers burst; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| eoten wæs útweard· eorl furþur stóp. |
761 | the troll was striving to move outward, the earl stepped forward. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mynte se maéra hwaér hé meahte swá |
| The infamous one meant, anywhere he so was able, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| wídre gewindan ond on weg þanon |
| farther escape and away thence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| fléon on fenhopu· wiste his fingra geweald |
| flee to his secret places in the fen; he knew his fingers' control | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| on grames grápum· þæt he wæs géocorsíð |
| in his enemy's grip, that was a bitter journey he | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæt sé hearmscaþa to Heorute átéah. |
766 | that the harm-warrior had taken to Heorot. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dryhtsele dynede· Denum eallum wearð |
| The noble hall broke into a din; the Danes all were, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ceasterbúendum cénra gehwylcum |
| --the citadel-dwellers-- each of the bold, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| eorlum ealuscerwen· yrre waéron bégen |
| earls in the flood of bitter drink; enraged were both | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| réþe renweardas· reced hlynsode. |
| fierce hall-wards; the hall resounded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Þá wæs wundor micel þæt se wínsele |
771 | Then it was a great wonder that the wine-hall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| wiðhæfde heaþodéorum· þæt hé on hrúsan ne féol |
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withstood the war-fighters, that it did not fall to the ground, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| faéger foldbold ac hé þæs fæste wæs |
| the fair mansion but it so firm was | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| innan ond útan írenbendum |
| inside and out with iron-bands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| searoþoncum besmiþod· þaér fram sylle ábéag |
| skilfully smithed; there from the floor broke away | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| medubenc monig míne gefraége |
776 | many mead-benches, I heard, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| golde geregnad þaér þá graman wunnon· |
| adorned with gold, where the enemies struggled; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæs ne wéndon aér witan Scyldinga· |
| it was not thought before, by the sages of the Scyldings, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| þæt hit á mid gemete manna aénig |
| that it ever by means any men | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| betlíc ond bánfág tóbrecan meahte, |
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splendid and
bone-adorned, could break it up,
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listum
tólúcan nymþe líges
fæþm
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| 781
cleverly
cleave asunder, not unless fire's
embrace
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swulge on
swaþule. Swég up ástág
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swallowed it
in inferno. Sound ascended
up,
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níwe
geneahhe· Norð-Denum stód
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new, nearby:
the North-Danes stood
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atelíc
egesa ánra gehwylcum
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| in ghastly horror, in each one of
þára þe of wealle wóp
gehýrdon,
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them who from
the wall weeping heard,
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gryreléoð galan godes andsacan
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| 786
terrible
screaming, God's
adversary,
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sigeléasne sang, sár
wánigean
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a victoryless
song, bewailing his wound,
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helle
hæfton· héold hine fæste
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Hel's
prisoner; he held him fast,
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sé
þe manna wæs mægene strengest
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he who was of
men in might strongest
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on
þaém dæge þysses lífes.
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on that day
in this life.
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