Chapter XIV: The Joy at Heorot

Þā wæs on morgen mīne gefrǣge
ymb þā gif-healle gūð-rinc monig:
840 fērdon folc-togan feorran and nēan
geond wīd-wegas wundor scēawian,
lāðes lāstas. Nō his līf-gedāl
sārlīc þūhte secga ǣnegum,
þāra þe tīr-lēases trode scēawode,
845 hū hē wērig-mōd on weg þanon,
nīða ofercumen, on nicera mere
fǣge and geflȳmed feorh-lāstas bær.
Þǣr wæs on blōde brim weallende,
atol ȳða geswing eal gemenged
850 hātan heolfre, heoro-drēore wēol;
dēað-fǣge dēog, siððan drēama lēas
in fen-freoðo feorh ālegde
hǣðene sāwle, þǣr him hel onfēng.
Þanon eft gewiton eald-gesīðas,
855 swylce geong manig of gomen-wāðe,
fram mere mōdge, mēarum rīdan,
beornas on blancum. Þǣr wæs Bēowulfes
mǣrðo mǣned; monig oft gecwæð,
þætte sūð nē norð be sǣm tweonum
860 ofer eormen-grund ōðer nǣnig
under swegles begong sēlra nǣre
rond-hæbbendra, rīces wyrðra.
Nē hīe hūru wine-drihten wiht ne lōgon,
glædne Hrōðgār, ac þæt wæs gōd cyning.
865 Hwīlum heaðo-rōfe hlēapan lēton,
on geflīt faran fealwe mēaras,
þǣr him fold-wegas fægere þūhton,
cystum cūðe; hwīlum cyninges þegn,
guma gilp-hlæden gidda gemyndig,
870 sē þe eal-fela eald-gesegena
worn gemunde, word ōðer fand
sōðe gebunden: secg eft ongan
sīð Bēowulfes snyttrum styrian
and on spēd wrecan spel gerāde,
875 wordum wrixlan, wēl-hwylc gecwæð,
þæt hē fram Sigemunde secgan hȳrde,
ellen-dǣdum, uncūðes fela,
Wælsinges gewin, wīde sīðas,
þāra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
880 fǣhðe and fyrene, būton Fitela mid hine,
þonne hē swylces hwæt secgan wolde
ēam his nefan, swā hīe ā wǣron
æt nīða gehwām nȳd-gesteallan:
hæfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes
885 sweordum gesǣged. Sigemunde gesprong
æfter dēað-dæge dōm unlȳtel,
syððan wīges heard wyrm ācwealde,
hordes hyrde; hē under hārne stān,
æðelinges bearn, āna genēðde
890 frēcne dǣde; ne wæs him Fitela mid.
Hwæðre him gesǣlde, þæt þæt swurd þurhwōd
wrǣtlīcne wyrm, þæt hit on wealle ætstōd,
dryhtlīc īren; draca morðre swealt.
Hæfde āglǣca elne gegongen,
895 þæt hē bēah-hordes brūcan mōste
selfes dōme: sǣ-bāt gehlōd,
bær on bearm scipes beorhte frætwa,
Wælses eafera; wyrm hāt gemealt.
Sē wæs wreccena wīde mǣrost
900 ofer wer-þēode, wīgendra hlēo
ellen-dǣdum: hē þæs āron þāh.
Siððan Heremōdes hild sweðrode
eafoð and ellen. Hē mid eotenum wearð
on fēonda geweald forð forlācen,
905 snūde forsended. Hine sorh-wylmas
lemede tō lange, hē his lēodum wearð,
eallum æðelingum tō aldor-ceare;
swylce oft bemearn ǣrran mǣlum
swīð-ferhðes sīð snotor ceorl monig,
910 sē þe him bealwa tō bōte gelȳfde,
þæt þæt þēodnes bearn geþēon scolde,
fæder-æðelum onfōn, folc gehealdan,
hord and hlēo-burh, hæleða rīce,
ēðel Scyldinga. Hē þǣr eallum wearð,
915 mǣg Higelāces manna cynne,
frēondum gefægra; hine fyren onwōd.

Hwīlum flītende fealwe strǣte
mēarum mǣton. Þā wæs morgen-lēoht
scofen and scynded. Ēode scealc monig
920 swīð-hicgende tō sele þām hēan,
searo-wundor sēon, swylce self cyning,
of brȳd-būre bēah-horda weard,
tryddode tīr-fæst getrume micle,
cystum gecȳðed, and his cwēn mid him
925 medo-stīg gemæt mægða hōse.