Chapter XVII: Song of Hrothgar's Poet--The Lay of Hnaef and Hengest

Þâ gyt æghwylcum eorla drihten
þâra þe mid Beówulfe brim-lâde teáh,
on þære medu-bence mâððum gesealde,
yrfe-lâfe, and þone ænne hêht
1055 golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ær
mâne âcwealde, swâ he hyra mâ wolde,
nefne him witig god wyrd forstôde
and þäs mannes môd: metod eallum weóld
gumena cynnes, swâ he nu git dêð;
1060 forþan bið andgit æghwær sêlest,
ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebîdan
leófes and lâðes, se þe longe her
on þyssum win-dagum worolde brûceð.
Þær wäs sang and swêg samod ätgädere
1065 fore Healfdenes hilde-wîsan,
gomen-wudu grêted, gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamen Hrôðgâres scôp
äfter medo-bence mænan scolde
Finnes eaferum, þâ hie se fær begeat:
1070 "Häleð Healfdenes, Hnäf Scyldinga,
"in Fr..es wäle feallan scolde.
"Ne hûru Hildeburh hêrian þorfte
"Eotena treówe: unsynnum wearð
"beloren leófum ät þam lind-plegan
1075 "bearnum and brôðrum; hie on gebyrd hruron
"gâre wunde; þät wäs geômuru ides.
"Nalles hôlinga Hôces dôhtor
"meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen com,
"þâ heó under swegle geseón meahte
1080 "morðor-bealo mâga, þær heó ær mæste heóld
"worolde wynne: wîg ealle fornam
"Finnes þegnas, nemne feáum ânum,
"þät he ne mehte on þäm meðel-stede
"wîg Hengeste wiht gefeohtan,
1085 "ne þâ weá-lâfe wîge forþringan
"þeódnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon,
"þät hie him ôðer flet eal gerýmdon,
"healle and heáh-setl, þät hie healfre geweald
"wið Eotena bearn âgan môston,
1090 "and ät feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu
"dôgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,
"Hengestes heáp hringum wenede,
"efne swâ swîðe sinc-gestreónum
"fättan goldes, swâ he Fresena cyn
1095 "on beór-sele byldan wolde.
"Þâ hie getrûwedon on twâ healfa
"fäste frioðu-wære; Fin Hengeste
"elne unflitme âðum benemde,
"þät he þâ weá-lâfe weotena dôme
1100 "ârum heolde, þät þær ænig mon
"wordum ne worcum wære ne bræce,
"ne þurh inwit-searo æfre gemænden,
"þeáh hie hira beág-gyfan banan folgedon
"þeóden-leáse, þâ him swâ geþearfod wäs:
1105 "gyf þonne Frysna hwylc frêcnan spræce
"þäs morðor-hetes myndgiend wære,
"þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.
"Âð wäs geäfned and icge gold
"âhäfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga
1110 "betst beado-rinca wäs on bæl gearu;
"ät þäm âde wäs êð-gesýne
"swât-fâh syrce, swýn eal-gylden,
"eofer îren-heard, äðeling manig
"wundum âwyrded; sume on wäle crungon.
1115 "Hêt þâ Hildeburh ät Hnäfes âde
"hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befästan,
"bân-fatu bärnan and on bæl dôn.
"Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
"geômrode giddum; gûð-rinc âstâh.
1120 "Wand tô wolcnum wäl-fýra mæst,
"hlynode for hlâwe; hafelan multon,
"ben-geato burston, þonne blôd ätspranc
"lâð-bite lîces. Lîg ealle forswealg,
"gæsta gîfrost, þâra þe þær gûð fornam
1125 "bega folces; wäs hira blæd scacen.