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BEOWULF
Ilonlron: C. J. CLAY AND SONS, CAMBKIDGE UNIVEESITY PKESS WAREHOUSE,
Ave Majria Lane. ffilassoio: 263, ARGYLE STREET.
eamtriige: DEIGHTON, BELL AND CO.
ILetpjig: F. A. BROCKHAUS.
^ia gotfe: MACMILLAN AND CO.
BEOWULF
^
EDITED
WITH TEXTUAL FOOT-NOTES, INDEX OF PROPER NAMES, AND ALPHABETICAL GLOSSARY,
A. J. WYATT,
M.A. LOND., B.A. CANTAB., SOMETIME SCHOLAR OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE.
CAMBRIDGE: AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.
1894.
[All rights reserved.']
$*' ^^.^%^
,4^^"
PKINTED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A., AND SONS, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.
PREFACE.
A LENGTHY apology for preparing an English edition of the " Beowulf" is perhaps hardly necessary. The earlier English editions are long since out of print, and the poem has therefore been almost unobtainable, except in the German editions of Heyne and Holder \ Excellent as these may be in several ways, they are ill adapted for the average English student, besides having one or more very marked defects. Holder's foot-notes are as unreliable as his text is reliable. Heyne's glossary, like that of most German editions, stands self-condemned, in that he fre- quently forgets the absurd, artificial order of letters on which it is based. Furthermore, his glossary amounts to a translation ; and this of itself tends to rob the work of much of its educative value for the serious student.
It has been felt therefore that an English edition was needed — for after all the "Beowulf" is essentially an English poem — which should give the readings of the MS. in foot-notes wherever they were departed from in the
1 There is a translation of Heyne's edition by two American pro- fessors; but they have taken the trouble to render their text perfectly worthless by appropriating all Heyne's emendations and omitting his notes which give the readings of the MS.
VI BEOWULF.
text, should provide an alphabetical glossary, and should furnish a due amount of help in difficult passages and no more. This need I have attempted to supply. I have of course made abundant use of the labours of my prede- cessors. The debt of an editor of "Beowulf" to the glossaries of Grein and Heyne is necessarily great. At the same time nothing has been accepted on mere au- thority. A glance at the glossary will suffice to show that it is no translation from the German. Of the text, in the same way, every line, every stop, almost every word, has been carefully considered. The genealogical tables and the index of proper names give, in a concise form, in- formation that in many cases has hitherto had to be sought from various sources^
The Manuscript. The excellent edition, with autotypes and transliteration of every folio of the MS., prepared for the Early English Text Society by Prof. Zupitza, is almost of equal authority with the MS. itself, and is therefore quite invaluable to the editor, the autotypes being above criti- cism. Upon these the present work is based. The trans- literation of a few lines here will serve to show some of the more marked characteristics of the unique extant MS. (Cott. Vitellius A. xv. in the British Museum), and to make apparent how far and in what particulars, besides those indicated in the foot-notes, the edited text differs from the MS. : —
1 For details connected with the literary history of the poem, the student is referred to Ten Brink's Early English Literature (Bell) ; Morley's English Writers, Vol. i. (Cassell) ; Brooke's Early English Lite- rature, Vol. I. (Macmillan) ; and Ten Brink's monograph in Quellen und Forschungen, lxii. Complete bibliographies are given in Wiilcker's Grundriss (1885), and Garnett's Translation of Beoioulf (1892).
PREFACE. VU
489* duguSe ]>e )?a deaS fornam *site nu to
490 symle *] on sael meoto *sige hreS secgii
491 swa J>in sefa hwette. *J>aw8es geat
492 msecgum geador aitsom ne *on beor
493 sele bene ger3rmed *]73er swiS ferhj^e
494 sittan eodon *]?rySum dealle ]>egn
495 nytte be heold *se]?e on handa bser
496 hroden ealo wsege *scencte scir wered
497 scop hwilum sang *hador on heorote
498 ]7ser wses hseleSa dream *duguS un lytel dena *i wedera.
946 947 *bearn gebyrdo nu ic beowulf }>ec *secg betsta
948 me for sunu wylle *freogan on ferh)7e heald
949 forS tela. *niwe sibbe nebiS ])e senigre gad 950 951 *worolde wilna Jpe icge weald hsebbe *ful
952 oft ic for laes san lean teoh hode *hord
953 weorj7unge hnahran rince *s8emran set
954 saecce )?u ]>e self hafast. *d8e dum gefremed 955 956 ^ )7in lyfaS *awa to aldre alwal da )7ec *gode
957 for gylde swa he nu gyt dyde. * beowulf
958 ma]?elode beam ec ]7eo wes *we "^p ellen weorc
959 estum miclum *feohtan fremedon frecne
960 961 ge neS don. *eafoS uncu]?es upe ic swi]7or *'p
962 Su hine selfne geseon moste *feond on
963 frsetewum fyl werigne. *ic him hraedlice
964 heardan clam mu *on wsel bedde wrij7an
965 |7ohte *'p he for hand gripe minum scolde
Here I have followed Zupitza in the division of the words, but a mere glance at the autotypes suffices to show the
1 The asterisks mark the beginnings of the verse-lines, the numbers of which are given in the margin.
VIU BEOWULF.
truth of what he himself says : " It is often very difficult, if not impossible, to decide whether the scribe intended one or more words."
Several things are obvious from a perusal of the above passages : —
(1) That the lines of the MS. do not correspond with the verse-lines of the poem.
(2) That the punctuation of the MS. is meagre and unreliable.
(3) That proper names are not written with capital letters. On the other hand, the first word after a full-stop is not infrequently Avritten with a capital.
(4) That vowel-length is not marked as a rule.
(5) That one word is sometimes written as two or even three words, and that two words are sometimes written as one word.
(6) That hyphens are unknown to the scribes.
(7) It would seem that the scribes were mere copyists, not writing from memory nor from dictation, and that sometimes at least they did not understand what they were copying.
It is impossible to illustrate, by the quotation of passages like the above, the divergences of the MS. in the method of writing and spelling the same word. One or two illustrations must suffice. The word ond, "and," is written in full only three times, in 11. 600, 1148, 2040. Elsewhere it is represented by the symbol *]. The word ondlong occurs in the form "*]langne" {ace. m.) in 1. 2115, "andlongne" (ace. m.) in 1. 2695, "ondlonge" {ace. f.) in 1. 2938. The word mon-cynn occurs as "mancynne" {dat.) in 1. 110, "moncynnes" {gen.) in 1. 196, "mon cynnes" {gen.) in 1. 1955. These are only a few examples of the inconsistencies with which the MS. teems.
PREFACE. IX
Marks of length. The following vowels are the only- ones marked long in the MS. : —
tit, 33; an, 100; wat, 123; wop, 128; wat, 210; bat, 211; bad, 264 Ml, 300 ; bad, 301; ar, 336 ; bar, 357; hat, g^n, 386 ; an, 449 ; aas, 507 gar, 537 ; see, 564, 579 ; mot, 603 ; gad, 660 ; nat, 681 ; see, 690 ; bat 742 ; stod, 759 ; abeag, 775 ; ban, 780 ; wic, 821 ; see, 895 ; hat, 897 sar, 975 ; fah, 1038 ; ban, don, 1116 ; blod, 1121 ; sse, 1149 ; win, 1162 mod, 1167; ar, 1168; bruc, 1177; ler, 1187; rsed, 1201; see, 1223; win 1233; wat, 1274; mc, 1275; had, 1297; har, 1307; bad, 1313; run 1325; wat, 1331; ar, 1388; aris, 1390; ga, 1394; ham, 1407; Mn 1445 ; dom, 1491, 1528 ; brun, 1546 ; god, 1562 ; ger, 1587 ; sge, 1652 bad, 1720 ; see, 1850 ; lac, wat, 1863 ; god, 1870 ; see, 1882 ; rad, 1883 scir, 1895; see, 1896, 1924; scan, 1965; fus, 1966; hwil, 2002; lie 2080 ; rof, 2084 ; don, 2090 ; com, 2103 ; lie, 2109 ; d6m, 2147 ; Hro«gg,r 2155; stol, 2196; an, 2210 (see note); fser, 2230 (see note); bad, 2258 an, 2280 ; woe, 2287 ; bad, 2302 ; for, 2308 ; god, 2342 ; wid, 2346 ; dom 2376; sar, 2468; man, 2514; harne stan, 2553; swat, 2558 ; swaf, 2559 bad, 2568; wac, 2577; swac, 2584; god, 2586; wic, 2607; Wiglaf, 2631: gar, 2641 ; fane, 2655 ; dom, 2666 ; stod, 2679 ; swac, 2681 ; fyr, 2689, 2701 ; wis, 2716 ; bad, 2736 ; lif, 2743, 2751 ; stod, 2769 ; dom, 2820^ 2858 ; rad, 2898 ; com, 2944, 2992 ; ad, 3010 ; fus, 3025 ; rof, 3063 Wiglaf, 3076; bad, 3116; fus, 3119; hrof, 3123; ad, 3138; rec, 3144 ban-hus, 3147.
Hyphens. It will have been seen that the MS. gives no help in one of the most difficult problems that beset the editor of 0. E. poems, the question of the use of hyphens. Grein and Sweet discard them altogether. I cannot but question whether this is not to shirk one's duty. At least it is a method that I have not been able at present to bring myself to adopt, tempting as it is. The difficulty of course is as to " where to draw the line " — where to use a hyphen or to write as one word, where to use a hyphen or write as two words. The former is the chief difficulty, and here as elsewhere I have endeavoured to find the path "of least resistance." Prepositional prefixes in my text are not marked off by a hyphen from the following word ;
Xll BEOWULF.
Beowulf. " Zupitza " is the E. E. T. S. edition already mentioned. A, B, Wlilcker, and Zupitza, do not mark vowel-length. The names of the proposers of the chief emendations adopted in the text are given for credit's sake. Rejected emendations are quoted but sparsely ; only when they are backed by considerable authority, or when I was in doubt as to the true reading. Points of grammar are discussed in the notes only in so far as they affect the question of readings. I have indulged but sparingly in the luxury of personal emendations, because they are obviously the greatest disqualification for dis- charging duly the functions of an editor.
Glossary. The plan on which the glossary is arranged must be tested by experience. Some decisions which had to be taken when I began to work on it may prove to have been mistaken ; certainly I am not concerned to defend them here. I have endeavoured to furnish the requisite amount of help and no more. Every passage that struck me as really difficult I have translated under what ap- peared to me to be the crucial word, but I wish it to be distinctly understood that my renderings are meant to be suggestive and not authoritative.
Acknowledgments. It can but be a pleasure for me to make this public acknowledgment of the ready, willing, and efficient help which I have received, and without which the date of publication would have been seriously delayed. Mr C. Sapsworth, M.A., gave me his notes on the grammar of the poem, which have been of use in several ways. The labour of collating every line of the autotypes of the MS. with the texts of all the principal editions was done almost entirely by my wife, Mr D. John- son, B.A., and other friends ; and in the preparation of
PREFACE. Xlll
the glossary I have had the invaluable cooperation of my friends, Mr H. C. Notcutt, B.A., and Mr D. Johnson. I can only say that their help is as warmly appreciated as it was cordially given. One debt demands separate mention. The Eev. Prof. Skeat, Litt. D., has kindly spared time, from very great pressure of other work, to read the proof- sheets, and has made many valuable suggestions which are embodied in the book with no other acknowledgment than this. I should ask him to allow me to dedicate this edition to him, as a small token of my gratitude, were I not of opinion that I should thereby be conferring far greater honour on my book than any that such a dedica- tion could bring to his name.
I have but to add that I alone am responsible for the work as it stands ; that I shall be grateful for criticisms and suggestions, especially from teachers and students ; and that Mr William Morris has taken the text of this edition as the basis of his modern metrical rendering of the lay.
A. J. WYATT.
Cambridge,
March, 1894.
ARGUMENT.
Hrothgar, king of the Danes, with whose ancestry the poem opens, in the pride of his success in war builds a great hall, Heorot, for feasting and the giving of treasure (11. 1 — 85). But a monster named Grendel, enraged by the daily sounds of revelry, attacks the hall, makes a meal of fifteen thanes, and carries off fifteen more, retiu'ning with similar intent the next night. Thus Heorot is de- serted, and remains so for twelve years (11. 86 — 193). Then Beowulf, a mighty warrior of the Geats famous for the strength of his grip, hearing of Grendel's ravages crosses the sea with fourteen comrades, keeps watch in Heorot, and, after seeing one of his men killed and eaten, grapples with the monster and pulls ofi" his whole arm. Grendel escapes to his haunts, and dies (11. 194—852). The follow- ing night, when the Danes are again in possession of the hall and Beowulf is lodged elsewhere, Grendel's mother breaks in, and re- venges the death of her son by slaying Aeschere, a noble Dane (11. 853 — 1309). Beowulf undertakes the pursuit and revenge; he tracks the she-monster to her lair in the bottom of a mere, and slays her there. Seeing Grendel's corpse, he severs the head from the body, and bears it back with him in triumph to Hrothgar's court (11. 1310—1798).
Loaded with rich gifts, the hero returns to his own land, and recites his adventures to Hygelac, his uncle, the king of the Geats (11. 1799—2199). On the death of the latter, Beowulf refuses the throne for himself, and acts as guardian and adviser to the young king Heardred, who is, however, slain in battle.
Then Beowulf becomes king of the Geats, whom he rules wisely for fifty years, until a dragon begins to lay waste the land (11. 2200 —
ARGUMENT. XV
2400). The old hero's spirit is undaunted as ever, but deserted by all his chosen warriors save one, although he succeeds in quelling the fiery "drake", he himself meets with his death in the terrible encounter (11. 2401 — 2820). With the burning of his body the poem ends (11. 2821—3182).
Of the several episodes, the chief are the swimming-match with Breca (11. 506 ff.), Sigemund and the dragon (11. 874 fF.), and the Finn-episode (11. 1068 fF.).
For the connexion between "The Fight at Finnsburg" (Appendix) and the Finn-episode in "Beowulf" see Finn in the index of Persons and Places.
EEEATA.
L. 27, for "frean" read "Frean."
L. 59, for "feower" read " feower."
L. 63, for "Scilfinges" read "Scilfingas"; and in the note on 1.
63, for "MS. 'hea-So scilfingas'" read "See note on 1. 2453." L. 112, for "orcneas" read " orcneas." L. 366, for "wrixlan" read "wrixlan." L. 434, for "recced" read "recced." L. 436, for "bli'Se" read "bli^e." L. 454, for "Hraedlan" read "Hred'*lan"; and in place of the note
on 1. 454 read "MS. 'hrsedlan'; of. 1. 1485." L. 484, for "morgen tid " read " morgen-tid." L. 501, for "si^" read " si^\" LI. 536, 769, for "begen" read " begen." L. 674, for "-geatwe" read "-geatwe." L. 706, for "metod" read " Metod." L. 759, for " up-lang " read "up-lang." To the note on 1. 762 add " Cf. 1. 797." L. 902, for "ellen;" read "ellen,". L. 1292, for "ofste" read " ofste." LI. 1382, 1430, 2096, for "onweg" read "on weg." L. 1479, for " for^-gewitenum " read "for^ gewitenum.' L. 1617, for "ffittren" read " aettren." L. 2066, for "-wffilmum" read " -wselmum." L. 2135, for "wselmes" read "wffilmes." L. 2439, for "mercelses" read " mercelses." LI. 2539, 2755, for "-sercean" read " -sercean." L. 2546, for "waelm" read " wselm." L. 2598, for "bugon" read "bugon,". L. 2713, for " swelan " read " swelan."
Note on 1. 2964, for "and note" read "(note), and cf. eafor, 2152." L. 3119, for "-geanvum" read " -gearwum." P. 136, add inverted commas at end of note on 1. 3155.
BEOWULF.
Hw8et ! we Gar-Dena in gear-dagiim Fol. 129*. )?eod-cynmga frym gefrunon, hu Sa 8e]?elingas ell en fremedon. Oft Scyld Seeling sceaf^ena ]?reatum, 5 monegum mi"eg)?um meodo-setla ofteah. Egsode eorl, sySSan ^rest wearS fea-sceaft funden; he ]78es frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorS-myndum )7ah, 08 Yddt him ^ghwylc ]?ara ymb-sittendra
10 ofer hron-rade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan ; )78et wses god cyning. D^m eafera wses seffcer cenned geong in geardum, Ipone God sende folce to frofre ; fyi'en-Searfe ongeat,
15 )>aet hie ^r drugon aldor-[le]ase
Letters supplied in the text, but found neither in the MS. nor in Thorkehn's transcripts, are printed within square brackets. All other deviations from the MS. are indicated in the text by the use of italics, and the reading of the MS. is given in a footnote.
15. MS. '-jJ,' as usual. Zupitza says : " f generally means [net, but sometimes, it would seem, t>a." If ]pd be adopted, it must refer to fyren- ^earfe. In latter half of same line the MS. is defective.
W. B. 1
2 BEOWULF.
lange hwile. Him ]}ses Lif-frea,
wuldres Wealdend, worold-are forgeaf;
Beowulf W3es breme (bl^d wide sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in. 20 Swa sceal [geong g]uma gode gewjrrcean,
fromum feoh-giftum on fseder *[wi]ne, Fol. 129^.
)78et hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wil-gesi)7as, )7onne wig cume,
leode ge listen ; lof-d^dum sceal 25 in m^g]7a gehw^re man ge]?eon.
Him Sa Scyld gewat to gescsep -hwile
fela-hror feran on frean w^re ;
hi hyne j^a eetb^ron to brimes faroSe,
sw^se gesij^as, swa he selfa b^ed, 30 )7enden wordum weold wine Scyldinga,
leof land-fruma lange ahte.
pger a3t hySe stod hringed-stefna
isig ond iit-fCis, 8e]7elinges fser;
aledon )?a leofne j^eoden, 35 beaga bryttan on bearm scipes,
m^rne be mseste. p^r wses madma fela,
of feor-wegum frsetwa gel^ded.
Ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan
hilde-w^pnum ond heaSo-w^edum, 40 billum ond byrnum ; him on bearme laeg
18, 19. In Heyne and Socin's edition, these lines stand : Beowulf waes breme, blsed wide sprang Scyldes eafera[n] Scede-landum in.
20. MS. defective. Grein's reading adopted in text.
21. MS. defective at corner. Zupitza transliterates " , . rme," follow- ing Conybeare and Kemble, but says: "What in the facsimile looks like part of a letter before 7ie (sic) is owing to a small hole in the MS." Thorpe suggested hearme = "in his father's bosom."
BEOWULF. 3
madma msenigo, )?a him mid scoldon
on fiodes iieht feor gewitan.
Nalses hi hine l^ssan lacum teodan,
)7eod-gestreonum, )7on[ne] J>a dydon, 45 |?e hine set frum-sceafte forS onsendon
ienne ofer ySe umbor-we*sende. Fol. 130*.
pa gyt hie him asetton segen g[yl]denne
heah ofer heafod, leton hohn beran,
geafon on gar-secg ; him wass geomor sefa, 50 murnende m5d. Men ne cunnon
secgan to soSe, sele-rgeden(ie,
hseleS under heofenum, hwa f'c'em hlseste onfeng.
Da waes on burgum Beowulf Scyldmga,
leof leod-cyning, longe forage 55 folcum gefr^ge (feeder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), o]> )78et him eft onw5c
heah Healfdene ; heold J>enden lifde,
gamol ond guS-reouw, glsede Scyldingas.
D^m feower beam forS gerimed 60 in worold wocun, weoroda r^swa
Heorogar, ond HroSgar ond Halga til ;
hyrde ic, ]?8et Elan cwen [Ongen)7eowes wses]
47. MS. defective at corner.
51. MS. 'sele raedenne.' The emendation is Kemble's, following 1. 1346.
62. MS. 'hyrde ic p elan cwen,' without any lacuna. Grundtvig suggested that elan is the last two syllables of Onelan, Onela being the son of Ongen>eow, and that the name of the princess is lost. The emendation in the text is Ettmiiller's.
1—2
4 BEOWULF.
HeaSo-Scilfinges heals-gebedda. pa wses HrdSgare here-sped gyfen,
65 wiges weorS-mynd, J^set him his wine-magas georne hyrdon, o5S ]78et seo geogoS geweox, mago-driht micel. Him on mod beam, J>8et heal-reced hatan wolde, *medo-8erii micel men gewyrcean, Fol. 130^
70 )7on[n]e yldo beam ^fre gefrunon, ond psev on innan eall gedt'elan geongum ond ealdum, swylc him God sealde, buton folc-scare ond feorum gumena. Da ic wide gefrsegn weorc gebannan
75 manigre msdgpe geond j^isne middan-geard, folc-stede frsetwan. Him on fyrste gelomp ^dre mid yldum, ]?set hit wearS eal gearo, heal-serna mgest ; scop him Heort naman, se 'pe his wordes geweald wide hsefde.
80 He beot ne aleh, beagas d^lde, sine set symle. Sele hlifade heah ond horn-geap ; heaSo-wylma bad laSan liges. Ne wses hit lenge ]>a, gen, )73et se ec^-hete a]7um-swerian
85 sefter wsel-niSe wsecnan scolde.
63. MS. ' hea'So scilfingas.' For the form gebedda applied to a woman Heyne compares /or^^re^i^/a, applied to Judith's female attendant, "Judith" 127. See Sievers' 0. E. Grammar, § 278, Note.
68. Kemble ' ]?8et [he] heal-reced.'
84. MS. 'secg hete'; Grain 'ecg-hete.' Cf. 1. 1738, and Seafarer 70.
MS. 'aj?um swerian': o)>ww = son-in-law, and Bugge suggested that a^um-swerian is a compound belonging to the same class as the suhter- gefcederan of 1. 1164, and meaning ' son-in-law and father-in-law.' This makes excellent sense of an otherwise difficult passage, the reference being to Ingeld, who married Hrothgar's daughter Freawaru (1. 2022)^ and to the events referred to in 11. 2020 — 69.
BEOWULF. O
Da se ellen-g^st earfoSlice )7rage gej^olode, se j^e in J^ystrum bad, ]788t he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde hliidne in healle ; ]7^r wses hearpan sweg, 90 swLitol sang scopes. Ssegde se ]>e cuj^e frumsceaft fira feorran reccan, *cwa33 ]78et se ^Imihtiga eorSan worh[te], Fol. 132^. wlite-beorhtne wang, swa wseter bebGgeS; gesette sige-hre]?ig sunnan ond monan 95 leoman to leohte land-buendum, ond gefrsetwade foldan sceatas leomum ond leafum ; lif eac gesceop cynna gehwylcum, J^ara Se cwice hwyrfa]?. Swa Sa driht-guman dreamum lifdon
100 eadiglice, oG Sset an ongan
fyrene fre[m]man, feond on helle ; wses se grimma g^st Grendel hat en, m^re mearc-stapa, se ]>e moras heold, fen ond fsesten ; fifel-cynnes eard
105 Avon-s^eli wer weardode hwile,
si)7San him Scyppend forscrifen hsefde. In Gaines cynne ]7one cwealm gewrsec ece Drihten, j^aes ]>e he Abel slog.
86. Rieger 'ellor-gsst,' adopted by Earle; cf. 11. 807, 1617, &c.
92. MS. defective at corner.
101. MS. defective at edge. Earle adopts Bugge's emendation of healle for helle, because it is "so simple, and gives so much relief"! On the other hand, in 1. 142 he adopts Ettmiiller's hel-^egnes for heal- '^egnes. Both changes are needless.
105. Almost all editions adopt the usual form won-salig.
106— 8. Sievers : forscrifen hsefde
in Caines cynne (l'on[n]e cwealm gewraec ece Drihten),
6 BEOWULF.
Ne gefeah he )7gere fsehSe, ac he hine feor forwrsec, 110 Metod for J^y mane, man-cynue fram. Danon untydras ealle onwocon, eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas, swylce gi*gantas, f>a wic5 Gode wunnon Fol. 132^. lange fmge; he him Saes lean forgeald.
II.
115 Gewat 5a neosian, sy]7San niht becom, hean huses, hu hit Hring-Dene sefter beor-J>ege gebun hsefdon. Fand )?a S^r inne sef^elinga gedriht swefan aefter symble ; sorge ne cuSon,
120 wonsceaft wera. Wiht unh^lo,
grim ond gr^dig, gearo sona wses, reoc ond rej^e, ond on raeste genam )7ritig |7egna ; ]7anon eft gewat hiiSe hremig to ham faran,
125 mid )7^re wsel-fylle wica neosan. Da wses on uhtan mid ^r-dsege Grendles guS-crseft gumum imdyrne ; )?a wses sefter wiste wop up ahafen, micel morgen-sweg. Mc'ere )?eoden,
130 3e)?eling c'er-god, unbliSe sset,
]7olode SryS-swyS, )?egn-sorge dreah, sySj?an hie ]7ses laSan last sceawedon, wergan gastes; wses l?a3t gewin to Strang, laS ond longsum. Na3s hit lengra *fyrst, Fol. iss*^.
120. Sievers 'wera[s].'
BEOWULF. 7
135 ac ymb ane niht eft gefremede
morS-beala mare ond no mearn fore f^hSe ond fyrene ; wses to faest on fsun. pa wees eaS-fynde, ]>e him elles hwier gerumlicor rseste [sohte],
140 bed sefter burum, Sa him gebeacnod waes, gessegd soSlice, sweotolan tacne heal-Segnes hete ; heold hyne syS|?an fyr ond fgestor, se ]>^m feonde setwand. Swa rixode ond wiS rihte wan
145 ana wiS eallum, oS ])set idel stod husa selest. Wses seo hwil micel ; twelf wintra tid torn gel?olode wine Scyldm^a, weana gehwelcne, sidra sorga ; forSam [syS)?an] wearS
150 ylda bearnum undyrne cu5,
gyddum geomore, ]7a3tte Grendel wan hwlle wis E[ro]7gar, hete-niGas waeg, fyrene ond fgehSe fela missera, singale s^ece ; sibbe ne wolde
155 wis manna hwone maegenes Deniga feorh-bealo feorran, feo ]?ingian, ne J>^r nsenig witena wenan J^orfte beorhtre bote to hanan fohnum.
139. Grein * [sohte]'; Wiilcker '[rymde].' No gap in MS. 146 — 7. Sievers : htisa selest (waes seo hwil micel) twelf wintra tid :
147. MS. '•XII..'
148. MS. ' scyldenda ' ; Thorpe ' Scyldinga.'
149. Kemble's emendation, required for the alliteration ; no gap in MS.
156. MS. 'fea'; Kemble 'feo.' 158. MS. 'banu': Kemble 'banan.'
8 BEOWULF.
*[Atol] Sgl^ca ehtende waes, Fol. l33^
160 deorc dea)?-scua, duguj^e ond geogope,
seomade ond syrede, sin-nihte heold
mistige m5ras ; men ne cunnon,
hwyder hel-runan hwyrftum scri)7a5.
Swa fela fyrena feond man-cjaines, 165 atol an-gengea, oft gefremede,
heardra hynSa ; Heorot eardode,
sinc-fage sel sweartum nihtum ;
no he )?one gif-stol gretan moste,
ma)7(5um for Metode, ne his myne wisse. 170 p8et wses wrsec micel wine Scyldinga,
modes brecSa. Monig oft gesaet
rice to rune, r^d eahtedon,
hwset swiS-ferhSum selest w^re
wis f^r-gryrum to gefremmanne. 175 Hwilum hie geheton a3t hcerg -trsbinm.
wig-weor)?unga, wordum b^don,
)79et him gast-bona geoce gefremede
wis )?eod-)7reaum. Swylc wses )7eaw hyra,
h£e}>enra hyht ; helle gemundon 180 in mod-sefan, Metod hie ne cu]?on,
d^da Demend, ne wiston hie Drihten God, *ne hie hiiru heofena Helm herian ne cii]?on, Fol.
wuldres Waldend. Wa biS ])^m 3e sceal 134*.
]?urh sliSne niS sawle bescufan
159. MS. defective at corner. Thorpe '[Atol]'; Eieger '[ac se],' without a period.
167 — 9. Heyne punctuates :
sweartum nihtum (no he J?one gif-stol gretan moste, ma>^um for metode, ne his myne wisse) ; 175. MS. 'hraerg'; Grundtvig 'haerg-.'
BEOWULF.
185 in fyres faej^m, frofre ne wenan,
wihte gewendan ; wel biS )7^ra 'pe mot
a3fter deaS-daege Drihten secean,
ond to Faeder faej^mum freo3o wilnian.
III.
Swa Sa m^el-ceare maga Healfdenes 190 singala seaS ; ne mihte snotor haeleS
wean onwendan; waes ]7aet gewin to swyS,
la)? ond longsum, ]>e on 5a leode bec5m,
nyd-wracu ni]7-grim, niht-bealwa m^st.
paet tram ham gefraegn Higelaces f>egn, 195 god mid Geatum, Grendles d^da;
se waes mon-cynnes maegenes strengest
on ]7fem da3ge ]?ysses lifes,
ae]7ele ond eacen. Het him yS-lidan
godne gegyrwan; cwaeS, he guS-cyning 200 ofer swan-rade secean wolde,
m^rne J^eoden, ]7a him waes manna )7earf.
Done siS-faet him snotere ceorlas
lyt-hwon logon, *]7eah he him leof Wc'ere ; Fol. 134''.
hwetton hige-[r]ofne, h^l sceawedon. 205 Haefde se goda Geata leoda
cempan gecorone, ]7ara ]7e he cenoste
findan mihte ; fiftena sum
sund-wudu sohte ; secg wisade,
lagu-craeftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
204. MS. defective. Zupitza says: "ro/?ie— only the lower part of the first letter left, which may have been r, ]?, /, s, or tt?." 207. MS. ' •xv".''.'
10 BEOWULF.
210 Fyrst forS gewat ; flota wses on ySum,
bat under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon ; streamas wundon
sund wis sande ; secgas b^ron
on bearm nacan beorhte frsetvve, 215 guS-searo geatolic; guman ut scufon,
weras on wil-si*?, wudu bundenne.
Gewat )?a ofer Wt^g-holm winde gefysed
flota fami-heals fugle gelicost,
o5 )78et ymb an-tid oj^res dogores 220 wunden-stefna gewaden haefde,
|78et Sa liSende land gesawon,
brim-clifu blican, beorgas steape,
side s^-naessas; ]7a wses sund liden
eoletes aet ende. panon up hraSe 225 Wedera leode on wang stigon,
sa^-wudu sSldon; syrcan hrysedon,
giiS-gew^do; Gode f>ancedon,
]>ses ]?e him yj?-lade eaSe wurdon. *pa of wealle geseah weard Scildinga, Fol. 135^ 230 se ]>e holm-clifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fuslicu ; hine fyrwyt brsec
mod-gehygdum, hwset ]7a men w^ron.
Gewat him ]7a to waroSe wicge ridan
218. Almost all editors read fdmig-heals, but the MS. form must be of significance for the pronunciation.
219. MS. 'an tid.' Grein's Glossary gives: "an-tid /. hora prima?'' Cosijn contends for an-tid = and-tid or ond-tld, 'corresponding time, the same time,' so that the phrase would mean 'about the same hour of the second day.' So Heyne and Socin. Earle thinks "we ought to look rather at the phrase than at the words" (!), and objects to the hyphen. But without it we should expect 'ymb ane tid.'
BEOWULF. 11
235 |?egn Hrot5gares, J^rymmum cwehte
msegen-wudu mundum, me]7el-wordum fraegn: " Hwset syndon ge searo-hsebbendra byrnum werede, ]?e J^iis brontne ceol ofer lagu-stn'ete U'edan cwomon,
240 hider ofer holmas [hringed-stefnan] ? Ic wses ende-sgeta, geg-wearde heold, ]?e on land Dena laSra ngenig mid scip-herge sceSJ^an ne meahte. N5 her ciiSlicor cuman ongunnon
245 lind-hsebbende ; ne ge leafnes-word guS-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson, maga gemedu. N^fre ic maran geseah eorla ofer eorj7an, Sonne is eower sum, secg on searwum ; nis \ddt seld-guma
250 wgepnum geweorSad, nsef^ie him his wlite leoge, ^nlic an-syn. Nil ic eower sceal frum-cyn witan, ^r ge fyr *heonan, Fol. 135^. leas[e] sceaweras, on land Dena fur)7ur feran. Nu ge feor-buend,
255 mere-liSende, min[n]e gehyraS an-fealdne ge)?oht ; ofost is selest to gecySanne, hwanan eowre cyme syndon."
240 — 1. MS. 'hider ofer holmas le wa3s' &c., without gap. Thorkelin and Wiilcker read Ic for le, but Zupitza says: "Ze no doubt, not 7c." Various suggestions have been made for the missing half-hne. That in the text is Wiilcker's. Heyne adopts Ettmiiller's 'helmas baron,' but this is hardly felicitous after holmas. Bugge's emendation is in- genious :
hider ofer holmas? [Hwile ic on wealjle waes ende-sffita.
250. MS. ' nsefre ' ; Kemble ' nafne.'
253. MS. 'leas'; Ettmiiller 'lease.'
255. MS. 'mine'; Kemble 'minne.'
12 BEOWULF.
IV.
Him se yldesta ondswarode,
werodes wisa, word-hord onleac : 260 " We synt gum-cynnes Geata leode
ond Higelaces heoiS-geneatas.
Wees min fseder folcum gecy]?ed,
8e)7ele ord-fruma Ecg)7eow haten ;
gebad wintra worn, ^r he on weg hwurfe 265 gamol of geardum ; hine gearwe geman
witena wel-hwylc wide geond eor]?an.
We )7urh holdne hige hlaford J^inne,
sunu Healfdenes, secean cwomon,
leod-gebyrgean ; wes ]?u. us larena god. 270 HabbaS we to ]>8em. mgeran micel ^rende
Deniga frean ; ne sceal ]?3er dyrne sum
wesan, J^ses ic wene. pu wast gif hit is,
swa we so)?lice *secgan hyrdon, Fol. 136».
]?9et mid Scyldingum sceaSona ic nat hwylc, 275 deogol d^d-hata, deorcum nihtum
eaweS ]7urh egsan uncuSne niS,
hynSu ond hra-fyl. Ic y^es HroSgar mseg
J>urh mmne sefan r^d gelseran,
hu he frod ond god feond oferswySe]?, 280 gyf him ed-wendan ^fre scolde
bealuwa bisigu, b5t eft cuman,
ond )7a cear-wylmas coh^an wurSa)? ;
oSSe a sy]7(5an earfoS-)?rage,
274. Zupitza says: "now only scea left." Only Thorkelin's first transcript has scea'^ona.
275. Grein's Glossary gives : "dSd-hata m. der ditrch Thaten hasst Oder verfolgt ? oder died-hata facinora spondens vel moliens V Earle adopts the latter reading, and translates ' author of deeds.'
BEOWULF. 13
]7rea-nyd )7olaS, )7enden )?^r wunaS 285 on heah-stede husa selest."
Weard ma]?elode, S^r on wicge saet,
ombeht unforht : " ^Eghwa^fres sceal
scearp scyld-wiga gescad witan,
worda ond worca, se ]>e wel j^enceS. 290 Ic ]?9et gehyre, j^set J»is is hold weorod
frean Scyldinga. Gewita]? forS beran
w^pen ond gewjedu, ic eow wisige ;
swylce ic magu-)7egnas mine hate
wis feonda gehwone flotan eowerne, 295 niw-tyrwydne nacan on sande,
arum healdan, o]> J^oet eft byreS
ofer lagu-strea*mas leofne mannan Fol. 136".
wudu wunden-hals to Weder-mearce.
God-fremmendra swylcum gifej^e biS, 300 ]78et j7one hilde-r^s hal gedigeS."
Gewiton him ]7a feran ; flota stille bad,
seomode on sale sid-f8e)?med scip,
on ancre fa3st. Eofor-lic scionon
299. Grundtvig's needless emendation gil^-fremmendra is followed by some editors and by Earle.
301—3. Heyne puts "flota faest" in a parenthesis, with a semi- colon at the close.
302. MS. ' sole.' For the emendation cf. 11. 226, 1906, and 1917, and mod. "riding on a hawser." The MS. reading is not impossible. It is from sol, mod. Kent, sole, a muddy pool.
303 — 5. These lines have given rise to much discussion and many suggestions. Bugge takes eofor as the subject of heold, ferh- (for feorh-) wearde, "life-guard," as the object, and Uc-sclonon, "of handsome form," as the dat. sing, of an adj. referring to Beowulf.
303. Grein's Glossary gives scionon as a second form of scinon, pret. pi. of sclnan, "shine," but adds: "wenn letzteres nicht zu einem redupl. Verbum scdnan sceon gehort." This supposition is quite needless ; in
14 BEOWULF.
ofer hleor-ber[g]an, gehroden golde, 305 fah ond fyr-heard ; ferh wearde heold.
Gu)7mod grummon, guman onetton,
sigon setsomne, o)? ]?9et hy [sjael timbred,
geatolic ond gold-fah, ongyton mihton ;
]79et wses fore-mferost fold-biiendum 310 receda under roderum, on ]}^m se rica bad ;
lixte se leoma ofer landa fela.
Him ]?a hilde-deor [h]of modigra
torht getgehte, ]78et hie him to mihton
gegnum gangan ; gu5-beorna sum 315 wicg gewende, word asfter cwgeS:
" M^l is me to feran ; Feeder al-walda
mid ar-stafum eowic gehealde
siSa gesunde ! Ic to ste wille
wis *wra?5 werod wearde healdan." Fol. 137*.
V.
320 Str^t wses stan-fah, stig wisode gumum setgsedere. GuS-byrne scan heard hond-locen, hring-iren scir song in searwum, )7a hie to sele furSam in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwomon.
1. 3170 we find a pret. pi. riodan = ridon, "rode," of the same ablaut- class, showing the same effect of w-umlaut. Sievers § 376.
304. MS. 'hleor beran'; Grein ' hleor-beran, ' dat. sg., visor? ; Gering 'hleor-ber[g]an,' ace. pi., cheek-guards.
306. Kemble 'gu«-mod[e].
307. MS. ' aeltimbred ' ; Grein 'ssel timbred.' 312. MS. 'of,' in spite of the alliteration.
BEOWULF. 15
325 Setton Sc'e-mel^e side scyldas,
rondas regn-hearde, wiS ]78es recedes weal, bugon ]?a to bence ; byrnan hringdon, guS-searo gumena ; garas stodon, s^'e-manna searo, samod setgaedere,
330 8esc-holt ufan gr^g ; wses se iren-]7reat wgepnum gewur|7ad. pa Sier wlonc hseleS oret-mecgas aefter cepelum fraegn : "Hvvanon ferigeaS ge f^tte scyldas, gr^ge syrcan ond grim-helm as,
335 here-sceafta heap ? Ic eom HrdSgares ar ond ombiht. Ne seah ic el-)7eodige )?us manige men modiglicran. Wen ic "pset ge for wlenco, nalles for wrsec-siSum ac for hige-*)?rymmum, HroSgar sohton." Fol. 137^.
340 Him ]?a ellen-rof andswarode,
wlanc Wedera leod word sefter sprsec, heard under helme : " We synt Higelaces beod-geneatas ; Beowulf is min nama. Wille ic asecgan sunu Healfdenes,
345 m^rum |?eodne, min ierende,
aldre J^inum, gif he iis geunnan wile, )79et we hine swa godne gretan moton." Wulfgar ma]7elode (]?8et wa?s Wendla leod, wses his mod-sefa manegum gecySed,
350 wig ond wis-dom): " Ic )?8es wine Deniga, frean Scildinga, frinan wille,
332. MS. ' hffilejjum ' — evidently a scribal blunder due to the hale^ of the previous line. Grein '8e)?elum'; cf. 1. 392, and for the sense 11. 251 — 2. For dret- see Sievers § 43, N. 4.
338. Heyne reads Wen' for Wene. Cf. 11. 442 and 525.
344. The editors from Kemble downwards have adopted the more usual form of the dat., suna ; but see Sievers § 270.
16 BEOWULF.
beaga bryttan, swa ]>xi bena eart, )7eoden m^rne, ymb )?mne siS, ond )7e ]>a, ondsware ^dre gecySan,
855 ?Se me se goda agifan j^enceS."
Hwearf J>a hrsedlice, ]>ser HroSgar sset eald ond unhar mid his eorla gedriht ; eode ellen-rof, ]?8et he for eaxlum gestod Deniga frean ; cuj^e he duguSe )?eaw.
360 Wulfgar maSelode *to his wine-drihtne : Fol. 138\ "Her sjmdon geferede, feorran cumene ofer geofenes begang, Geata leode ; )7one yldestan oret-mecgas Beowulf nemnaS. Hy benan synt,
365 J>oet hie, ]?eodeii min, wiS )7e moton
wordum wrixlan ; no Su him wearne geteoh tSinra gegn-cwida, glsedman HroSgar. Hy on wig-getawum wyi^Se ]?inceaS eorla gesehtlan; huru se aldor deah,
370 se ]7^m heaSo-rincum hider wisade."
VI.
HroSgar maj^elode, helm Scyldinga: " Ic hine cuSe cniht-wesende ; W3es his eald fseder Ecgl?eo haten,
367. Thorkelin (B) and Kieger 'glsednian'; Grein and Wiilcker 'glffidman.' Kemble and Thorpe took gladman to be the oblique case of a noun glcedma, 'gladness.' Bugge supports the reading of the MS., and practically decides the sense in which it is to be taken, by quoting the gloss ''Hilaris glaedman" (Somner p. 74, col. 2, 1. 21).
373. MS. 'ealdfaeder.' This compound meaning 'grandfather, an- cestor,' occurs in the forms ealdfceder, ealdefceder ; but its use here is
BEOWULF. 17
Si«m to ham forgeaf HreJ^el Geata
375 angan dohtor; is his eafora iiii
heard her cumen, sohte holdne wine.
Donne ssegdon ]?8et s^-lif>ende,
]?a Se gif-sceattas Geata fyredon
Jpyder to )7ance, )78et he )?rit*tiges Fol. 138^.
380 manna msegen-crseft on his mund-gripe hea)?o-r6f hsebbe. Hine halig God for ar-stafum us onsende, to West-Denum, ]?8es ic wen hsebbe, wis Grendles gryre ; ic )7^m godan sceal
385 for his m6d-)7r9ece madmas beodan. Beo bu on ofeste, hat in gan seon sibbe-gedriht samod setgsedere ; gesaga him eac wordum, j^set hie sint wil-cuman Deniga leodum." [pa wi5 duru healle
390 Wulfgar eode,] word inne ahead; " Eow het secgan sige-drihten min, aldor East-Dena, ]78et he eow^er 8e]?elu can,
a strain to the meaning of the passage, and we may safely assume that the scribe has run two words into one, as in numerous other instances. Eald feeder makes excellent sense.
37-5. MS. 'eaforan'; Kemble 'eafora.'
378. Thorpe 'Geatum,' adopted by Bugge and Earle. The change is not absolutely necessary, because the genitive can have the same meaning, "for the Geats."
379. MS. ' -xxx tiges.'
386. Heyne reads 'hat [hig] in gan' for metrical reasons (but see "Beitrage" x. 268), and takes sibbe-gedriht (i.e. the Danes) as the object of seon. But sibbe-gedriht certainly refers to Beowulf's company, as in 1. 729, and is the accus. -subject of in gan seon. The whole phrase may be rendered "bid the band of warrior-kinsmen go into the presence." Cf. 11. 396, 347, 365.
389 — 90. No gap in MS., though the lack of alliteration seems con- clusive as to a defect in the text. The emendation is Grein's.
W. B. 2
18 BEOWULF.
ond ge him syndon ofer s^-wylmas, heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 Nu ge moton gangan in eowrum guS-geatawum, under here-griman, HroSgar geseon; l^taS hilde-bord her onbidan, wudu, wsel-sceaftas, worda gej^inges." Aras ]7a se rica, ymb hine rinc manig,
400 l^rySlic J^egna heap; sume ]>ser bidon,
heaSo-reaf heoldon, swa him se *hearda bebead. Fol. Snyi'edon retsomne, )7a secg wisode, under Heorotes hrof; [hyge-rof eode,] heard under hehiie, J>8et he on heoSe gestod.
405 Beowulf maSelode (on him byrne scan, searo-net seowed smi)7es or-)?ancum): " Wses ]?u, HroSgar, hal ! Ic eom Higelaces m^g ond mago-Segn; haBbbe ic m^rSa fela ongunnen on geogo]>e. Me wearS Grendles j^ing
410 on minre e)7el-tyrf undyrne cu5 ;
secgaS sse-liSend, |78et pes sele stande, reced selesta, rinca gehwylcum idel ond unnyt, siSSan ^fen-leoht under heof'enes hador beholen weorJ?eS.
415 pa me ]?8et gelserdon leode mine,
395. Ettmiiller 'gii'S-getawum'; cf. 11. 2636, 368. See also Sievers § 43, N. 4, and § 260, N.
403. No gap in MS. ; Grein's emendation adopted.
404. Thorpe 'lieo[r]5e.'
407. Editors substitute W.S. ices for North, loas.
411. MS'}>ffis.' J
414. Heyne and Socin 'ha^or.' The length of the a is uncertain. )
Hddor would mean 'brightness, serenity.' Grein's Glossary has : " hea'Sor, I
heador, hador {oder a, ea?) n. receptaculum ; dat. hafa'S mec on headre j
Ra. 663."
BEOWULF. 19
J7a selestan, snotere ceorlas,
]7eoden HroSgar, j^set ic ])e sohte,
for|?an hie maegenes craeft min[n]e cu)7on ;
selfe ofersawon, Sa ic of searwum cwom, 420 fah from feondum, f^ler ic fife geband,
ySde eotena cyn, ond on ySiim slog
niceras nihtes, nearo-j^earfe dreah,
wrgec *Wedera niS (wean ahsodon), Fol. 139^
forgrand gramum ; ond nu wiS Grendel sceal, 425 wis )?am agliecan, ana gehegan
Sing wis ]?yrse. Ic ]?e nu Sa,
brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
eodor Scyldinga, anre bene,
])set SCi me ne forwyrne, wigendra hleo, 430 freo-wine folca, nu ic )7us feorran com,
])ddt ic mote ana [ond] minra eorla gedryht,
|?es hearda heap, Heorot fgelsian.
Hsebbe ic eac geahsod, )?9et se ^gl^ca
for his won-hydum w^pna ne recceS ; 435 ic )?aet ]7onne forhicge, swa me Higelac sie,
min mon-drihten, modes bliSe^
]78et ic sweord bere o]?Se sidne scyld,
geolo-rand to gu)?e ; ac ic mid grape sceal
fon wis feonde, ond ymb feorh sacan 440 laS wis la]7um ; S^er gelyfan sceal
Dryhtnes dome se ^e hine deaS nimeS.
Wen ic ]>set he wille, gif he wealdan mot,
in p?em. giiS-sele Geatena leode
418. Grein 'mm[n]e'; cf. 1. 255.
431 — 2. MS. ' ana minra eorla gedryht 7 J^es ' &c. Grein transposed the 7 {ond) from before \>es to before minra. 443. MS. 'geotena.'
2—2
20 BEOWULF.
etan iiiiforhte, swa he *oft dyde FoL 140^
445 msegen HreS-manna. Na )7U minne )7earfb hafalan hyclan, ac he me habban wile d[r]eore fahne, gif mec deaS nimeS ; byreS blodig wsel, byrgean ]?enceS, eteS an-genga unmurnlice, 450 mearcaS mor-hopu ; no Su ymb mines ne ]?earft lices feorme leng sorgian. Onsend Higelace, gif mec hild nime, beadu-scruda betst, J?9et mine breost wereS, hrsegla selest ; ]78et is Hraedlan laf, 455 Welandes geweorc. G^S a wyrd swa hio seel."
VII.
HroSgar maj^elode, helm Scyldinga :
"F[or w]ere-fyhtum ]?u, wine min Beowulf,
ond for ar-stafum usic sohtest.
Gesloh J>in faider f^hSe m^ste, 460 wear)? he Hea)7olafe to hand-bonan
mid Wilfingum ; Sa hine Wedera cyn
for here-brogan habban ne mihte.
panon he gesohte SuS-Dena folc
ofer ySa gewealc, Ar-*Scyldinga ; Fol. l40^
465 Sa ic fur)>um weold folce Deniga,
ond on geogoSe heold gimme-rice
454. Ettmiiller 'Hre«lan,' gen. of Hre«la = Hre«el, Beowulf's ma- ternal grandfather; adopted by Heyne and Earle.
457. MS. 'fere fyhtum.' The reading in the text was suggested by Grundtvig.
461. MS. 'gara'; Grundtvig 'Wedera.' See 11. 225, 423, &c.
465. MS. 'deninga.' See 11. 155, 271, &c.
BEOWULF. 21
hord-burh hselej^a. Da wses Heregar dead,
min yldra m^g unlifigende,
beam Healfdenes ; se waes betera Sonne ic. 470 Si?55an ]?a f^hSe feo J^ingode ;
sende ic Wylfingum ofer wseteres hrycg
ealde madmas ; he me aj^as sw5r.
Sorh is me to secganne on sefan min urn
gumena fengum, hwyet me Grendel hafaS 475 hynSo on Heorote mid his hete-)7ancum,
fe'-niSa gefremed ; is min flet-werod,
wig-heap, gewanod; hie wyrd forsweop
on Grendles gryre. God ea)?e mseg
|?one dol-sceaSan d^da getw^fan. 480 Fill oft gebeotedon beore druncne
ofer ealo-wiege oret-mecgas,
)?9et hie in beor-sele bidan woldon
Grendles gu)?e mid gryrum ecga.
Donne wses )7eos medo-heal on morgen tid, 485 driht-sele dreor-fah, l?onne dseg lixte,
eal *benc-]7elu blode bestymed, Fol. 141».
heall heoru-dreore ; ahte ic holdra ]>y h'es,
deorre dnguSe, ]7e |7a deaS fornam.
Site nil to symle ond ons^l meoto, 490 sige-hreS secgum, swa ]7in sefa hwette."
pa W8es Geat-maecgum geador setsomne
on beor-sele bene gerymed ;
479. MS. 'sc^a'San,' the e in a different hand.
489 — 90. MS. 'on sael meoto sige hreS secgu.' This passage has given rise to much discussion; the conjectures are too numerous to be given here. Meoto is the chief difficulty. I have followed Heyne in adopting Miillenhoff's interpretation, taking meoto = meotu ("with it- umlaut produced by inflectional ii; Sievers § 106. S)=metu, pi. of met, 'thought ' ; cf. metian, 'meditate upon,' Psalm 118. 174.
22 BEOWULF.
l;^r swiS-ferh)7e sittan eodon, J^rySum dealle. pegn nytte beheold, 495 se 'pe on handa bser hroden ealo-w^ge, scencte scir wered. Scop hwilum sang hador on Heorote ; )7fer waes ha?leSa dream, duguS unlytel Dena ond Wedera.
VIII.
U7iieY^ ma]7elode, Ecgiafes beam,
500 J'e set fotum sset frean Scyldinga,
onband beadu-mne (wses him Beowulfes si5, modges mere-faran, micel 9ef-)?unca, for)7on ]>e he ne upe, ]78et ^nig oSer man ^fre *m^iSa pon ma middan-geardes Fol. l4l^
505 gehedde under heofenum ]7onne he sylfa) :
" Eart ]?u se Beowulf, se ]?e wiS Brecan wunne,
on sidne s^ ymb sund flite,
S^er git for wlence wada cunnedon,
ond for dol-gilpe on deop wseter
510 aldrum ne)7don ? Ne inc ^nig mon, ne leof ne laS, belean mihte sorh-fullne siS, )?a git on sund reon ; ]?^r git eagor-stream earmum j^ehton, mgeton mere-strata, mundum brugdon,
515 glidon ofer gar-secg; geofon yj^um weol, wintrys wyhn. Git on wseteres ^ht
499. MS. 'HvNfer^.' 515—16. Grein-Wiilcker :
' geofon-ySum weol wintrys wylm.' Other editions needlessly change ivylm to xvylme or loylmum.
BEOWULF. 23
seofon niht swuncon; he J^e set sunde oferflat, haefde mare msegen. pa hine on morgen-tid on HeaJ^o- R^mas holm up setbser;
520 Sonon he gesohte sw^sne eSel, leof his leodum lond Brondinga, freoSo-burh fsegere, )7^r he folc ahte, burh ond beagas. *Beot eal wi3 ]?e Fol. 142'^.
sunu Beanstanes so5e gel^ste.
525 Donne wene ic to f>e wyrsan ge)?ingea, Seah )7u heaSo-r^sa gehwc'er dohte, grimre guSe, gif )?u Grendles dearst niht-longne fyrst nean bidan." Beowulf maj^elode, beam Ecgj^eowes :
530 " Hwget ! )7u worn fela, wine min ?7?iferS, beore druncen ymb Brecan sprsece, saegdest from his siSe. SoS ic talige, )?3et ic mere-strengo maran ahte, earfe)7o on y}>um, Sonne ^nig o)7er man.
535 Wit )?8et gecw^don cniht-wesende
ond gebeotedon (w^ron begen ]7a git on geogoS-feore), j^set wit on gar-secg ut aldrum neSdon ; ond j^a^t gesefndon swa. Hsefdon swurd nacod, )7a wit on sund reon,
540 heard on handa ; wit unc wiS hron-fixas werian ]?ohton. No he wiht fram me flod-y);um feor fleotan meahte,
519. MS. 'hea>oraemes.'
520. MS. 'swffisne - Si -' The O.E. name of this runic character was e'^el; hence the character is used here and in 1. 913 for the word e^el.
530. MS. 'hun fer'S.' The initial is always h in the MS., although the word always alliterates with vowels.
534. There is this to be said for the emendation eafe\>o, " strength," that it is a closer parallel to mere-strengo than the reading of the MS.
24 BEOWULF.
hra]7or on holme ; no ic fram him wolde.
Da wit 8et*somne on s^ w^ron Fol. 142^.
545 fif nihta fyrst, o)? ]>set imc flod todraf,
wado weallende ; wedera cealdost,
nipende niht ond norJ>an wind,
heaSo-grim ondhwearf; hreo wseron y)>a.
Wses mere-fixa m5d onhrered ; 550 ]>ser me wi5 laSum lic-syrce min,
heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede ;
beado-hrsegl broden on breostum Igeg,
golde gegyrwed. Me to grunde teah
fah feond-scaSa, faeste haefde 555 grim on grape ; hwspj^re me gyfe)?e wearS,
])set ic agl^can orde ger^hte,
hilde-bille ; hea)7o-r^s fornam
mihtig mere-deor ]?urh mine hand.
Villi.
Swa mec gelome laS-geteonan
560 j^reatedon ]7earle. Ic him J^enode
deoran sweorde, swa hit gedefe wses ; nses hie G^re fylle gefean hsefdon, man-ford^dlan, J^set hie me f>egon, symbel ymb-s^ton si'e-grunde neah;
565 ac on mergenne mecum *wunde Fol. 143*.
be yS-lafe uppe l^gon,
548. MS. 'yhwearf; cf. 'yswarode,' 1. 258. Grein takes hwearf to be an adj., which he glosses 'versatilis, volubilis,' and compares Icel. hverfr.
BEOWULF. 25
sweo[r]dum aswefecle, ]79et syS)7an na
ymb brontne ford brim-liSende
lade ne letton. Leoht eastaa com, 570 beorht beacen Godes ; brimu swaJ>redon,
J78et ic Sc'e-nsessas geseon mihte,
windige weallas. Wyi^d oft nereS
unf^gne eorl, ]7onne his ellen deah.
Hw{ie]?ere me ges^lde, )78et ic mid sweorde ofsloh 575 niceras nigene. No ic on niht gefrsegn
under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
ne on eg-streamum earmran mannon ;
hwce^ere ic fara feng feore gedigde,
si]7es werig. Da mec s^ oj7b8er, 580 flod sefter faroSe, on Finna land,
wadu weallendu. No ic wiht fram ]?e
swylcra searo-niSa secgan hyrde,
billa brogan ; Breca n^fre git
set heaSo-lace, ne gehwae)?er incer, 585 swa deorlice d^d gefremede
^gum sweordum (no ic ]?8es [fela] gylpe),
]?eah Su ]?inum broSrum to banan wurde,
heafod-m^gum ; J>ses ]7U in *helle scealt Fol. 143^.
werhSo dreogan. jjeah ]nn wit duge. 590 Secge ic ]>e to soSe, sunu Ecglafes,
J?8et nc'efre Gre[n]del swa fela gryra gefremede,
567. MS., defective at corner, has only stve and part of o. Thorkelin A (first transcript) 'sweodum.'
578. MS. 'hwa>ere.'
581. MS. 'wudu.' Seel. 546.
586. The emendation is Grein's; Kluge suggested '[geflites].' Heyne, followed by Harrison and Sharp, assumes the loss of two half lines after sweordum, with the unpleasant consequence that the numbers of his lines are one too many throughout the rest of the poem.
591. MS. 'gredel.'
26 BEOWULF.
atol ^gl^ca, ealdre J?inum,
hynSo on Heorote, gif J>in hige wiere,
sefa swa searo-grim, swa )7u self talast ;
595 ac he hafaS onfunden, j^set he )7a fi^hSe ne }>earf, atole ecg-frsece, eower leode swiSe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga ; nymeS nyd-bade, n^negum araS leode Deniga, ac he [on] lust wigeS,
600 swefeS ond sende|?, secce ne wene)?
to Gar-Denum. Ac ic him Geata sceal eafoS ond ellen ungeara nu giife gebeodan. G^]> eft se ])e mot to medo modig, si]?)7an morgen-leoht
605 ofer ylda beam o|?res dogores, sunne swegl-wered, suj^an scineS." pa wses on salum sinces brytta, gamol-feax ond gu5-rof; geoce gelyfde *brego Beorht-Dena; gehyrde on Beowulfe Fol. 144\
610 folces hyrde faest-r^dne gej^oht.
Dser wses h8ele)7a hleahtor, hlyn swynsode, word w^ron wynsume. Eode Wealh|;eow forS, cwen HroSgares, cynna gempidig, grette gold-hroden guman on healle;
599. Kemble's emendation ; cf. 1. 618.
600. Thorpe 'saecce,' followed by most editors. Secce is a dialectal form ; see Sievers § 151.
601. Thorpe and Heyne suppress ic. Thorpe makes Geata (weak form) the subject, eafo'^ ond ellen the object, and is followed by Earle. Heyne takes ea/b'S ond ellen Geata as subject, gfcSe as object. He adds : "ic Geata, 'ich der Geaten' oder 'ich unter den Geaten,' ist bedenklich." Surely this is what Coleridge calls the "wilful ingenuity of blundering." What is to prevent ic being taken as the subject, and eafo^ ond ellen Geata as the object?
BEOWULF. 27
615 ond )7a freolic wif ful gesealde
^rest East-Dena ej?el-wearde,
bsed hine bliSne set )7gere heor-]>ege,
leodum leofne ; he on lust gej?eah
symbel ond sele-ful, sige-rof kyning. 620 Ymb-eode |?a ides Helminga
dugu};e ond geogoj^e d^l c'eghwylcne,
sinc-fato sealde, o]> )73et s^\ alamp,
]?8et hio Beowulfe, beag-hroden cwen,
mode gel7ungen, medo-ful getbser; 625 grette Geata leod, Gode ]?ancode
wis-faest wordum, )?8es Se hire se willa gelamp,
)79et heo on ^nigne eorl gelyfde
fyrena frofre. He J^set ful ge]7eah,
wsel-reow wiga, *9et Wealh|7eon, Fol. 144''.
630 ond )7a gyddode g€i]?e gefysed ;
Beowulf ma]7elode, beam Eeg)?eowes:
"Ic J>8et hogode, ]?a ic on holm gestah,
s^-bat gesset mid minra secga gedriht,
]>set ic anunga eowra leoda 635 willan geworhte, o|?Se on wgel crunge
feond-grapum fsest. Ic gefremman sceal
eorlic ellen, o)?Se ende-da3g
on ]?isse meodu-healle minne gebidan."
Dam wife ]7a word wel licodon, 640 gilp-cwide Geates ; eode gold-hroden
freolicu folc-cwen to hire frean sit tan.
pa wses eft swa ^r inne on healle
]?ryS-word sprecen, Seod on s^luni,
sige-folca sweg, oj? J^set semninga 645 sunu Healfdenes secean wolde
^fen-rseste ; wiste |7^m ahh'Scan
28 BEOWULF.
to ]7^m heah-sele hilde ge}>inged,
siSSan hie sunnan ]eoht geseon [ne] meahton,
o)?Se nipende niht ofer ealle, 650 scadu-helma gesceapu scriSan cwoman,
wan under wolcnum. Werod eall aras ;
grette ]?a guma o)?erne,
HroSgar Beowulf, ond him h^l ahead,
win-cTernes *geweald, ond }>aet word acwseS: FoI. 655 "Nsfre ic ^negum men ^r alyfde, 1^5^
si)75an ic hond ond rond hebban mihte,
Sry]?-a8rn Dena buton J>e nii 5a.
Hafa nu ond geheald husa selest,
gemyne m^r|7o, msegen-ellen cyS, 660 waca wiS wra]?um. Ne biS j^e wilna gad,
gif ]?u )?8et ellen-weorc aldre gedigest."
X.
Da him Hroj7gar gewat mid his h8ele]?a gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga, ut of healle ; wolde wig-fruma Wealh]7eo secan, 665 cwen to gebeddan. Hsefde kyning[a] wuldor Grendle to-geanes, swa guman gefrungon,
648. Thorpe's simple emendation, '[ne],' is now generally adopted. Bugge proposed, in addition, to regard oh^e (1. 649) as equivalent to 07id, as in 1. 2475, and the suggestion is adopted by Heyne. Earle defends the usual meaning or : " There is something of alternative between twilight and the dead of night."
652. Grein-Wiilcker complete the first half line by ' [glaedmod],' Heyne by '[giddum].'
665. MS. *kyning,' at end of line; there is room for an a, but no trace of one.
BEOWULF. 29
sele-weard aseted; sundor-nytte beheold ymb aldor Dena, eoton-weard ahead. Hum Geata leod georne tmwode
670 modgan msegnes, Metodes hyldo. Da he him of dyde isern-byrnan, hehii of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord, irena cyst, ombiht-J7egne, ond gehealdan het hilde-geatwe.
675 Gesprsec |?a se goda gylp-worda sum,
Beowulf *Geata, ^"er he on bed stige: Fol. 145^ " No ic me an here-wi^smun hnagran talige gu)7-geweorca )?onne Grendel hine ; forl^an ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
680 aldre beneotan, )7eah ic eal msege.
Nat he }>ara goda, ]>set he me ongean slea, rand geheawe, fjeah Se he rof sie ni)7-geweorca ; ac wit on niht sculon secge ofersittan, gif he gesecean dear
685 wig ofer wiepen, ond si)?San witig God on swa hw9e)?ere bond, halig Dryhten, m?erSo deme, swa him gemet )?ince." Hylde hine )?a hea)7o-deor, hleor-bolster onfeng eorles andwlitan, ond hine ymb monig
690 snellic s^-rinc sele-reste gebeah.
Nsenig heora ]7ohte, )?8et he )7anon scolde
eft eard-lufan ^fre gesecean,
folc o]?3e freo-burh, {^c^er he afeded wses :
668. Thorpe ' eoton (ace.) weard (nom.) abead'; Heyne 'eoton (dat.) weard (ace.) abead.' The difficulty of the uninflected accus. eoton-ioeard seems less than those presented by these readings.
677. Thorpe ' wrestmum,' Grein ' wasmum.'
684. MS. 'het.'
30 BEOWULF.
ac hie haefdon gefmnen, ]>^t hie ger to fela micles 695 in J7^m win-sele wsel-deaS fornam,
Denigea leode. Ac him Dryhten forgeaf wig-speda gewiofu, *Wedera leodum Fol. 146». frofor ond fultum, )?8et hie feond heora Surh anes crseft ealle ofercomon, 700 selfes mihtum ; soS is gecy)?ed, ]}Sbt mihtig God manna cynnes weold wide-ferh'S. Com on wanre niht scriSan sceadu-genga. Sceotend sw^efon, ]7a ]?3et horn-reced healdan scoldon, 705 ealle biiton anum. pset wses yldum cu)?, )79et hie ne moste, J^a metod nolde, se syn-sca]7a under sceadu bregdan; ac he wseccende wra)7um on andan bad bolgen-mod beadwa ge]?inges.
XI.
710 ©a com of more under mist-hleo]7um
Grendel gongan, Godes yrre beer;
mynte se man-scaSa manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele )?am hean.
Wod under wolcnum, to 'pses ]>e he win-reced, 715 gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse,
fa^ttum fahne ; ne wses ]?8et forma siS,
}>3et he Hro)?gares ham gesohte.
N^fre he on aldor-dagum ^r *ne sif>San Fol. 146^
heardran hsele, heal-Segnas fand.
702. Tborkelin 'ride'; "now nothing left but part of the perpen- dicular stroke of the first letter."
BEOWULF. 31
720 Com )?a to recede rinc siSian
dreamum bed^led ; duru sona onarn,
fyr-bendum faest, sy]?6an he hire folmum [hr]an;
onbned ]7a bealo-hydig, 5a [he ge]bolgen wses,
recedes mu]?an. Ra]?e sefter ]?on 725 on fagne flor feond treddode,
eode yrre-mod ; him of eagum stod
ligge gelicost leoht unfseger.
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
Bwefan sibbe-gedriht samod ?etggedere, 730 mago-rinca heap. pa his mod ahlog;
mynte ]79et he ged^lde, e'er ]?on dseg cwome,
atol aglgeca, anra gehwylces
lif wis lice, )?a him alumpen waes
wist-fylle wen. Ne wses ]?9et wyrd ]?a gen, 735 ])det he ma mdste manna cynnes
Sicgean ofer ]7a niht. pryS-swyS beheold
mgeg Higelaces, hu se man-scaSa
under f;^r-gripum gefaran wolde.
Ne )78et se agl^ca yldan )7ohte, 740 ac he ge*feng hraSe forman siSe Fol. 131<\
slcBpendne rinc, slat unwearnum,
bat ban-locan, blod edrum dranc,
syn-sn^dum swealh ; sona hsefde
unlyfigendes eal gefeormod,
722. MS. defective at edge. Zupitza's transliteration of the facsimile of the MS. has '[gehrjan.' There is room for two letters before hrdn, but there is no evidence for ge-. On the contrary, whilst hrlnan usually governs the dat., gehrman more commonly takes the accus. {pace Grein).
723, MS. faded at edge. Kemble, Grein- Wiilcker, and Heyne '[he] abolgen.' Zupitza says: "Now bolgen is still distinct, and before it I think I see traces of two letters of which the first seems to have been g ; but what preceded this is entirely faded."
32 BEOWULF.
745 fet ond folma. FoiS near setstop, nam ]?a mid handa hige-]7ihtigne rinc on raeste ; r^hte ongean feond mid folme ; he onfeng hra]?e inwit-J?ancum ond wiS earm gesset.
750 Sona j^set onfunde fyrena hyrde, ]?8et he ne mette middan-geardes, eor]?an sceatta, on eh^an men mund-gripe maran ; he on m5de weaf5 forht, on ferhSe ; no ]?y ^r fram meahte.
755 Hyge wses him hin-fus, wolde on heolster fleon, secan deofla gedrseg; ne wses his drohtoS ]7^r, swylce he on ealder-dagum ^r gemette. Gemunde )?a se goda mteg Higelaces ^fen-sprSce, iip-lang astod
760 ond him fgeste wiSfeng ; fingras burston ; eoten wses ut-weard; eorl fur)?ur stop. Mynte se m^ra, *hweeT he meahte swa, Fol. 131^ widre gewindan ond on weg J^anon fleon on fen-hopu ; wiste his fingra geweald
765 on grames grapum. pset (he) wa?s geocor si5, J78et se hearm-sca)7a to Heorute ateah. Dryht-sele dynede ; Denum eallum wearS, ceaster-biiendum, cenra gehwylcum, eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wSron begen
770 repe ren-weardas. Reced hlynsode ;
752. Many editors normalise to ' sceata.' See Sievers § 230.
762. MS. defective at corner. Ettmiiller, Wiilcker, Heyne '\>sei.' Zupitza's transliteration 'hwar,' as if there were no doubt as to the reading, but his foot-note runs : " Mvcer (hiv with another ink, and crossed out in pencil) B, . , . cer A ; now only the lower part of r left."
765. MS. '\>set he waes.' Grein suggested the accepted emendation — the omission of he.
BEOWULF. 33
)7a wses wundor micel, J^set se win-sele
wiShsefde hea)70-deorum, )78et he on hmsan ne feol,
fseger fold- bold ; ac he ]78es fseste wses
innan ond utan iren-bendum 775 searo-)7oncum besmi]7od. pser fram sylle abeag
medu-benc monig, mine gefrsege,
golde geregnad, )7ger )?a graman wunnon;
]78es ne wendon ^r witan Scyldinga,
]>set hit a mid gemete manna ^nig, 780 6etlic ond ban-l^g, t5brecan meahte,
listum tolucan, nym]7e liges fsej^m
swulge on swaj^ule. Sweg *up astag Fol. 147*.
niwe geneahhe ; NortS-Denum stod
atelic egesa, anra gehwylcum, 785 )7ara J^e of wealle w5p gehyrdon,
gryre-leoS galan godes ondsacan,
sige-leasne sang, sar wanigean
helle haefton. Heold hine fseste,
se ]>e manna wses msegene strengest 790 on ]7gem dsege )7ysses lifes.
XIL
Nolde eorla hleo genige J7inga
)7one cwealm-cuman cwicne forlgetan,
ne his lif-dagas leoda ^nigum
780. MS. 'hetlic'; Grundtvig 'betlic' Cf. 1. 1925.
788. Zupitza and others ' helle-hgefton, ' but nothing is gained by making them a compound. For -a7i of the weak declension, -07i is not uncommon.
Almost alLeditors insert ' to' before ' fseste.'
W. B. L-^ 3
34 BEOWULF.
nytte tealde. peer genehost braegd
795 eorl Beowulfes ealde lafe,
wolde frea-drihtnes feorh ealgian, m^res j^eodnes, Sser hie meahton swa. Hie f>9et ne wis ton, ]7a hie gewin drugon, heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,
800 ond on healfa gehwone heawan J>6hton, sawle secan : )7one syn-scaSan ^nig ofer eorj^an irenna cyst, guS-billa nan, gretan nolde ; ac he sige-wsepnum *forsworen hsefde, Fol. l47^
805 ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedal on S^m daege J^ysses lifes earmlic wurSan, ond se ellor-gast on feonda geweald feor si?5ian. Da )79et onfunde, se )7e fela ^ror
810 modes myrSe manna cynne
fyrene gefremede, he fag wiS God, )78et him se lic-homa l^stan nolde, ac hine se modega m^eg Hygelaces hsefde be honda; wses gehwsej^er oSrum
815 lifigende laS. Lic-sar gebad
atol seglgeca ; him on eaxle wearS syn-dolh sweotol ; seonowe onsprungon, burston ban-locan. Beowulfe wearS giiS-hreS gyfe)?e ; scolde Grendel )7onan
820 feorh-seoc fleon under fen-hleoSu,
811. Kemble first inserted 'wass' after 'he.' Heynehas: ' (he was fag wi^ god),' which appears to me a distinct enfeeblement of the MS. reading. Fag comes at the beginning of a line in the MS., and Heyne says it cannot be settled whether or not wees stood before it. This is very misleading. "There was no room for wees before fag'' (Zupitza), as a glance at the facsimile suffices to show.
BEOWULF. 35
secean wyn-leas wic ; wiste ]>e geornor, )7get his aldres wses ende gegongen, dogera dseg-rim. Denum eallum wearS aefter ]?am wsel-ri^se willa gelumpen.
825 H.iefde )>a gefielsod, se )?e ier feorran com, snotor ond swyS-ferhS sele HroSgares, genered wiS *niSe ; niht-weorce gefeh, Fol. 148». ellen-m£er)7um. Hsefde East-Denum Geat-mecga leod gilp gelaested,
830 swylce oncyj^Se ealle gebette, inwid-sorge, 'pe hie ier drugon ond for ]7rea-nydum j7olian scoldon, torn unlytel. pset wses tacen sweotol, sy]?5an hilde-deor hond alegde,
835 earm ond eaxle (pmr wses eal geador Grendles grape) under geapne hr[of].
XIII.
Da wses on morgen, mine gefr^ge, ymb )7a gif-healle giiS-rinc monig ; ferdon folc-togan feorran ond nean
840 geond wid-wegas wundor sceawian, laj^es lastas. No his lif-gedal sarlic J^uhte secga ienegum, ]7ara J7e tir- leases trode sceawode, hu he werig-mod on weg )7anon,
845 niSa ofercumen on nicera mere,
fiege ond geflymed, feorh-lastas bser.
836. MS. defective at edge. Cf. 1. 926.
3—2
36 BEOWULF.
Dser waes on blode brim weallende,
atol ySa geswing eal gemenged
baton heolfre, *heoro-dreore, weol ; Fol 148^
850 deaS-fsege deog, siSSan dreama leas in fen-freo5o feorh alegde, h^)7ene sawle ; )?8er him hel onfeng. panon eft gewiton eald-gesiSas, swylce geong manig of gomen-waj^e,
855 fram mere modge mearum rid an,
beornas on blancum. D^r wses Beowulfes mserSo m^ned ; monig oft gecwaeS, )?9ette suS ne norS be s^m tweonum ofer eormen-grund o]7er n^nig
860 under swegles begong selra n^re rond-hsebbendra, rices w}TSra. Ne hie hiiru wine-drihten wiht ne logon, glsedne HroSgar, ac ]73et wses god cyning. Hwllum hea)?o-rofe hleapan leton,
865 on geflit faran, f eal we mearas,
S^r him fold-wegas fsegere )?uhton, cystiim cuSe. Hwilum cyninges }>egn, guma gilp-hlaeden, gidda gemyndig, se Se eal-fela eald-gesegena
870 worn gemunde, word of>er fand soSe gebunden. Secg eft ongan siS Beowulfes snyttrum *styrian, Fol. 149*.
ond on sped wrecan spel gerade, wordum wrixlan ; wel-hwylc gecwseS,
849. MS. 'hat on heolfre,' and so Wiilcker. Grein ' hatan ' = hdton in the text. The readmg in the text is much easier than that of the MS., and 1. 1423 turns the probability in its favour.
870 — 1. Rieger and Bugge put 'word... gebunden' in a parenthesis.
BEOWULF. 37
875 }>8et he fram Sigemunde[s] secgan hyrde ellen-dsedum, imcuj7es fela, Wselsinges gewin, wide siSas, )?ara ])e gumena beam gearwe ne wiston, fsehSe ond fyrena, buton Fitela mid hine,
880 )?onne he swulces hwret secgan wolde earn his nefan, swa hie a w^ron set niSa gehwam nyd-gesteallan ; haefdon eal-fela eotena cynnes sweordum ges^ged. Sigemunde gesprong
885 sefter deaS-daege dom unlytel,
syJ>San wiges heard wyrm acwealde, hordes hyrde ; he under harne stan, 8e)7elinges beam, ana geneSde frecne d^de ; ne waes him Fitela mid ;
890 hw8e]7re him gesgelde, Saet J^aet swurd ]7urhwod wraetlicne wyrm, )?8et hit on wealle setstod, dryhtlic iren ; draca morSre swealt. Hsefde agl^ca elne gegongen, ]78et he beah-hordes brucan m5ste
895 selfes dome; *ste-bat gehleod, Fol. 149^
baer on bearm scipes beorhte frsetwa Wselses eafera ; wyrm hat gemealt. Se W3es wreccena wide m^rost ofer wer-]7eode, wigendra hleo,
900 ellen-dsedum ; he pses ser onSah.
875. MS. 'Sigemunde.' Grein's emendation ' Sigemundes' is good in itself, and is the more probable in that the next word begins with s.
880. Heyne normalises to ' swylces.'
895. Many editors normalise to ' gehlod.' Sievers § 392, N. 3.
897. Earle adopts Scherer's emendation 'hat[e],' with heat.
900. Cosijn's emendation ' aron 'Sah,' with honours throve, is adopted by Heyne and by Earle. For dron = drum cf. scypon 1. 1154, and heaf-
38 BEOWULF.
SiSSan Heremodes hild sweSrode, eafoS ond ellen; he mid eotenum wearS on feonda ge weald forS forlacen, snude forsended. Hine sorh-wylmas
905 lemede to lange ; he his leodum weart5, eallum aepelingnm, to aldor-ceare. Swylce oft bemearn ^rran m^elum swiS-ferh)7es siS snotor ceorl monig, se J>e him bealvva to bote gelyfde,
910 Jpset fset Seodnes beam geJ>eon scolde, fseder sej^elum onfon, folc gehealdan, hord ond hleo-burh, hselej^a rice, eSel Scyldinga. He ]?ger eallum wearS, mgeg Higelaces manna cynne,
915 freondum gefsegra; hine fyren onwod. Hwilum flitende fealwe strgete mearum m^ton. ©a wees morgen-leoht scofen ond scynded. * Eode scealc monig Fol. 150". swit5-hicgende to sele J?am hean
920 searo-wundor seon ; swylce self cyning of bryd-bnre, beah-horda v/eard, tryddode tir-fsest getrume micle, cystum gecyj^ed, ond his cwen mid him medo-stig gemset m8egj>a hose.
don 1. 1242, and for the phrase cf. weor^-myndum \)dh 1. 8. Nevertheless I cannot bring myself to abandon the clear reading of the MS., which makes at least as good sense as many another passage.
902. MS. 'earfo^,' retained by Wulcker; cf. 1. 534. On the other hand, see 11. 602, 2349. 906. MS. ' ae^ellingum.'
911. There appears to be no sufficient reason for making a com- pound,/(«der-ce>e^u7?t, here, as the editors do. Cf. 11. 21, 1479.
915. Some editors mark the close of this episode by a space between this line and the next. There is nothing more than a dot in the MS., not a fresh line, nor even a capital to Inoilum.
BEOWULF. S9
XIV.
925 HroSgar maj^elode ; he to healle geong, stod on stapole, geseah steapne hrof golde fahne ond Grendles bond : "Disse ansyne Al-wealdan )7anc lungre gelimpe. Fela ic laj^es gebad,
930 grynna set Grendle ; a mseg God wyrcan wunder sefter wundre, wuldres Hyrde. Dset wses ungeara, ]79et ic ^nigra me weana ne wende to widan feore b5te gebidan, J>oniie blode fab,
935 husa selest beoro-dreorig stod; wea wid-scofen witena gebwylcne, Sara ]7e ne wendon, ]79et bie wide-ferbS leoda land-geweorc laj^um beweredon *scuccum ond scinnum. Nu scealc bafaS Fol. l50^
940 )?urb Dribtnes mibt dged gefremede, Se we ealle mr ne meabton snyttrum besyrwan, Hwset ! )?9et secgan mseg efne swa bwylc m8eg)?a, swa 5one magan cende sefter gum-cynnum, gyf beo gyt lyfaS,
945 )?8et byre eald Metod este wsere bearn-gebyrdo. Nu ic, Beowulf, ])ec, secg betsta, me for sunu wylle freogan on ferbj^e ; beald forS tela niwe sibbe. Ne biS ])e [njsenigra gad
950 worolde wilna, j^e ic geweald bsebbe. Ful oft ic for l^ssan lean teobbode,
945. Heyne ' eald-metod.' See note on 1. 1776. 949. MS. ' aenigre.'
40 BEOWULF.
hord-weor]7unge, hnahran rince,
ssemran set saecce. pu ]>e self hafast
dsedum gefremed, ]>eet ]7in [dom] lyfaS 955 awa to aldre. Al-walda ]>ec
gode forgylde, swa he nu gyt dyde !"
Beowulf ma}>elode, beam Ec[g]]?eowes :
" We )7set ellen-weorc estum miclum,
feohtan fremedon, frecne geneSdon 960 eafoS uiicu)?es ; upe ic swij7or,
)73et Su hine selfne geseon moste,
feond on frsetewum fyl-werigne.
Ic hine hrsedlice *heardan clammum Fol. 151*.
on wsel'bedde wri]?an )7ohte, 965 )79et he for mund-gri-pe minum scolde
licgean lif-bysig, butan his lie swice ;
ic hine ne mihte, )?a Metod nolde,
ganges getw^man ; no ic him ]?8es georne astfealh,
feorh-geniSlan ; wses to fore-mihtig 970 feond on fepe. Hw8e)?ere he his folme forlet
to lif-wra)7e last weardian,
earm ond eaxle ; no ]>^r i'enige swa )?eah
fea-sceaft guma frofre gebohte ;
no ]>y leng leofaS la3-geteona 975 synnum geswenced ; ac hyne sar hafaS
in Tz^d-gripe nearwe befongen,
balwon bendum ; S^r abidan sceal
maga mane fah miclan domes,
954. Kemble's emendation. No gap in MS. 963. MS. 'him.'
965. MS. 'hand gripe.' Kemble's emendation is required for the sake of the alliteration.
976. MS. 'mid gripe'; Thorpe ' mtS-gripe ' ; Bugge 'nyd-gripe.'
BEOWULF. 41
hu him scir Metod scrifan wille." 980 Da wses swigra secg sunu Ec[g]lafes
on gylp-spr^ce guS-geweorca,
si)75an sej^elingas eorles crsefte
ofer heanne hrof hand sceawedon,
feondes fingras, foran ^ghwylc ; 985 W3es steda nsegla gehwylc style gelicost,
h8e)7enes hand-sporu, *hilde-rinces Fol. 15P.
egl unheoru ; seghwylc gecwgeS,
)78et him heardra nan hrinan wolde
iren ser-g5d, 'pset Sses ahl^can 990 blodge beadu-folme onberan wolde.
XV.
E)a wses haten hrej^e Heort innan-weard folmum gefrgetwod ; fela |7t'era wses wera ond wifa, "pe pset win-reced, gest-sele, gyredon. Gold-fag scinon 995 web sefter wagum, w^undor-slona fela
secga gehwylcum, ]?ara }>e on swylc staraS. Waes J78et beorhte bold tobrocen swiSe, eal inne-weard iren-bendum fsest,
984 — 5. Suggestions too numerous to mention have been made for the emendation of these lines. Heyne adopts a fresh one with each new edition. Sievers considers the second half of 1. 984 metrically deficient, and proposes:
feondes fingras : foran ^ghwylc waes stI'Sra naegla style gelicost. 986. MS. 'hilde hilde rinces,' the first hilde being the last word on the page, the second the first word overleaf. In such cases italics in 'the text seem needless. For hand-sporu see Sievers § 279.
42 BEOWULF.
heorras tohlidene ; hrof ana genses
1000 ealles ansund, ]>d se aglseca
fyren-dsedum fag on fleam gewand, aldres orwena. No }>8et ySe byS to befleonne, fremme se ]>e wille ; ac gesacan sceal sawl-berendra,
1005 nyde genydde, ni)7Sa bearna, grund-biiendra, gearwe stowe, |7."er his lic-homa leger-bedde fsest swefe)? sefter symle. pa wses s^l ond msel, ]78et to healle *gang Healfdenes sunu ; Fol. 152^
1010 wolde self cyning symbel f>icgan.
Ne gefrsegen ic )7a m^gpe maran weorode ymb hyra sinc-gyfan sel geb^ran. Bugon ]7a to bence bl^d-agende, fylle gefsegon ; fegere gep^gon
1015 medo-ful manig magas )?ara,
1000. MS. 'J>e.'
1002 — 5. These lines, as given in Holder's edition, show the principal emendations that have been suggested :
No >8et y'Se by'5 to befleonne (fremme se J?e wille!), ac gesecan sceal sawl-berendra [gehwa], n}'de genydgd ni)>'Sa bearna. 1013. Thorkelin A 'bleed agande,' B ' blaedagande.' The MS. now has only bleed left, and de on the next line.
1014 — 5. Bugge proposed to put these two lines in parentheses, be- cause of "the difficulty of finding an antecedent for }>t7ra." Heyne (5th edition) and Earle adopt the suggestion. This can only be on the principle — of two difficulties choose the greater. What a master of the parenthesis- style the "scop" must have been, to keep his hearers waiting for the subject of hiigoii, past two other finite verbs with a diffe- rent subject, until four lines lower down! And what is to hinder the antecedent of ]?dra being implied in blad-cigende, in speaking of a court
BEOWULF. 48
swiS-hicgende, on sele J>am hean,
HroSgar ond HroJ^ulf. Heorot innan wses ' freondum afylled ; nalles lacen-stafas
peod-Scyldingas )7enden fremedon. 1020 Forgeaf )?a Beowulfe hearn Healfdenes
segen gyldenne sigores to leane,
hroden hilte-cumbor, helm ond byrnan ;
m^re maS)7um-svveord manige gesawon
beforan beorn beran. Beowulf gej^ah 1025 ful on flette. No he )7^re feoh-gyfte
for scotenum scamigan Sorfte ;
ne gefraegn ic freondlicor feower madmas
golde gegyrede gum -manna fela
in ealo-bence oSium gesellan. 1030 Ymb ]>SBS helmes hrof heafod-beorge
wirum bewunden wala utan heold,
]>3dt him fela *laf^ frecne ne meahton Fol. 152'>.
where everyone was doubtless related to everyone else, as in a Scotch clan?
1020. MS. 'brand.'
1026. MS. 'scotenum'; Grein 2 ' scoterum ' ; Wlilcker ' sceotendum,' for which cf. 11. 703, 1154. Heyne quotes oxenum, nefenxim, as examples of similar weak dat. pis.
1030 — 1. The MS. has 'heafod beorge wirum be wunden walan utan heold.' Ettmuller 'wala,' adopted by Grein. If we leave the MS. read- ing unaltered, there is a choice of difficulties. Either we must take icalan as subject and heafod-beorge as object, with a striking violation of gram- matical concord in the verb heold; or we must (with Heyne and Socin) take heafod-beorge as a weak fem. noun in the nom. and walan as object, with considerable loss to the sense. The nom. pi. scur-beorge ("Euin" 5) also tells against the latter view, which has no support from analogy.
1082. Thorkelin 'laf (now gone in the MS.). On account of this reading, Bugge ("Beitrage" xii. 92) supports Thorpe's emendation meahte, confirming it by the form scur-heard in the next line, and by a reference to Sievers: "der erste halbvers ist nach den untersuchungen
44 BEOWULF.
sciir-heard sce)7San, )7onne scyld-freca ongean gramum gangan scolde.
1035 Heht 3a eorla hle6 eahta mearas fgeted-hleore on flet teon, in under eoderas; j^ara anum stod sadol searwum fah, since gewur)?ad ; }78et wses hilde-setl heah-cyninges,
1040 Sonne sweorda gelac sunu Healfdenes efnan wolde ; n^fre on ore Iseg wid-cu)7es wig, Sonne walu feollon. Ond (5a Beowulfe bega gehw8e)7res eodor Ingwina onweald geteah,
1045 wicga ond w^pna; het hine wel brucan. Swa manlice mgere )?eoden, hord-weard hselej^a, hea}7o-r^sas geald mearum ond madmum, swa hy naefre man lyhS, se J7e secgan wile soS setter rihte.
XVI.
1050 Da gyt ^ghwylcum eorla drihten,
]7ara J^e mid Beowulfe brim-lade teah, on ]78ere medu-bence maJ^Sum gesealde, yr*fe-lafe ; ond )?one ^nne heht Fol. 153».
golde forgyldan, J?one Se Grendel ^r
1055 mane acwealde, swa he hyra ma wolde,
Sievers' ("Beitrage" x. 455) metrisch unrichtig." It is a curious com- mentary on this last reason, that Sievers himself quotes the line, with the form lafe, among the examples of his type A ("Beit." x. 273). 1051. MS. 'leade.'
BEOWULF. 45
nefne him witig God wyrd forstode, ond Sges mannes mod. Metod eallum weold gumena cjnines, swa he nu git deS ; for]7an biS andgit ^ghwger selest,
1060 ferhSes fore-)7anc. Fela sceal gebidan leofes ond la]7es, se ]>e longe her on Syssum win-dagum worolde bruceS. p^r wses sang ond sweg samod getgsedere fore Healfdenes hilde-wisan,
1065 gomen-wudu greted, gid oft wrecen, Sonne heal-gamen Hro)7gares scop sefter medo-bence m^nan scolde : " Finnes eaferum, Sa hie se f^r begeat, hseleS Healf-Dena, Hnsef Scyldinga,
1070 in Fres-wsele feallan scolde.
Ne huru Hildeburh herian J^orfte Eotena treowe; unsynnum wearS
1068 — 9. There are one or two difficulties here. (1) Heyne, followed by Earle, makes the episode begin with 1. 1069. I agree with Wiilcker and Bugge in regarding 1. 1068 as the commencement, partly because this helps to get rid of the difficulty of (2) the government of eaferum. Kemble '[be] Finnes eaferum'; Heyne and Socin 'Finnes eaferum [fram].' I follow Grein in regarding eaferum as an instr. pL, with reference to feallan scolde. (3) Bugge ("Beitrage" xii. 29) has shown that the emendation Healfdenes for Healf-Dena is misleading, the latter being a tribal name, such as we find in 11. 1, 116, 383, 392. (4) I cannot follow Bugge, when be goes on to explain hcele"^ as ace. pi,, anticipated by hw in the previous line. This is to force hie from its natural and obvious meaning, as referring to eaferum. He quotes as a parallel the hit of 1. 1705 ; but the cases are not analogous, in that hit cannot possibly refer to anything gone before. I therefore take hcele'^, with Heyne and Earle, as nom. sing., Hncef Scyldinga being a parallel expression to hale'^ Healf-Dena.
1070. MS. 'infr es waele': "r altered from some other letter, after it a letter erased, then es on an erasure: that fres is all that the scribe intended to write, is shown by a line connecting r and e." — Zupitza.
46 BEOWULF.
beloren leofum set )?am ^md-plegan, bearnum ond bro9rum; hie on gebyrd hruron
1075 gare *wunde ; f^aet wses geomuru ides. Fol. 153''. Nalles holinga Hoces dohtor meotod-sceaft bemearn, sy]7San morgen coin, 5a heo under swegle geseon meahte mor)7or-bealo maga, ]>^v he[o] i^r ni^ste heold
1080 worolde wMine. Wig ealle fornam Finnes J>egnas, nemne feaum anum, )78et he ne mehte on ]}^m meSel-stede wig Hengeste wiht gefeohtan, ne )7a wea-lafe wige for)7ringan
1085 )?eodnes Segne ; ac hig him gepingo budon, ]>8st hie him oSer flet eal gerymdon, healle ond heah-setl, )78et hie healfie geweald wis Eotena beam agan moston, ond set feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu
1090 dogi-a gehwylce Dene weor)7ode, Hengestes heap hringum wenede, efne swa swi9e sinc-gestreonum fsettan goldes, swa he Fresena cyn on beor-sele byldan wolde.
1095 Da hie getmwedon on twa healfa fseste frioSu-Wt^re ; Fin Hengeste elne unflitme aSum *benemde, Fol. 154».
J^aet he j^a wea-lafe weotena dome arum heolde, J^set S^er senig mon
1100 wordum ne worcum wsere ne brsepe, ne )7urh inwit-searo ^fre gemi'enden, 6eah hie hira beag-gyfan banan folgedon
1073. MS. 'hild'; emended for the alliteration. 1079. MS. 'he.'
BEOWULF. 47
Seoden-lease, l^a him swa geJ>earfod waes.
Gyf )?onne Frysna hwylc frecnan spruce 1105 Sees morj^or-hetes myndgiend wiere,
)7onne hit sweordes ecg sySSan scolde.
As wses gesefned, ond icge gold
ahsefen of horde. Here-Scyldinga
betst beado-rinca waes on bi^l gearu : 1110 set y^m. ade waes e)7-gesyne
swat-fah syrce, swyn eal-gylden,
eofer iren-heard, 3e)7eling manig
wundum awyrded ; sume on wsele crungon.
Het 5a Hildeburh set Hnsefes ade 1115 hire selfre sunu sweoloSe befaestan,
ban-fatu baernan ond on b^l don ;
earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
geomrode giddum. Gu5-rinc astah.
Wand *t6 wolcnum wsel-fyra mgest, Fol. 154''.
1120 hlynode for hlawe ; hafelan multon,
ben-geato burston ; Sonne blod setspranc
laS-bite lices. Lig ealle forswealg,
gc^sta gifrost, )7ara Se ]>^r guS fornam
bega folces ; waes hira blsed scacen.
XVII.
1125 Gewiton him Sa wigend wica neosian freondum befeallen, Frysland geseon,
1104. Zupitza's transliteration 'frecnen spraece'; Wiilcker 'frec- nensprgece. '
1118. Grundtvig 'gii^-rec' (but he read Hue for rinc in the MS.). Skeat supports this reading by 1. 3144, and Elene 795: "rec astigan," and compares gfcS-rtc with the compound locel-fyr in the next line.
48 BEOWULF.
hamas ond hea-burh. Hengest Sa gyt wael-fagne winter wuiiode mid Finn el[ne] un/litme ; eard gemunde,
1130 ]?eah ])e he [ne] meahte on mere drifan hringed-stefnan ; holm storme weol, won wis winde ; winter j]>e beleac is-gebinde, op Sset oj^er com gear in geardas, swa nu gyt deS,
1135 ]7a Se syn gales sele bewitiaS,
wuldor-torhtan weder. Da wses winter scacen,
fseger foldan bearm ; fundode wrecca,
gist of geardum ; he to gyrn-wraece
swiSor *]7ohte, ]7onne to sse-lade, Fol. 155*.
1140 gif he torn-gemot ]7urhteon mihte, ]78et he Eotena beam inne gemunde. Swa he ne forwyrnde worold-rsedenne, ]7onne him Hunlafing hilde-leoman, billa selest, on bearm dyde ;
1128 — 9. MS. 'mid finnel unhlitme'; Heyne *mid Finne [ealles] unhlitme' ; Kieger suggested the emendation in the text from 1. 1097, and has been followed by Grein and Wiileker.
1130. Grundtvig's emendation; Grein read ne in place of /je. Cf. 1. 648.
1142 — 4. In this difficult passage I have preserved the MS. reading. In 1. 1143, it has 'hun lafing,' which Zupitza transliterates 'hun-lafing.' We constantly find proper names divided into two parts in the MS., e.g. 'hro^ gar,' 1. 339; 'hun lafing,' therefore, may stand equally well for Hunlafing or for Hun Lafing. There is much in this whole episode which is still obscure and uncertain, and until more light is thrown upon it, I adhere to the MS. and to Grein's explanation of the text. While accept- ing generally Moller's reconstruction of the Finn saga (for which see his "Das altenglische Volksepos"), I cannot adopt his emendation ivorod- rcedenne, which is accepted by Bugge (who, however, assigns to it a signification different from Moller's), Heyne and Socin, and Earle. For one thing, the form loorod is unknown to O.E. poetry. With regard to this
BEOWULF. 49
1145 ]?3es w^ron mid Eotenum ecge cuSe. Swylce ferhS-frecan Fin eft begeat sweord-bealo sliSen set his selfes ham, sij^San grimne gripe GuSlaf ond Oslaf sefter s?e-siSe sorge m^ndon,
1150 setwiton weana d^l ; ne meahte w^fre mod forhabban in hrej^re. 5)a waes heal hroden feonda feorum, swilce Fin slaegen, cyning on corj^re, ond seo cwen numen. Sceotend Scyldinga to scypon feredon
1155 eal in-gesteald eorS-cyninges,
swylce hie set Finnes ham findan meahton
sigla, searo-gimma. Hie on sfe-lade
drihtlice wif to Denum feredon,
l^ddon *to leodum." LeoS wses asungen, Fol. ISo''.
1160 gleo-mannes gyd. Gamen eft astah, beorhtode benc-sweg ; byi-elas sealdon win of wunder-fatum. pa cwom WealhJ?eo forS gan under gyldnum beage, ]}^r )7a godan twegen s^ton suhter-gefsederan ; )?a gyt wses hiera sib setgsedere,
1165 ieghwylc oSrum try we. Swylce J>^r Unfer]} )?yle
particular emendation and to the whole of Bugge's ingenious argumenta- tion (for which see "Beitrage" xii. 32 — 37) — wherein he surmises that Hun is identical with the Hiln of "Widsith" 33, and that Lufing is the name of a sword which Hun laid upon Hengest's breast when the latter, the better to compass his revenge, "did not refuse to declare himself Finn's liegeman" (an interpretation which involves a material depar- ture from Holler's reconstruction of the saga) — my opinion of all this is simply "not proven." And if not proven, it is much more complicated than Grein's explanation, and not a whit more consistent, as I think, with the accepted reconstructions of the whole saga.
1151. Bugge 'roden' ( = reddened).
1165. MS. 'hun fei>,'
W. B. 4
50 BEOWULF.
set fotum saet frean Scyldinga ; gehwylc hiora his
ferh)7e treowde, Ipset he haefde mod micel, )7eah ]>e he his magum
n^re ar-fsest set ecga gelacum. Sprsec Sa ides Scyldinga: " Onfoh j^issum fulle, freo-drihten min,
1170 sinces brytta; ]>Zi on s^lum wes,
gold-wine gumena, ond to Geatum spree mildum wordum, swa sceal man don. Beo wis Geatas glsed, geofena gemyndig; nean ond feorran ])u nu [freoSo] hafast.
1175 Me man saegde, ]>set *]>u Se for sunu wolde Fol. 156». here-ri[n]c habban. Heorot is gefselsod, beah-sele beorhta; bruc J^enden ]>n mote manigra meda, ond )?mum magum l^f folc ond rice, )7onne Su forS scyle
1180 metod-sceaft seon. Ic minne can
glsedne Hro)7ulf, ]>set he )7a geogoSe wile arum healdan, gyf )7u £er j^onne he, wine Scildinga, worold ofl^test ; wene ic, )78et he mid gode gyldan wille
1185 uncran eaferan, gif he J^set eal gemon,
hwaet wit to willan ond to wor9-myndum umbor-wesendum ser arna gefremedon." Hwearf ]>h bi bence, ]>ser hyre byre w^ron, HreSric ond HroSmund, ond hselej^a beam,
1190 giogoS aetgsedere ; j^ser se goda s^et,
Beowulf Geata, be y^m gebroSrum tw^m.
1171. MS. 'spraec'
1174. No gap in MS. Ettmiiller ' [fri^u],' which I have spelt as in 1. 188.
1176. MS. 'hereric'
1178. MS. defective at edge ; AB 'medo.'
BEOWULF. 51
XVIII.
Him wses ful boren, ond freond-la]?u wordum bewsegned, ond wunden gold estum geeawed, earm-[h]reade twa,
1195 hrcjegl ond hrin*gas, heals-beaga nicest, Fol. 156^. ]?ara 'pe ic on foldan gefr^egen haebbe. NSnigne ic under swegle selran hyrde hord-madmum h£ele]7a, syj>5an Hama aetwaeg to ])ceYe byrhtan byrig Brosinga mene,
1200 sigle ond sinc-fset, searo-niSas fleah Eormenrices, geceas ecne ried. pone bring hsefde Higelac Geata, nefa Swertinges, nyhstan siSe, si5]7an he under segne sine ealgode,
1205 W9el-reaf werede; hyne wyrd fornam,
1194. MS. 'earm reade'; Grein ' earm-[h]reade.'
1199. MS. 'here ' ; Ettmiiller ' hare. '
1200. MS. 'fealli';Leo, Grundtvig, Cosijn, Bugge 'fleah.' Bugge's argument is conclusive ("Beitrage" xii. 69 ff.). Feolan never governs an accus., SiSjieo7i does. ''Fleah is confirmed by the fact, that according to the saga Hama in reality 'fled from the enmity of Eormenric'." [Earle's note on 1. 1201 is somewhat misleading. He says that Bugge "finds that Hama entered religious life, and that this is the proper sense of geceas ecne rad.'' Bugge's own words are: "Ich verstehe geceas ecne rad so: 'er wurde ein frommer mann, so dass er, als er starb, zur seligkeit ein- gieng'." The cloister, to which Hama retired after he had fled from Eormenric, Bugge thinks is referred to in \>^re byrhtan hyrig (1. 1199), for the Thidrekssaga says that Hama brought much gold and silver to the cloister. See "Beitrage" xii. 70, 71.]
1205. Wiilcker 'Wyrd,' with a capital, here and in 1. 477, but nowhere else, not even in 2814 (cf. with 477). Heyne uses a capital initial in 11. 455, 477, 2420, 2526, 2574, 2814, but not in this line. Neither of these editors ever uses a capital for the names of the Christian Deity. A fair record of inconsistencies.
4—2
52 BEOWULF.
sy)7San he for wlenco wean ahsode,
f^hSe to Fiysum. He )?a frsetwe wseg,
eorclan-stanas, ofer ySa ful,
rice )7eoden; he under rande gecranc. 1210 Gehwearf |?a in Francna faej^m feorh cpiinges,
breost-gew^du ond se beah somod;
wyrsan wig-frecan wsel reafedon
sefter gu5-sceare ; Geata leode
hrea-wic heoldon. Heal swege onfeng. 1215 WealhSeo ma]7elode, heo fore ]>^m. werede sprsec :
" Bruc Sisses beages, Beowulf leofa,
hyse, mid h^le, *ond J^isses hrsegles neot, Fol. 157».
)7eo[d]-gestreona, ond gel7eoh tela ;
cen ]?ec mid craefte, ond )?yssum cnyhtum wes 1220 lara liSe ; ic 'pe )78es lean geman.
Hafast )7u gefered, )?3et 5e feor ond neah
ealne wide-ferhj? weras ehtigaS,
efne swa side swa sae bebugeS
windge [e]ard-weallas. Wes, )?enden ]?ii lifige, 1225 se)7eling eadig ; ic ]>e an tela
sinc-gestreona. Beo )7u suna minum
d^dum gedefe, dream healdende.
Her is peghwylc eorl o)?rum getrywe,
modes milde, man-drihtne hol[d] ; 1230 )?egnas syndon gepwseve, ]?eod eal gearo.
1212. MS. 'reafeden.' 1218. MS. ']peo ge streona.'
1224. MS. 'wind geard weallas'; Ettmiiller 'windige weallas,' cf. 1. 572. The emendation in the text is Kemble's.
1225. Wiilcker puts a comma after a\>eling, making it a vocative. It seems to me that such breaks in the half-line are to be avoided wherever possible. Cf. 11. 130, 2188, 2342.
1229. MS. 'hoi.'
BEOWULF. 53
Druncne dryht-guman, doS swa ic bidde." Eode J?a to setle. pSr waes symbla cyst, druncon win weras ; wyrd ne cu)?on, geo-sceaft grimme, swa hit agangen wearS
1235 eorla manegum. SyJ>3an iSfen cwom,
ond him Hrof»gar gewat to hofe sinum, rice t5 rseste, reced weardode unrim eorla, swa hie oft ^r dydon. Benc-]7elu beredon ; hit geond-br^ded wearS
1240 beddum ond bolstrum. Beor-scealca sum
fus ond f^ge flet-raeste ge*beag. Fol. 157^.
Setton him to heafdon hilde-randas, bord-wudu beorhtan ; ]>^y on bence waes ofer 8e]?elinge y)7-gesene
1245 hea)7o-steapa hehu, hringed byi'ne, )7rec-wudu )?rymlic. W«s )7eaw hyra, |?8et hie oft wieron an wig gearwe ge set ham ge on herge, ge gehwsej^er )7ara efne swylce miSla, swylce hira man-dryhtne
1250 ]?earf ges^lde ; wses seo ]7eod tiki.
XIX.
Sigon )7a to shepe. Sum sare angeald gefen-rseste, swa him ful oft gelamp, si)?San gold-sele Grendel warode,
1234. MS. 'grimne'; Ettmiiller 'grimme.'
1247. MS. 'anwig gearwe'; Ettmiiller (adopted by Grein) 'anwig- gearwe,' ready for single combat.
1253. Zupitza : *^icarode MS. as well as AB ; the parchment under wa is rather thin, and besides there is a blot on the two letters." Hence the word has several times been misread farode.
54 BEOWULF.
unriht sefnde, o]> J)8et ende becwom, 1255 swylt sefter synnum. pset gesyne wear)?,
wid-cuj? werum, j^sette wrecend )?a gyt
lifde sefter laj^um, lange ]7rage
sefter gu5-ceare ; Grendles modor,
ides, agl^c-wif, yrm]?e gemunde, 1260 se ]}& wseter-egesan wunian scolde,
cealde streamas, si)?San Cai/i wearS
to ecg-banan angan bre)?er,
fsederen-m^ge ; he )7a fag gewat,
mor]?re gemearcod, *man-dream fleon, Fol. 158». 1265 westen warode. panon woe fela
geo-sceaft-gasta ; wges )?^ra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelic, se set Heorote fand
wseccendne wer wiges bidan.
p?er him agl^ca setgr^pe wearS ; 1270 hw8e)7re he gemunde msegenes strenge,
gim-fseste gife, t5e him God sealde,
ond him to Anwaldan are gelyfde,
frofre ond fultum ; Sy he )?one feond ofercwom,
gehn^gde helle gast. pa he hean gewat, 1275 dreame bedded, dea)7-wic seon,
man-cynnes feond. Ond his modor J^a gyt
gifre ond galg-mod gegan wolde
sorh-fulne si5, suna dea^ wrecan ;
com )7a to Heorote, S^r Hring-Dene 1280 geond J^set sseld sw^fun. pa Sser sona wearS
ed-hwyrft eorkim, si]?tSan inne fealh
1261. MS. *camp.'
1271. Thorpe, Grein, Sweet *gin-faeste.' For the change of n to m before labials, cf. hlim-bed, 1. 3034, and see Sievers, § 187, N. 1278. MS. *sunu>eod.' Ettmiiller's emendation.
BEOWULF. 55
Grendles modor. Waes se gryre l^ssa efne swa micle, swa biS msegpa. crseft, wig-gryre wifes, be w^pned-men,
1285 )?onne heoru bunden, hamere gepuren, sweord swate fah swiii ofer helme, ecgum *dyhtig andweard scireS. Fol. iss'^.
Da wees on healle heard-ecg togen sweord ofer setlum, sid-rand manig
1290 hafen handa fsest ; helm ne gemunde, byrnan side, )7a hine se broga angeat. Heo wsbs on ofste, wolde ut )7anon feore beorgan, )?a heo onfunden waes ; hraSe heo 8e)?elinga anne hsefde
1295 fseste befangen; )7a heo to fenne gang. Se wees Hr6)?gare hselej^a leofost on gesiSes had be s^m tweonum, rice rand-wiga, )7one Se heo on raeste abreat, bl^d-fsestne beorn. Naes Beowulf Sger,
1300 ac waes oj^er in ger geteohhod
gefter ma)75um-gife mgerum Geate.
Hream wearS in Heorote ; heo under heolfre genam
cuj^e folme ; cearu waes geniwod,
geworden in wicun. Ne waes f»3et gewrixle til,
1305 )?8et hie on ba healfa bicgan scoldon freonda feorum. pa waes frod cyning, har hilde-rinc, on hreon *mode, Fol. 159^
sy?5)?an he aldor-]?egn unlyfigendne, )7one deorestan deadne wisse.
1310 Hra)7e waes to biire Beowulf fetod, sigor-eadig secg; samod ^r-daege
1291. Heyne, Sweet, and others emend '\>e hine,' whom — at once ingenious, logical, pedantic, and unnecessary.
5Q BEOWULF.
eode eorla sum, 9e)7ele cempa
self mid gesiSum, ]>sdr se snotera bad,
hw8e)7re him AZ-walda ^fre wille
1315 sefter wea-spelle w^Tpe gefremman. Gang 5a aefter flore fyrd-wyrSe man mid his hand-scole (heal-wudu dynede), )?3et he }>one wisan wordum n^gde frean Ingwina, frsegn gif him w^re
1320 aefter neod-laSu niht get^se.
XX.
HroSgar ma)7elode, helm Scyldinga: " Ne frin )7u sefter s^lum ; sorh is geniwod Denigea leodum. Dead is ^schere, Yrmenlafes yldra broj^or,
1325 min mn-wita ond min r^d-bora, eaxl-gestealla, Sonne we on orlege hafelan weredon, J^onne hniton fe]?an, eoferas cnysedan. *Swy[lc] scolde eorl Fol. 159^.
wesan, [9e}>eling] ^r-god, swylc JEschere wses.
1330 Wears him on Heorote to hand-banan W3el-g3est w^fre ; ic ne wat hwadder
1314. MS. 'alf walda.' Cf. 11. 316, 955.
1317. MS. 'hand scale.' Cf. 1. 1963. There seems absolutely no authority or support for the form scale, which is retained by most editors.
1318. AB ' hnaegde '; now de gone. The /j is prosthetic. "Wordum nffigan (negan)" occurs Elene 287, 559, Exodus 23, etc'
1320. Sweet 'neod-la«e'; but see Sievers § 253, N. 2.
1328. MS. defective at corner; AB 'swy scolde.'
1329. No gap in MS.
1331. MS. 'hwajjer.' Toller gives three instances of hwceder=hwider.
BEOWULF. 57
atol Sse wlanc eft-siSas teah,
fylle gefr^gnod. Heo ]7a fiehSe wr«c,
j?e ]7u gystran niht Grendel cwealdest
1385 )?urh h^stne had heardum clammum, forl7an he to lange leode mine w anode ond wyrde. He aet wige gecrang ealdres scyldig, ond nu 6]>er cwom mihtig man-scaSa, wolde hyre m&eg wrecan,
1340 ge feor hafaS fiehSe gestieled,
)7aes ]>e ]?incean mseg ]>egne monegum, se )7e aefter sinc-gyfan on sefan greote)?, hre)?er-bealo hearde ; nu seo hand ligeS, se 'pe eow wel-hwylcra wilna dohte.
1345 Ic )78et lond-buend, leode mine, sele-riedende, secgan hyrde, )79et hie gesawon swylce twegen micle mearc-stapan moras healdan, ellor-gc'estas ; 3^ra o5er waes,
1350 J78es )?e hie gewislicost gewitan meahton, idese onlicnes; 65er earm-sceapen on weres wsestmum wraec-lastas *tr8ed, Fol. 160*. nsefne he waes mara )7onne ^nig man oSer, ]7one on gear-dagum Grendel nemdo?z
1355 fold-buende ; no hie feeder cunnon, hw8e|7er him ^nig wses ^r acenned dyrnra gasta. Hie dygel lond warigeaS, wulf-hleo]7u, windige ^aessas, frecne fen-gelad, S^r fyrgen-stream
1360 under ngessa genipu nij^er gewiteS,
1344. Sweet 'seo >e'; but cf. 11. 1887, 2685.
1351. MS. 'onlic naes'; Zupitza 'onlic-nass'; Sweet 'onlic, wses.'
1354. MS. defective at edge; AB 'nemdod'; Zupitza 'neindo[n].'
58 BEOWULF.
flod under foldan. Nis )7get feor heonon mil-gemearces, J^set se mere stanrfeS, ofer ]>eem hongiaS hri7?i^e bearwas, wudu wyrtum fsest, wseter oferhelmaS.
1365 p^r mseg nihta gehw^m niS-wundor seon, fyr on flode. No J^ses frod leofaS gumena beama, J^get j^one grund wite. Deah )?e hivS-stapa himdum geswenced, heorot hornum trum, holt-wudu sece,
1370 feorran geflymed, ^r he feorh seleS, aldor on ofre, ?er he in wille hafelan [hydan]. Nis ]78et heoru stow; J>onon yS-geblond up astigetS won to wolcnum, )?onne wind styref»
1375 laS gewidru, oS Sset lyft drysma)?, roderas reotaS. Nu is se r^d gelang eft set *]>e anum. Eard git ne const, Fol. l60^ frecne stowe, ^'^er ]>\i findan miht fela-sinnigne secg; sec gif )?u dyrre.
1380 Ic fe ]7a f^hSe feo leanige,
eald-gestreonum, swa ic ^r dyde, wundnum golde, gyf ]?u onweg cymest."
1362. MS. 'stan«e«.'
1363. MS. 'hrinde.' The emendation is based on the discovery by Dr Morris of the phrase hrlmige hearioas in the Blickling Homilies (see the Preface vi, vii).
1372. No gap in MS. Thorpe's emendation.
1382. MS. 'wun' at end of line, 'dini' or 'dmi' on next line, "certainly not duw"; A 'dmi'; B *dini'; Zupitza 'dini.'
BEOWULF. 59
XXI.
Beowulf maj^elode, beam EcgJ^eowes :
"Ne sorga, snotor guma; selre bi3 ^ghw^m,
1385 )7set he his freond wrece, )7onne he fela murne. Ure ^ghwylc sceal ende gebidan worolde lifes ; wyrce se ])e mote domes Sr deaj^e ; ]?9et bi3 driht-guman unlifgendum SBfter selest.
1390 Aris, rices weard ; uton hraj^e feran, Grendles magan gang sceawigan. Ic hit ]>e gehate : no he on hehn losa)?, ne on foldan fsej^m, ne on fyrgen-holt, ne on gyfenes grund, ga ]>8er he wille.
1395 Dys dogor ]7ii ge]?yld hafa
weana gehwylces, swa ic ]>e wene to." Ahleop t5a se gomela, Gode j^ancode, mihtigan Drihtne, }>3es se man ge*spra3C. Fol. 161 \ pa wses HrdSgare hors geb^ted,
1400 wicg wunden-feax ; wisa fengel geatolic gen[g]de ; gum-fe]?a stop lind-hsebbendra. Lastas w^ron sefter wald-swa]7um wide gesyne, gang ofer grundas ; gegnum for
1405 ofer myrcan mor, mago-J>egna bser
1390. Sweet 'ra)>e,' for the sake of the aUiteration; but see Sievers § 217, N. 1.
1395. Heyne "Sys dogor,' accus. of duration ; but the form %s lacks authority, and see Sievers § 289, and "Beitrage" x. 312.
1401. MS. 'gende.'
1404. Heyne adopts the emendation of Sievers, who considers the line metrically deficient : ' [>ier heo] gegnum for. '
60 BEOWULF.
)?one selestan sawol-leasne,
)7ara J^e mid HroSgare ham eahtode.
Ofereode )7a 8e)7elinga beam
steap stan-hliSo, stige nearwe, 1410 enge an-pa5as, uncu3 gelad,
neowle nsessas, nicor-husa fela ;
he feara sum beforan gengde
wisra monna wong sceawian,
o]7 )79et he f^ringa fyrgen-beamas 1415 ofer harne stan hleonian fimde,
wyn-leasne wudu ; waeter under stod
dreorig ond gedrefed. Demmi eallum waes,
winum Scyldinga, weorce on mode
to ge]7olianne, Segne monegum, 1420 oncyS eorla gehw^m, syS]?an ^scheres
on ]7am holm-clife hafelan metton.
Flod blode weol (folc to ssegon),
*hatan heolfre. Horn stundum song Fol. 161^
fuslic f[yrd]-leoS. FeJ^a eal gesset ; 1425 gesawon 5a sefter wsetere wyrm-cynnes fela,
sellice s^-dracan, sund cunnian,
swylce on nses-hleoSum nicras licgean,
Sa on undern-m^l oft bewitigaS
sorh-fulne siS on segl-rade, 1430 wyrmas ond wil-deor; hie onweg hruron
bitere ond gebolgne, bearhtm ongeaton,
guS-horn galan. Sumne Geata leod
of flan-bogan feores getwSfde,
yS-gewinnes, J^aet him on aldre stod 1435 here-strsel hearda; he on hohne wses
1424. MS. defective at edge; B 'f...'; Zupitza 'f[yrd]-,' adopting the emendation of Bouterwek (1859).
BEOWULF. 61
sundes ]>e sienra, 5e hyne swylt fornam.
Hraej^e wearS on ySum mid eofer-spreotum
heoro-hocyhtum hearde genearwod,
niSa gen?eged ond on nses togen, 1440 wundorlic wi^g-bora ; weras sceawedon
gryrelicne gist. Gyrede hine Beowulf
eorl-gew?edum, nalles for ealdre mearn ;
scolde here-byrne hondum gebrdden,
sid ond searo-fah, sund cunnian, 1445 seo Se ban-cofan beorgan cu)?e,
]>8dt him hilde-grap hre)7re ne mihte,
eorres inwit-feng aldre gescej^San ;
ac se hwita helm *hafelan werede, Fol. 162».
se ]?e mere-grundas mengan scolde, 1450 secan sund-gebland since geweorSad,
befongen frea-wrasnum, swa hine fyrn-dagum
worhte w^pna smiS, wundrum teode,
besette swin-licum, )78et hine sySj^an no
brond ne beado-mecas bitan ne meahton. 1455 Nses ]>set ]?onne m^tost msegen-fultuma,
)79et him on Searfe lah Syle HroSgares;
wses l^^m hseft-mece Hrunting nama ;
)?9et wses an foran eald-gestreona ;
ecg wses iren, ater-tanum fah, 1460 ahyrded hea)7o-swate ; niefre hit set hilde ne swac
manna ^ngum, |?ara ]?e hit mid mundum bewand,
se Se gryre-siSas gegan dorste,
folc-stede fara ; nses f>set forma siS,
1439. Sweet 'ge[h]nffiged.' But see 1. 2206, where Toller (after Grein) wrongly gives the MS. reading as gelmagdan.
1459. Heyne and Socin adopt Cosijn's emendation, dter-tmrum, "with poison drops," which is supported by Sievers.
62 BEOWULF.
)78et hit ellen-weorc sefnan scolde. 1465 Huru ne gemunde mago Ecglafes
eafo)7es crseftig, )73et he ^r gesprsec
wine druncen, ]>a, he j^aes wyepnes onlah
seh^an sweord-frecan ; selfa ne dorste
under ySa gewin aldre genej^an, 1470 driht-scype dreogan ; )?8er he dome forleas,
ellen-*m^r5uni. Ne wses J^sem oSrum swa, Fol. 162''.
syS)7an he hine to gu5e gegyred haefde.
XXII.
Beowulf ma]7elode, beam Ecg)7eowes :
" Ge)7enc nil, se miera maga Healfdenes, 1475 snottra fengel, nu ic eom siSes fus,
gold-wine gumena, hwset wit geo spr^econ:
gif ic aet )7earfe j^inre scolde
aldre linnan, j^set '5u me a w^re
forS-gewitenum on faeder st^le. 1480 Wes ]7U mund-bora minum mago-j^egnum,
hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime ;
swylce ]7U 5a madmas, ])e ])\i me sealdest,
HroSgar leofa, Higelace onsend.
Maeg )?onne on 'p^m golde ongitan Geata dryhten, 1485 geseon sunu Hrec^les, )7onne he on J^aet sine staraS,
]?aet ic gum-cystum godne funde
beaga bryttan, breac ]?onne mdste.
1471. AB •mffirdam'; Thorpe 'maer'Sum'; Zupitza 'maer^um': " mw at the end of the word is still distinct, and before um I think I see a considerable part of r'S.'"
1480- Heyne divides this line wrongly, after minum.
1485. MS. 'hrffidles.'
BEOWULF. 63
Ond )7u Unhr^ l^t ealde lafe, wrsetlic w^g-sweord, wid-cuSne man
1490 heard-ecg habban ; ic me mid Hrimtinge
dom gewyrce, *o)?Se mec deaS nimeS." Fol. 163». Miter ]>^m wordum Weder-Geata leod efste mid elne, nalas ondsware bldan wolde ; brim-wylm onfeng
1495 hilde-rince. Da wses hwil dseges,
^r he ]7one grund-wong ongytan mehte. Sona ]>set onfunde, se Se floda begong heoro-gifre beheold hund missera, glim ond grSdig, J>a3t )?a^r gumena sum
1500 ael-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grap \>a, togeanes, guS-rinc gefeng atolan clommum ; no ]>y ^r in gescod halan lice ; bring utan ymbbearh, )79et heo )7one fyrd-hom Surhfon ne mihte,
1505 locene leotSo-syrcan, laj^an fingrum.
Bser )?a seo brim-wyl[f], j^a heo to botme com, hringa J^engel to hofe sinum, swa he ne mihte no (he ]>eah modig wses) w^pna gewealdan; ac bine wundra Iffses fela
1510 swe[n]cte on sunde, s^-deor monig hilde-tuxum here-syrcan brsec, ehton agl^can. Da se eorl ongeat,
1488. MS. 'himferS.'
1506. MS. ' brim wyl.'
1508. MS. 'ijaem'; Grundtvig (adopted by Heyne) 'J>£es'; Grein '>eah.' Grein's emendation makes admirable sense. I would retain the MS. reading in preference to ]>(Bs, which Heyne supports by parallel passages. It is undeniable that \>cbs is common enough with the meaning "so" (see 1. 1509); but what can be feebler than to be told, half way through the poem, that Beowulf is brave enough to wield his weapons?
1510. MS. 'swecte.'
64 BEOWULF.
J78et he [in] niS-sele nat-hwylcum wses, )?^r him nienig wseter wihte ne sce)?ede,
1515 ne him for hrof-sele hrinan ne mehte
fler-gripe flodes ; *fyr-leoht geseah, Fol. 163*^.
blacne leoman beorhte scinan. Ongeat ]>a. se goda grimd-wyrgenne, mere-wif mihtig ; msegen-r^s forgeaf
1520 hilde-bille, ho?id swenge ne ofteah, }>3et hire on hafelan hring-m^l agol gr^dig gu3-leoS. Da se gist onfand, J>8et se beado-leoma bitan nolde, aldre sceJ^San, ac seo ecg geswac
1525 Seodne eet j^earfe ; Solode ^r fela hond-gemota, helm oft gescser, f^ges fyrd-hrsegl ; Sa wyes forma siS deorum madme, ]?aet his dom ala^g. Eft wses an-rged, nalas ehies Iset,
1530 m^rSa gemyndig, m^g Hy[ge] laces.
Wearp 6a wunde?i-m^l wr^ttum gebunden yrre oretta, )?8et hit on eorSan Iseg, stiS ond styl-ecg; strenge getruwode, mund-gripe msegenes. Swa sceal man don,
1535 l?onne he set giiSe gegan ]7ence3
longsumne lof, na ymb his lif cearaS. Gefeng ]7a be eaxle (nalas for f^hSe mearn)
1513. Thorpe '[in].' Grein (followed by Heyne) 'ni'S-sele,' aula in profundis; Sweet 'nrS-sele,' hostile hall. The line is of the same type as 482, and a long syllable is required for the scansion {see "Beitrage " x. 297).
1520. MS. 'hord swenge'; Sweet 'swenge hond,' without explanation.
1530. MS. 'hylaces.' 1531. MS. 'wundel msel.'
1537. Sweet adopts Eieger's emendation ' feaxe,' apparently for the sake of the alliteration — a wanton change, for gefeng alliterates normally with fceh^e.
BEOWULF. 65
Gu(5-Geata leod Grendles modor,
brsegd )?a beadwe heard, )?a he gebolgen waes,
1540 feorh-geniSlan, ])Sdt heo on flet gebeah. Heo him eft hraSe hand-lean forgeald grim^man grapum, ond him togeanes feng; Fol. oferwearp ]>si werig-mod wigena strengest, fe]7e-cempa, )?get he on fylle wearS.
1545 Ofsset ]>a. J?one sele-gyst, ond hyre sea^ geteah brad, brun-ecg, wolde hire beam wrecan, angan eaferan. Him on eaxle la^g breost-net broden ; ]?3et gebearh feore, wis ord ond wiS ecge ingang forstod.
1550 Hsefde Sa forsiSod sunu Ecg]?eowes under gynne grund, Geata cempa, nemne him heaSo-byrne helpe gefremede, here-net hearde, ond halig God geweold wig-sigor, witig Drihten,
1555 rodera R^dend hit on ryht gesced ySelice ; syj^San he eft astod.
1541. Heyne and Sweet (who however glosses hand-lean alone) adopt Kieger's emendation and-lean, alliterating with eft. So, in 1. 2094, Heyne reads ond-lean for hond-lean, "mit Eiicksicht auf die Allitteration. " On the other hand, it is unfortunate that the alliteration is not decisive in the case of either line. Moreover, the phrase and-lean forgieldan, "to repay reward," is distinctly over-redundant, containing as it does the re- notion in both and- and /or-, as well as in the word lean itself (here, also, in eft in the first half-line). Cf. 11. 114, 1584. Thus no case is made out for setting aside the clear readings of the MS.
1545. MS. 'seaxe'; Ettmiiller (followed by Sweet) ' seax.' Geteon always takes an accus. ; cf. 1. 2610 and hrdd, brUn-ecg, 1546.
1546. Heyne 'brad [ond] brun-ecg,' on metrical and syntactical grounds.
1555. Wiilcker has a colon after gesced and no stop after y^ellce.
W. B.
66 BEOWULF.
XXIII.
Geseah Sa on searwum sige-eadig bil, eald sweord eotenisc, ecgum l?yhtig, wigena weorS-mynd ; ]>set [wees] w^pna cyst,
1560 buton hit waes mare Sonne ^nig mon oSer to beadu-lace setberan meahte, god ond geatolic, giganta geweorc. He gefeng )7a fetel-hilt, freca Scyldinga hreoh ond heoro-grim hring-m^l gebrsegd,
1565 aldres orwena yrringa *sloh, Fol. iQi^
|78et hire wi3 halse heard grapode, ban-hringas brsec ; bil eal Surhwod f^gne fl^sc-homan ; heo on flet gecrong. Sweord waes swatig; secg weorce gefeh.
1570 Lixte se leoma, leoht inne stod, efne swa of hefene hadre scineS rodores candel. He sefter recede wlat, hwearf ]7a be wealle ; Wc'epen hafenade heard be hiltum Higelaces Segn
1575 yrre ond an-r^d. Nses seo ecg fracod hilde-rince, ac he hra]7e wolde Grendle f orgy Man guS-r^sa fela, Sara )?e he geworhte to West-Denum oftor micle Sonne on ^nne siS,
1580 )7onne he HroSgares heorS-geneatas sloh on sweofote, sk'epende frset folces Denigea fyf-tyne men, ond oSer swylc ut offerede, laSlicu lac. He him )78es lean forgeald,
1559. Kemble's emendation.
BEOWULF. 67
1585 re)?e cempa, to Sees ]7e he on raeste geseah guS-werigne Grendel licgan, aldor-leasne, swa him fer gescod hild set Heorote. Hra wide sprong, sy]?San he sefter deaSe drepe ]?rowade,
1590 heoro-sweng heardne ; oiid hine )7a heafde becearf. Sona ]?get gesawon snottre *ceorlas, Fol. 165*.
)7a 3e mid HroSgare on hohii wliton, }>9et waes yS-geblond eal gemenged, brim blode fah. Blonden-feaxe
1595 gomele ymb godne on geador spr^con, l78et hig ]?8es oeSelinges eft ne wendon, }>a8t he sige-hreSig secean come mserne J^eoden, ]?a Sees monige gewearS, f»8et hine seo brim-wylf abroten hsefde.
1600 J)a com non daeges; nses ofgeafon
hwate Scyldingas ; gewat him ham j7onon
gold-wine gumena. Gistas setan
modes seoce, ond on mere staredon ;
wiston ond ne wendon, j^aet hie heora wine-drihten
1605 selfne gesawon. Da )?9et sweord ongan a^fter hea)7o-swate hilde-gicelum, wig-bil wanian; ]78et wees wundra sum, )79et hit eal gemealt ise gelicost,
1599. MS. ' abreoten.'
1602. MS. ' secan.'
1604. Kemble ' wiscton ' ; Sweet ' wyscton ' ; Cosijn (followed by Heyne and Socin) ' wiston '=: wiscton, ivished. This last hypothesis lacks authority. Probably it is merely a case of the blending of two construc- tions ; wiston, "knew," would require ne gesdivon; ne loendon, "did not expect," requires gesawon only; the latter construction prevails. It is possible, however, that ne has dropped out after the -ne of selfne ; in that case the meaning would be : " they knew, and did not merely expect, that they should not see their lord himself again."
5—2
68 BEOWULF.
Sonne forstes bend Feeder onU'eteS,
1610 onwindeS w^l-rapas, se geweald hafaS
s^la ond mcpla ; ]>set is soS Metod.
Ne nom he in |?Sm wicum, Weder-Geata leod,
maSm-Shta ma, J>eh he ])iev monige geseah,
buton ]7one hafelan ond )7a hilt somod,
1615 since fage ; sweord ^r gemealt,
forbarn broden m^l ; wses l>a?t blod *to )?a?s -Pol
^ 165".
hat,
^ttren ellor-g^st, se J>^r inne swealt.
Sona W8es on sunde, se )?e ^r set saecce gebad
wig-hryre wraSra, wseter up )?urhdeaf;
1620 w?eron yS-gebland eal gef^lsod, eacne eardas, }>a se ellor-gast oflet lif-dagas ond ]7as h^enan gesceaft. Com )?a to lande lid-manna helm swiS-mod swymman, s^e-lace gefeah,
1625 msegen-byrj^enne )?ara ]>e he him mid haefde. Eodon him J^a togeanes, Gode j^ancodon, SrySlic )7egna heap, )?eodnes gefegon, |?8es )7e hi hyne gesundne geseon moston.
1610. Sweet adopts Kemble's emendation, wceg-rdpas. Hej^ne has iccel-rd'pas, and in his glossary: "cf. wgell, wel, wyll, Quelle, Flut; — leax sceal on wffile mid sceote scri^an, Gnom. Cott. 39." Sweet gives the same passage, in his " A.S. Eeader " xxviii. 39, marked ic^le, and there is no doubt he is right (more's the pity he departs from the MS. reading here). Heyne identifies wal with icell, "a well" (more common as a weak noun). It is clear that he has confounded two words. In the Wright-Wiilcker Glossaries we find: ''Fons, well, 178. 8; Gurges, wael, 178. 13." The vowel of the latter word is long, as shown by the common Lancashire weel, noted by Somner in 1659, and still in use; so also in all the cognate languages, e.g. in modern Plattdeutsch Weel, and Heyne himself, in the glossary to his Kleinere and. Denkmdler (1867) has: "uuiil (A.S. Vfsel, gurges), Abgrund,''
BEOWULF. 69
Da wses of f't'em hroran helm ond byrne 1630 limgre alysed. Lagu dnisade,
woeter under wolcnum, wsel-dreore fag.
Ferdon forS ]?onon fe]?e-lastum
ferh)7um faegne, fold-weg mc'eton,
ciipe striete, cyning-balde men ; 1635 from J>^m holm-clife hafelan bi'eron
earfoSlice heora ^ghw9e)?rum
fela-modigra ; feower scoldon
on )7c^m wsel-stenge weorcum geferian
to ]7fem gold-sele Grendles heafod, 1640 o]? Saet *semninga to sele comon Fol. 166^
frome, fyi'd-hwate, feower-tyne
Geata gongan ; gum-dryhten mid,
modig on gemonge, meodo-wongas traed.
Da com in gan ealdor Segna, 1645 d^d-cene mon dome gewur)7ad,
hsele hilde-deor, HroSgar gretan.
pa wses be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles heafod, ]>2eY guman druncon,
egeslic for eorlum ond J7^re idese mid; 1650 wlite-seon wraetlic weras onsawon.
XXIV.
Beowulf ma)7elode, beam Ecgj/eowes : " Hwaet ! we j^e ]7as sie-lac, sunu Healfdenes leod Scyldinga, lustum brohton tires to tacne, )7e J>u her to locast. 1655 Ic )78et unsofte ealdre gedigde,
wigge under wsetere weorc gene]?de earfoSlice ; ."^trihte wses
70 BEOWULF.
guS getw^fed, nymSe mec God scylde. Ne meahte ic set hilde mid Hrimtmge
1660 wiht gewyrcan, )?eah j^set w^pen duge; ac me geuSe ylda Waldend, )79et ic on wage geseah wlitig *hangian Fol. 166'\ eald sweord eacen (oftost wisode winigea leasiim), ]>8et ic Sy w^pne gebr^d.
1665 Ofsloh Sa set J7^re ssecce, )?a me siel ageald, buses hyrdas. pa ]?set hilde-bil forbarn, brogden m^l, swa ]?set blod gesprang, hatost hea]?o-swata. Ic ]?set hilt |?anan feondum setferede, fyren-di'eda wra?c,
1670 deaS-cwealm Denigea, swa hit gedefe wses.
Ic hit l^e J?onne gehate, )7set )7u on Heorote most sorh-leas swefan mid )?mra secga gedryht, ond |7egna gehwylc j^inra leoda, duguSe ond iogoj^e ; ]7set J>u him ondr^dan ne J7earft,
1675 )7eoden Scyldinga, on J>a healfe
aldor-bealu eorliim, swa ]7n ^r dydest." Da wses gylden hilt gamelum rince, harum hild-fruman, on hand gyfen, enta ^r-geweorc; hit on ^ht gehwearf,
1680 sefter deoHa hryre, Denigea frean,
wundor-smi)?a geweorc; ond ]?a ]?as worold ofgeaf grom-heort guma, Godes ondsaca, morSres scyldig, ond his modor eac, on geweald gehwearf worold-cyninga
1685 S^m selestan be *s^m tweonum, Fol. 167\
1681. Miillenhoff and Bugge reject ond as superfluous. It is certainly very unusual at the beginning of a sentence which is only a parallel ex- pansion of what precedes.
BEOWULF. 71
Sara ]>e on Sceden-igge sceattas d^lde.
HroSgar maSelode, hylt sceawode,
ealde lafe, on S^m wses or writen
fyrn-gewinnes, sySJ^an flod ofsldh, 1690 gifen geotende, giganta cyn;
frecne geferdon ; )?8et wiES fremde ]?eod
ecean Dryhtne ; him ]?8es ende-lean
)7urh wseteres wylm Waldend sealde.
Swa W9es on S^m scennum sciran goldes 1695 ]?urh run-stafas rihte gemearcod,
geseted ond ges^d, hwam l?8et sweord geworht,
irena cyst, ^rest w^re,
\vreo)7en-hilt ond wyrm-fah. Da se wisa sprsec
snnu Healfdenes ; swigedon ealle : 1700 " pset, la! mseg secgan, se ]>e s63 ond riht
fremeS on folce, feor eal gemon,
eald eSel-weard, ]?8et 5es eorl w^re
geboren betera. Bl^d is ar^red
geond wid-wegas, wine min Beowulf, 1705 Sin ofer |?eoda gehwylce. Eal )7ii hit ge}>yldum healdest,
msegen mid modes snyttrum. Ic j^e sceal mine gelsestan
freoSe, swa wit furSum spn^con ; Su scealt to frofre weorj^an
eal lang-twidig leodum )?iniim,
*hseleSum to helpe. Ne wearS Heremod swa ^gii,
1686. MS. ' scedenigge,' in one word.
1702. Bugge suggests '^aet 'Se eorl nseie.'
1707. Wiilcker and Heyne 'freode,' taking that to be the reading of the MS. Zupitza : "I think the MS. has/reoS*?, not freode; although the left half of the cross stroke in "S has entirely faded, yet the place where it was is discernible, and the right half of it is left."
72 BEOWULF.
1710 eaforum Ecgwelan, Ar-Scyldingum ;
ne geweox he him to willan, ac to wgel-fealle ond t5 deaS-cwalum Deniga leodum ; breat bolgen-mod beod-geneatas, eaxl-gesteallan, o]> ]>?et he ana hwearf,
1715 mSre )7eoden, mon-dreamum from.
Deah J^e hine mihtig God mgegenes wynnum, esifepnm, stepte ofer ealle men, forS gefremede, hwsej^ere him on ferhj^e greow breost-hord blod-reow ; nallas beagas geaf
1720 Denum sefter dome; dream-leas gebad, ])?et he ]78es gewinnes weorc ]?rowade, leod-bealo longsum. Du ]7e her be J>on, gum-cyste ongit ; ic j^is gid be J^e awrfec wintrum frod. Wundor is to secganne,
1725 hu mihtig God manna cynne
)7urh sidne sefan snyttrii bryttaS, eard ond eorl-scipe ; he ah eab^a geweald. Hwilum he on lufan l^teS hworfan monnes mod-geJ?onc m^ran cynnes,
1730 seleS him on e]?le eorj^an wynne, to healdanne hleo-burh wera, *gedeS him swa gewealdene worolde d«las, Fol. 168*. side rice, J^aet he his selfa ne ma^g his unsnyttrum ende ge)7encean.
1735 WmiaS he on wiste ; n5 hine wiht dweleS adl ne yldo, ne him inwit-sorh on sefa[n] sweorceS, ne gesacu ohw^r,
1734. With admirable and shameless audacity Heyne and Wiilcker foist in for at the beginning of this line without a word of comment. Cf. 1. 942.
1737. MS. defective at edge; Zupitza 'sefa[n].'
BEOWULF. 78
ecg-hete, eoweS, ac him eal worold wendeS on willan. He )wt wyrse ne con,
XXV.
1740 oS |7iet him on innan ofer-hygda d^l
weaxeS ond wridaS, )7onne se weard swefeS, sawele hyrde ; biS se sl^p to fsest, bisgum gebunden, bona swiSe neah, se ]7e of flan-bogan fyreniim sceoteS.
1745 ponne biS on hrej^re under hehn drepen biteran str^le ; him bebeorgan ne con wom wundor-bebodum wergan gastes ; )?inceS him to lytel, ])d?t he lange heold; gytsaS grom-hydig, nallas on gylp seleS
1750 f^^^e beagas, ond he ]?a forS-gesceaft
forgyteS ond forgymeS, J^aes J^e him ^r God sealde, wuldres *Waldend, weorS-mynda d^l. Fol. 168''. Hit on ende-staef eft gelimpeS, l^set se lic-homa l?ene gedreoseS,
Grein 'ne gesaca (adversary) ohwar eeg-hete eowe'S (sJioios).^ On the whole I prefer to abide by the MS. reading, although examples are wanting of eotcan used intransitively, as its compound ff^eowan frequently is.
1739. The MS. has a stop after con, the usual space with the number XXV, and then a large capital 0. But it seems impossible to begin a fresh sentence with o'S \>(et "until," as Earle does. Grein makes the break in the middle of 1. 1739, Heyne after 1. 1744.
1747. Heyne 'wom'; cf. 11. 1758 and 3073. But loUm (Sievers § 295, N. 1) scans better and makes better sense. Bebeorgan takes ace. rei in 1758; but that passage alone is iusuflficient to settle its usual construction, and no other instance of its occurrence is known.
■ 1748. Zupitza: "fo imperfectly erased between he and lange.'' It is inserted in the text of all the editions.
1750. MS. 'fffidde.'
74 BEOWULF.
1755 f'^ge gefealleS; fehS o)7er to,
se ])e unmurnlice madmas d^le)?, eorles ^r-gestreon, egesan ne gymeS. Bebeorh ]>e Sone bealo-niS, Beowulf leofa, secg betsta, ond ]>e )?8et selre geceos,
1760 ece r^das; oferhyda ne gym,
m^re cempa. Nu is ]7ines msegnes blied ane hwile ; eft sona biS, ]78et 'pec adl oSSe ecg eafoj^es getwi^feS, oSSe fyres feng, oSSe flodes wylm,
1765 oSSe gripe meces, o5Se gares fliht, o53e atol yldo ; oS3e eagena bearhtm forsiteS ond forsvvorceS; semninga biS, )78et Sec, dryht-guma, deaS oferswySeS. Swa ic Hring-Dena hund missera
1770 weold under wolcnum, ond hig wigge beleac manigum m^gpa, geond f>ysne middan-geard sescum ond ecgum, pset ic me ^nigne under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde. Hwaet ! me j^ses on e]?le edwenden cwom,
1775 gyrn sefber gomene, seo]7San Grendel wearS, eald gewinna, ingenga min ; *ic )?8ere s5cne singales wseg Fol. 169*.
mod-ceare micle. pses sig Metode j^anc, ecean Dryhtne, pses Se ic on aldre gebad,
1780 ]>aet ic on )7one hafelan heoro-dreorigne ofer eald gewin eagum starige.
1757. Grein 'egesan' (oivner).
1774. MS. 'ed wendan.' Cf. 11. 280, 2188.
1776. Most editors 'eald-gewinna.' I have avoided such compounds, except where clearly indicated by the absence of inflection in the adj. Cf. 11. 373, 945, 1781 (where no editor makes a compound of eald geivin), with 853, 1381, 2778.
BEOWULF. 75
Ga nu to setle, symbel-wynne dreoh,
wigge weorj^ad ; unc sceal worn fela
ma]7ma gemtviira, si]?3an morgen biS." 1785 Geat wa3S glaed-mod, geong sona to,
setles neosan, swa se snottra heht.
pa wees eft swa '^t ellen-rofiim
flet-sittendum fsegere gereorded
niowan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc 1790 deorc ofer dryht-gumum. DuguS eal aras;
wolde blonden-feax beddes neosan,
gamela Scylding. Geat un^/emetes wel,
rofne rand-wigan, restan lyste ;
sona him sele-]?egn siSes wergum, 1795 feorran-cimdum, forS wisade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotec?e
]7egnes J^earfe, swylce 'py dogore
heaJ>o-li5ende habban scoldon.
Reste hine ]?a riim-heort ; reced hliuade 1800 geap ond gold-fah; gsest inne swsef,
o]7 ]78et hrefn blaca heofones wynne
bli(5-heort bodode ; *(5a com beorht scacan Fol. 169''.
[sunne ofer grundas]. ScaJ^an onetton,
1783. Wiilcker 'wlg-geweor^ad' ; Heyne (following Cosiju, who com- pares "Elene" 150) 'wigge-[ge]weorJ?ad.' I have followed the MS., for which cf. "Elene" 1196. 1792. MS. unig/metes. 1796. MS. 'beweotene.'
1799. Heyne 'hllvade'; other editors 'hllfade.' Sievers § 194. 1803. No gap in MS. Wiilcker has :
'Sa com beorht [leoma] scacan [ofer scadu]. Heyne : 'Sa com beorht [sunne]
scacan [ofer grundas]. There is the same objection to both these emendations, that they sup-
76 BEOWULF.
w^ron 8eJ>elingas eft to leodum 1805 fuse to fsLYemie; wolde feor )7anon cuma collen-ferhS ceoles neosan. Heht ]7a se hearda Hrunting beran sunu Ecglafes, heht his sweord niman, leoflic iren ; ssegde him j^^es l?^nes J>anc, 1810 cwieS, he |?one giiS-wine godne tealde, wig-craeftigne ; nales wordiim log meces ecge. pset wses modig secg. Ond J?a siS-frome, searwum gearwe, wigend Wc'eron, eode weorS Denum 1815 ?e]?eling to yppan, )?^r se o)?er waes, hcele hilde-deor HroSgar grette.
XXVI.
Beowulf ma)7elode, beam Ecg)?eowes : " Nu we sS-liSend secgan wyllaS feorran-cumene, ]78et we fundia]? 1820 Higelac secan ; wt"eron her tela
willum bewenede ; ]?u us wel dohtest.
pose two lacnnae instead of one. To avoid this, I have interchanged sunne and scacan in Heyne's reading; of the consequent separation of adj. and noun there are frequent examples in the poem (cf. .1. 255).
1805. MS, 'farene ne.' [In reality, far is now gone ; but there is no doubt, from Thorkelin's transcript, what the MS. reading was. In all such cases, in order to avoid needless detail, I give the indubitable reading as that of the extant MS.]
1809. MS. ' leanes ' ; Miillenhoff ' Irenes.' It is possible that the passage means that Unferth gave his sword to Beowulf. Grein takes this view, for he glosses suitu (1808) as nom. ; and so apparently do Heyne and Socin (though they gloss sunu as accus.!). But se hearda applies to Beowulf much better than to Unferth; cf. 11. 401, 1963.
1816. MS. 'helle.'
BEOWULF. 77
Gif ic )?onne on eor]:'an owihte masg ]7inre mod-lufan maran tilian, guraena diyhten, Sonne ic gyt dyde,
1825 guS-geweorca ic beo gearo sona.
Gif ic ]yset ge*fricge ofer floda begang, Fol. 170*. fset ]7ec ymb-sittend egesan }>ywaS, swa ]?ec hetende hwilum dydon, ic Se ]?usencla J^egna bringe,
1830 hselej^a to helpe. Ic on Higelace wat, Geata dry lit en, J^eah Se he geong sy, folces hyrde, j^aet he mec fremman wile wordum ond weorcum, ]?set ic j^e wel herige, ond ])e to geoce gar-holt here,
1835 msegenes fultum, )7^r Se biS manna J^earf. Gif him j^onne Hrej^ric to hofum Geata ge]?ingec^, J^eodnes beam, he mseg ]?i^r fela freonda findan; feor-cy]?Se beoS selran gesohte, J>^m )?e him selfa deah."
1840 HroSgar maj^elode him on ondsware : "pe )?a word-cwydas wi^tig Drihten on sefan sende ; ne hyrde ic snotorlicor on swa geongum feore guman Jnngian ; )?u eart ma^genes Strang ond on mode frod,
1845 wis word-cwida. Wen ic talige,
gif ])set gegangeS, )?9et Se gar nymeS, hild heoru-grimme, HreJ^les eaferan, adl o)?i5e iren ealdor Sinne, folces hyrde, ond ])\i ]nn feorh hafast,
1833. MS. 'weordum yworcum,' probably a slip of the scribe.
1836. MS. 'hre>rinc.' Cf. 1. 1189.
1837. MS. 'ge)>inged.' 1841. MS. 'wigtig.'
78 BEOWULF.
1850 ]>8et )7e *S^-Geatas selran nsebben Fol. 170^
to geceosenne cyning ienigne,
hord-weard h8ele]7a, gyf )7ii healdan wylt
maga rice. Me ]>m mod-sefa
licaS leng swa Avel, leofa Beowulf. 1855 Hafast ]>i\ gefered, ]>sdt J^am folcum sceal,
Geata leodum ond Gar-Denum,
sib gem^ne, ond sacii restan,
inwit-ni)7as, ]>e hie ^r drugon;
wesan, )7enden ic wealde widan rices, 1860 ma)7mas gem^ne; manig oj^erne
godum gegrettan ofer ganotes ba?5 ;
sceall hring-naca ofer hea]7u bringan
lac ond luf-tacen. Ic )?a leode wat
ge wis feond ge wiS freond fgeste geworhte, 1865 ^ghwses untile ealde wisan."
Da git him eorla hleo inne gesealde,
mago Healfdenes, maj^mas twelfe,
1854. Bugge and Heyne 5: 'leng swa sel' {the longer the better) — a tempting emendation. But if one finds gross anomalies in accidence in the "Beowulf," why should one look for a flawless syntax?
1857. MS. 'ge maenum.'
1862. Kluge 'heafu'; of. 1. 2477. Sievers supports this emendation on metrical grounds ("Beit." x. 245). A certain amount of deference is to be paid to metrical conclusions, but they should hardly suffice of them- selves to set aside an otherwise unexceptionable MS. reading. But Sievers also calls hea\>u "unverstandlich" ("Beit." x. 235). None the less the evidence of its existence and meaning is not contemptible. The compound he(vSo-lVSend occurs in 11. 1798 and 2955 (in the latter case parallel to ««- manmim), andin "Andreas" 426; hea'^o-sigel in "Riddles" 72. 16. Sievers makes the first syllable short in "Beowulf" 1798 and 2955 ("Beit." x. 300) ; if this means that he regards healSu, "war," as the first part of these com- pounds, his supposition goes far towards making the four above-cited passages "unverstandlich."
1867. MS. *.xii.'.
BEOWULF. 79
het [h]ine mid ]}sem lacum leode swsese secean on gesyntum, snude eft cuman.
1870 Gecyste )?a cyning sej^elum god, ]7eoden Scyldinga, Segn betstan, ond be healse genam ; hruron him tearas blonden-feaxum. Him wses bega wen, ealdum, in-*fr5dum, ofres swiSor, Fol. 171^
1875 ]78et h[i]e seoSSan geseon mdston,
modige on mej>le. Waes him se man to ]7on leof, ]>8dt he )7one breost-wyhn forberan ne mehte, ac him on hre]?re hyge-bendum fsest «fter deorum men dyrne langaS
1880 beam wiS blode. Him Beowulf J^anan, guS-rinc gold-wlanc, grses-moldan traed since hremig; s^-genga bad age[n]d-frean, se ]?e on ancre rad. pa W9es on gange gifu HroSgares
1885 oft gesehted. pset wses an cyning
^ghwses orleahtre, o]> )?8et hine yldo benam msegenes wynnum, se )?e oft manegum scod.
1868. MS. 'inne.'
1875. MS. 'he.'
1879—80. MS. 'beorn'; Grein 'beam.' Heyne takes dyrne langa'S heorn to mean "the hero secretly longeth" (he makes heorn nom., whereas langian is an impers. verb and takes an accus. of the person). Thorpe and Grein render : "a secret longing burnt." Neither rendering is free from objection. Beorn is an unexampled form of the pret. of heornan (Sievers § 386, N. 2). But on the other hand, I can find no example of dyrne used as an adv. ; fast agrees with langcv^ much better than with heorn, even if the latter could be nom. ; the rare occurrence of a pres. tense amid a succession of preterites : these considerations seem decisive against Heyne's interpretation.
1883. MS. 'agedfrean.'
1885. A colon is usually placed after gecehted, and Earle remarks that
80 BEOWULF.
XXVII.
Cvvom )7a to flode fela modigra haeg-stealdra ; hring-net bt^ron,
1890 locene leoSo-syrcan. Land-weard onfand eft-siS eorla, swa he a^r dyde ; no he mid hearme of hliSes nosan *g3es[tas] grette, ac him tdgeanes rad, Fol. 171^. cwseS J?8et wilcuman Wedera leodum
1895 sca)7an scir-hame to scipe foron. pa wges on sande siB-geap naca hladen here-w^dum, hringed-stefna mearum ond maSmum ; moest hlifade ofer HroSgares hord-gestreonum.
1900 He ]?Sm bat-wearde bunden golde swurd gesealde, ])set he sySj^an wses on meodu-bence ma]7me 'py weor)?ra, yrfe-lafe. Gewat him on nacan drefan deop wreter, Dena land ofgeaf.
what follows is "the gist of their talk as they went." I take it to be a reflection of the scop. How could the Geats say : "until old age deprived him, &c."?
1888 — 9. Wiilcker and Heyne ' fela-modigra/haeg-stealdra [heap]'; of. 1. 1637.
1893. MS. defective at corner. A 'g£es' (followed by a blank space) ; Grundtvig 'gaes[tas].'
1895. MS. defective at edge. A 'sea wan' (so Heyne); B 'sca}?an' (so Zupitza and Wiilcker). The first syllable sea- is still perfectly distinct ; but the second syllable is missing at the beginning of the next line. The word scaiva is not found elsewhere; sca]pan occurs with the same meaning as here in 1. 1803.
1902. MS. 'majjma j^y weor>re,' which Thorpe emended.
1903. Grein '[yS-]nacan,' for the alliteration. Sievers is contented to let on alliterate.
BEOWULF. 81
1905 pa wses be mseste mere-hr^egla sum, segl sale fsest; sund-wudu )?unede; no Y^eY weg-flotan wind ofer ySum siSes getwc^fde; sse-genga for, fleat famig-heals forS ofer ySe,
1910 bunden-stefna ofer brim-streamas,
]?8et hie Geata clifu ongitan meahton,
cupe nsessas; ceol up ge)?rang
lyft-geswenced, on lande stod.
Hra)?e wses set * holme hyS-weard gearu, Fol. 172^
1915 se f>e ^r lange tid leofra manna fus set faroSe feor wlatode; s^lde to sande sid-fsej^me scip oncer-bendum fsest, J^y l^s hym y]7a Srym wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte.
1920 Het )7a up beran 8e)7elinga gestreon,
fraetwe ond ftet-gold ; uses him feor j^anon to gesecanne sinces bryttan, Higelac HreJ^ling, ]?ger set ham wunaS selfa mid gesiSum s^-wealle neah.
1925 Bold wses betlic, brego rof cyning, hea healle, Hygd swiSe geong, wis, wel f>ungen, )?eah Se wintra lyt under burh-locan gebiden hsebbe Hsere)7es dohtor; uses hio hnah swa J^eah,
1930 ne to gneaS gifa Geata leodum, ma)7m-gestreona. M5d DrySo wseg,
1914. MS. 'geara.' 1918. MS. ' oncear bendum.'
1923. Wiilcker ' wunade.' Sievers regards this and the next hne ,as oratio recta. But cf. the present tenses in 11, 1314, 1928. 1925. Grundtvig 'brego-rof ' (so Heyne).
W. B. 6
82 BEOWULF.
fremu folces cwen, firen ondrysne ;
n^nig ]?8et dorste deor gene)7an
swgesra gesiSa, nefne sin frea, 1935 )73et hire an dseges eagum starede ;
ac him wsel-bende *\veotode tealde Fol. 172'^.
hand-gewri)7ene ; hra]?e seoJ?San waes
sefter mund-gripe mece gej^inged,
]7get hit sceaden-m^l scyran moste, 1940 cwealm-bealu cySan. Ne biS swylc cwenlic j^eaw
idese to efnanne, J7eah Se hio ^nlicu sy,
]?8ette freoSu-webbe feores ons^ce
aefter lige-torne leofne mannan.
Huru )7set onhohsnod[e] Hemminges mseg. 1945 Ealo-drincende oSer s^dan,
)?8et hio leod-bealewa \ms gefremede,
inmt-niSa, sySSan ^rest wearS
gyfen gold-hroden geongum cempan,
seSelum diore, sySSan hio Oifan flet 1950 ofer fealone flod be fseder lare
1932. Suchier ' firen-ondrysne.' "We have elision of final e before a vowel in 11. 338 and 442. But perhaps the true explanation of the forms frofor in 1. 698 and^rew here will be found in Sievers § 251, N.
1934. Heyne ' sin-frea. ' Zupitza transliterates ' sinfrea ' — presumably a misprint for 'sin-frea'; cf. sin-nihte, 1. 161, etc. There is a distinct space between the n and/ in the MS.
1935. Zupitza 'an-dffiges,' apparently supporting Leo's Cm-dceges, "the whole day." Suchier '&ndseges' = andeges, "eye to eye."
1939. A most difficult line. Bugge ' sceaden msel ' (so Suchier and Zupitza). Suchier translates ("Beit." iv. 500 ff.) : " damit die Klinge offenbaren mochte, es sei entschieden " ; Bugge : " nachdem die Sache entschieden war," both making sceaden qualify hit. Sievers ("Beit." X. 313) supports the reading in the text. Heyne 'scea'Sen-mal scyran,' hostile sxoord decide. The second hand in the MS. begins with inoste.
1942. Rieger 'onsece' (so Suchier).
1944. MS. 'on hohsnod hem ninges.' See "Beitrage" x. 501.
BEOWULF. 83
si6e gesohte ; S^r hio sySSan well
in gum-stole, gode m^re,
lif-gesceafta lifigende breac,
hiold heah-lufan wiS h9ele]?a brego, 1955 ealles mon-cynnes, mine gefr^ge,
])one selestan bi s^m tweonum,
eormen-cynnes. ForSam Offa *w8es, Fol. 173^.
geofum ond guSum gar-cene man,
wide geweorSod; wisdome heold 1960 eSel sinne. ponon EomZ^r woe
haeleSum t5 helpe, Hem[m]inges mseg,
nefa Garmundes, niSa crseftig.
XXVIII.
Gewat him 8a se hearda mid his hond-scole sylf aefter sande s^-wong tredan,
1965 wide waroSas; woruld-candel scan, sigel suSan fus; hi siS drugon, elne geeodon, to Sses ]>e eorla hleo, bonan OngenJ^eoes burgum in innan, geongne g€iS-cyning godne gefmnon
1970 hringas d^lan. Higelace waes si3 Beowulfes snude gecySed, ]78et S^r on worSig wigendra hleo, lind-gestealla, lifigende cwom, heaSo-laces hal t5 hofe gongan.
1975 HraSe wses gerymed, swa se rica bebead, feSe-gestum flet innan-weard. Gesaet )?a wis sylfne, se Sa ssecce genses,
1956. MS. 'J>«s.'
1960. MS. 'geomor'; Bachlechner 'Eomier'; Grein 'Eomor.'
6—2
84 BEOWULF.
raseg wiS m^ge, *syS3an man-diyhten Fol. ns^. J>urh hleoSor-cwyde holdne gegrette
1980 meaglum wordum. Meodu-scencum hwearf geond )73et A^a^-reced HsereSes dohtor, lufode Sa leode, liS-w^ge bser hse^um to handa. Higelac ongan sinne geseldan in sele }>am hean
1985 fsegre fricgcean, hyne fyrwet brsec, hwylce Si'e-Geata siSas w^ron : "Hu lomp eow on lade, leofa Biowulf, )7a Su f^ringa feorr gehogodest sa3cce secean ofer sealt wgeter,
1990 hilde to Hiorote? Ac t5u HroSgare wic^-cuSne wean wihte gebettest, m^rum Seodne ? Ic Sges mod-ceare sorh-wylmum seats, siSe ne trnwode leofes mannes. Ic Se lange bsed,
1995 J>8et Su )7one wsel-gsest wihte ne grette, lete Su5-Dene sylfe geweorSan guSe wis Grendel. Gode ic }>anc secge, ]?8es Se ic Se gesundne geseon moste." Biowulf ma?5elode, beam EcgSioes :
2000* "pset is undyrne, dryhten Higelac, Fol. 174".
1981. MS. 'hffit^'^.^ reced.' Zupitza: ''side added over the line in the same hand I think, but with another ink," Kemble : 'heal- reced.'
1983. MS. 'h£e nu.' Zupitza :" between « and 7i a letter (I think "S) erased." Grein 'haslum.' Bugge defends 'H^num' (so Heyne and Socin), which he regards as a contracted form meaning "dwellers on the heath" (of Jutland). But the fact that he identifies the "Geatas" with the Jutes inevitably discounts his opinion.
1985. Wiilcker ' (hyne fyrwet br»c) ' ; but 11. 232, 2784, show that these words have an interrogative force, and are therefore a true parallel to what precedes.
1991. MS. 'wi«'; Thorpe *wid-.'
BEOWULF. 85
[m^re] gemeting, monegum fira, hwylc [orleg-]hwil uncer Grendles wearS on Sam wange, ])ser he worna fela Sige-Scyldingum sorge gefremede,
2005 yrmSe to aldre ; ic Saet eall gewrsec, swa [ne] gylpan J^earf Grendeles maga [^nig] ofer eorSan uht-hlem ]?one, se J?e lengest leofaS laSan cynnes f[enne] bifongen. Ic S^r furSum cwom
2010 to Sam hring-sele Hr5Sgar gretan; sona me se m^ra mago Healfdenes, sySSan he m5d-sefan minne cuSe, wis his sylfes sunu setl get^hte. Weorod wses on wynne; ne seah ic widan feorh
2015 under heofones hwealf heal-sittendra
medu -dream maran. Hwilum m^ru cwen, friSu-sibb folca, flet eall geond-hwearf, bgedde byre geonge ; oft hio beah-wriSan secge *[sealde], ^r hio to setle geong. Fol. lU^.
2020 Hwilum for [dJuguSe dohtor HroSgares eorlum on ende ealu-wsege bser, )?a ic Freaware flet-sittende
2001. MS. defective at corner, and in 1. 2002. Grein '[msere].'
2002. Thorpe ' [orleg-].'
2006. MS. defective at edge, and in 11. 2007, 2009. Grein ' begylpan [ne].' In favour of this reading, A has 'swabe,' B 'swal,' and I can find no other instance of gielpan with an accus. ; against it, hegielimn is found in no other edited text, and it supposes an omission where there is no gap in the MS.
2007. Kemble '[ffinig].'
2009. A 'fee' and a blank; B 'fer..'; Kemble * fsr-bifongen ' (so Wiilcker); Grundtvig 'fenne bifongen' (so Heyne).
2019. MS. defective at corner. MS. 'hie.'
2020. MS. defective at edge, and in 11. 2023, 2024, 2026.
86 BEOWULF.
nemnan hyrde, ]>^r hio [nsejgled sine hseleSum sealde. Sio gehaten [wses],
2025 geong, gold-hroden, gladum suna Frodan ; [h]afaS ]78es geworden wine Scyldinga, rices hyi'de, ond J^set r^d talaS, )78et he mid Sy wife wsel-f^hSa dsel, ssecca, gesette. Oft, [no] seldan, hwSr
2030 seffcer leod-hryre lytle hwile
bon-gar bugeS, ]7eah seo bryd duge.
Mseg )79es )?onne of)7yncan Seoden HeaSobeardna
ond )?egna gehwam )7ara leoda,
]?onne he mid fsemnan on flett g^5,
2035 dryht-bearn Dena duguSa biwenede ;
2023. Grein's emendation.
2029. Heyne's emendation ; of. 1. 3019, and Ps. Ixxiv. 4. Oft ends a line in the MS., which is defective at the beginning of the next Hne, the s oi seldan being gone. "I do not think there was before seldan room enough for wo." — Zupitza. Kolbing and Wiilcker think there was.
2032. Kemble "Seodne.' In his favour, o/l)?/?ica7i always takes a dat. pers., and "Seoden is not a defensible dat. form; against, 'Seoden is the clear reading of the MS., and he would be a bold man who should correct all its grammatical anomalies.
2035. This is the MS. reading of this difficult line. Grein emended biiverede, "among the company," making drijlit-hearn explanatory of he in the previous line. But it is natural to take he, as Heyne does, to refer to the "Seoden of 1. 2032. He retains the MS. reading and renders: " [while] a noble scion of the Danes attended upon the knights." It is much more satisfactory to assume the omission of the conjunction \>(St at the beginning of 1. 2035, correlative with )>(bs in 2032, to take dxigu^Sa as nom. to bilvenede, and to regard this as one of the frequent instances in O.E. poetry of a plural subject with a singular verb in a subordinate clause. Cf. 11. 2164, 1051, 2130, 2251, &c. The gain to the sense is immense: "It displeased the prince of the Heathobards, [that] his doughty warriors should attend on a noble scion of the Danes." For the omission of }pat cf. 1. 801, and see the note on 1. 2206, a parallel passage; the explanation there suggested applies with equal force here, where ]ponne (2032) is correlative with \)07ine (2034).
BEOWULF. 87
on him gladiaS gomelra lafe
heard ond hring-m^l, HeaSobear[d]na gestreon,
)7enden hie Sam w^pniim wealdan moston,
[XXIX.]
oS Sset hie forlc'eddan to Sam lind-plegan
2040 swc'ese gesiSas ond hyra sylfra feorh.
ponne cwiS aet beore, se Se beah *gesyhS, Fol. 175*. eald sesc-wiga, se Se eall gem [an], gar-cwealm gumena (him biS grim sefa), onginneS geomor-mod geong[um] cempan
2045 f>urh hreSra gehygd higes cunnian,
wig-bealu weccean, ond J^aet word acwyS : 'Meaht Sa, min wine, mece gecnawan, ]7one )?in feeder to gefeohte bser under here-griman hindeman siSe,
2050 dyre iren, ])8er hyne Dene slogon,
weoldon woel-stowe, sySSan WiSergyld Iseg, sefter hselej^a hryre, hwate Scyldungas ? Nu her ]7ara banena byre nat-hwylces frsetwum hremig on flet g^S,
2055 morSres gylpe[S], ond ]7one ma5|?um byreS, ]?one ]7e Sli mid rihte r^dan sceoldest.' ManaS swa ond myndgaS mc'ela gehwylce
2037. MS. 'hea^abearna.'
2039. The MS. has a large capital 0 at the beginning of this Hne, such as one finds elsewhere only at the beginning of a new fit. (Cf. 1. 1740.) But the number xxix is wanting, and the next break is at 1. 2144, where the number is xxxi. Wiilcker makes the 29th fit begin with 1. 2014, and the 30th with 1. 2067. Heyne makes one break instead of two, and that after 1. 2031.
2042. MS. defective at corner and edge, here and in 11. 2044, 2055.
2051. MS. 'wi-Ser gyld.' Heyne 5 '{syS^an wi^er-gyld laeg),' when vengeance failed. But cf. Widsi^ 124.
88 BEOWULF.
sarum wordum, oS Sset s^l cymeS,
)78et se f^mnan )?egn fore fseder d^dum
2060 seffcer billes bite blod-fag swefeS, ealdres scyldig ; him se oSer )7onan losa3 *[li]figende, con him land geare. Fol. ITS'', ponne bioS brocene on ba healfe aS-sweord eorla, [syS]San Ingelde
2065 weallaS wsel-niSas, ond him wif-lufan sefter cear-wselmum colran weorSaS. py ic HeaSobear[d]na hyldo ne telge, dryht-sibbe d^l, Denum unf^cne, freond-scipe fsestne. Ic sceal forS sprecan
2070 gen ymbe Grendel, J^set Su geare cunne, sinces brytta, to hwan sySSan wearS hond-r^s hsele'Sa. SySSan heofones gim glad ofer grundas, gsest yrre cwom, eatol ^fen-grom, user neosan,
2075 Seer we gesunde ssel weardodon. peer wses Hondscio hilcZ onssege, feorh-bealu f^gum ; he fyi^mest Iseg, gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearS, m^erum magii-]?egne, to mu5-bonan,
2080 leofes mannes lie call forswealg.
2062. MS. defective at corner and edge here and in two following lines. A 'figende'; Thorkelin 'wigende' (so most editors); Heyne 'lifigende' (so Zupitza).
2063. AB 'orocene' (B with a stop before it); Kemble *[a]brocene' (so Zupitza) ; other editors as text.
2064. Zupitza 'a'S- swear's.' His foot-note runs : " There is a stroke through d in sioeord, but without the usual head, nor is it quite distinct."
2067. MS. 'hea«o bearna.'
2076. MS. 'hilde.' In support of Eieger's emendation cf. 1. 2483.
2079. MS. 'mffiru magu (i.e. magum) >egne.' But see 11. 293, 408, etc. The mistake is due to "repetition." In 1. 158 we have the opposite error of "anticipation."
BEOWULF. 89
No 3y ser ut Sa gen idel-hende
bona bl6dig-to5, bealewa gemyndig,
of Sam gold-sele gongan wolde ;
ac he msegnes rof min costode, 2085*grapode gearo-folm. Glof hangode Fol. 176^
Sid ond syllic, searo-bendum faest;
sio wses orSoncum eall gegyrwed
deofles crseftum ond dracan fellum.
He mec J?^r on innan unsynnigne, 2090 dior d^d-fruma, gedon wolde
manigra sumne ; hyt ne mihte swa,
sySSan ic on jriTe upp-riht astod.
To lang ys to reccenne, hu i[c S]am leod-sceaSan
yfla gehwylces hond-lean forgeald; 2095 )?^r ic, J^eoden min, J>ine leode
weorSode weorcum. He onweg losade,
lytle hwile lif-wynna br[ea]c ;
hwsej^re him sio swiSre swaSe weardade
hand on Hiorte, ond he hean Sonan, 2100 mddes geomor, mere-grund gefeoU.
Me )7one wael-r^s wine Scildunga
fgettan golde fela leanode,
manegum maSmum, sySSan mergen com,
ond we to symble geseten ha^fdon. 2105 p^r waes gidd ond gleo. Gome*la Scilding, Fol.
fela fricgende, feorran rehte ; 176^.
hwilum hilde-deor hearpan wynne,
gome?i-wudu grette, hwilum gyd awrsec
soS ond sarlic ; hwilum syllic spell
2085. MS. 'geareo.'
2093. MS. defective at edge here and in line 2097. A 'huiedam.'
2108. MS. 'gomel.'
90 BEOWULF.
2110 rehte aefter rihte rum-heort cyniiig;
hwilum eft ongan eldo gebunden,
gomel gu5-wiga gioguSe cwiSau
hilde-strengo ; hreSer inne weoll,
]7onne he wintrum frod worn gemunde. 2115 Swa we ]>^v iiine ondlangne dseg
mode naman, o5 Sset niht becwom
o'Ser to yldum. pa wses eft hraSe
gearo gyrn-wrsece Grendeles modor,
siSode sorh-full ; sunu deaS fornam, 2120 wig-hete Wedra. Wif unhyre
hyre beam gewrsec, beorn acwealde
ellenlice; ]7^r wses ^schere,
frodan fyrn-witan, feorh iiS-genge.
NoSer hy hine ne moston, sySSan mergen cwom, 2125 deaS-w6rigne Denia leode,
bronde forbaernan, ne on h^\ hladan
leofne mannan ; * hio ]?8et lie setbaer Fol. 177-'.
feondes f8eS[mum unjder firgen-stream.
pset waes HroSgare hreowa tornost, 2130 )?ara ]?e leod-fruman lange begeate.
pa se Seoden mec Sine life
healsode hreoh-mod, ]>8dt ic on holma ge)?ring
eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre geneSde,
m^rSo fremede ; he me mede gehet. 2135 Ic Sa Saes waelmes, J^e is wide ciiS,
grim7ie, gryrelicne gnmd-hyrde fond.
2126. MS. *b^r ( = bfel).
2128. Grein's emendation. Zupitza 'ffelSrunga [un]der,' and in a
foot-note: "fadr with unga written over the dots with another ink
B ; now nothing preserved but /ce'S and part of a letter which may have been r, m, or 7i; the word has been torn asunder.''
2136. MS. 'grimme.' .
BEOWULF. 91
peer unc hwile wses hand-gem^ne ; holm heolfre weoll, ond ic heafde becearf in Sam [grund-Jsele Grendeles modor 2140 eacnum ecgum ; unsofte f»onan
feorh oSferede ; n^es ic fsege )7a gyt ; ac me eorla hleo eft gesealde maSma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI.
Swa se Seod-kyning ]:»eawum lyfde ; 2145 nealles ic Sam leanum forloren hsefde,
msegnes mede, ac he me *[maSma]s geaf, Fol.
sunu Healfdenes, on [minjne sylfes dom, l^?*^.
Sa ic Se, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
estum gey wan. Gen is eall set Se 2150 lissa gelong; ic lyt hafo
heafod-maga nefne, Hygelac, Sec."
Het Sa in beran eafor, heafod-segn,
heaSo-steapne helm, hare byrnan,
guS-sweord geatolic, gyd aefter wraec : 2155 " Me Sis hilde-sceorp HroSgar sealde,
snotra fengel ; sume worde het,
)?9et ic his ^rest Se est ges^gde ;
cwaeS J>3et hyt hsefde Hiorogar cyning,
leod Scyldimga, lange hwile ;
2137. Wiilcker and Heyne 'hand gemane,' but cf. Ger. handgemein.
2139. No gap in MS. Grundtvig's emendation.
2146. MS. defective at corner here and in next line.
2147. Grundtvig '[sinjne.'
2152. Zupitza and most editors 'eafor-heafod-segn.' But, as com- pounds of three words are as rare in O.E. poetry as compounds of two words are common, it seems better to make two parallels.
2157. This line has constantly been mangled (see Heyne or Wiilcker) through misreading the 'est' of the MS. as eft. Cf. 1. 2165.
92 BEOWULF.
2160 no Sy ^r suna sinum syllan wolde,
hwatum Heorowearde, )?eah he him hold Wt'ere,
breost-gewc'edu. Briic ealles well."
Hyrde ic, J^^t }>am frsetwum feower mearas
lungre gelice last weardode, 2165 aeppel-fealuwe ; he him est geteah
meara ond maSma. Swa sceal *m^g don, Fol. 178».
nealles inwit-net 53rum bregdon,
dyrnum craefte deaS ren[ian]
hond-gesteallan. Hygelace wses 2170 niSa heardum nefa swySe hold,
ond gehwseSer oSrum hrof>ra gemyndig.
Hyrde ic, ]78et he Sone heals-beah Hygde gesealde,
wrsetlicne wundur-maSSum, Sone ])e him Wealh- Seo geaf,
Seod[nes] dohtor, ]7rio wicg somod 2175 swancor ond sadol-beorht ; hyre sySSan wges,
aefter beah-Sege, br[e]ost geweorSod.
Swa bealdode beam EcgSeowes,
guma guSum cuS, godum d^dum,
dreah sefter dome, nealles druncne slog 2180 heorS-geneatas ; nses him hreoh sefa,
ac he man-cynnes mi'este cr^efte
gin-faestan gife, }>e him God sealde,
heold hilde-deor. Hean wses lange,
swa hyne Geata beam godne ne tealdon, 2185 ne hyne on medo-bence micles wyrSne
*drihten wereda gedon wolde ; Fol. ITS*^.
swySe [wenjdon, ]?8et he sleac w^re,
aeSeling unfrom. Edwenden cwom
2168. MS. defective at edge here and in 1. 2174.
2187. MS. defective at edge. Grein's emendation; see "Crist" 309.
BEOWULF. 93
tir-eadigum menn torna gehwylces. 2190 Het 5a eorla hleo in gefetian,
heaSo-rof cyning, HreSles lafe
golde gegyrede ; nses mid Geatum Sa
sinc-maS)7um selra on sweordes had ;
]?8et he on Biowulfes bearm alegde, 2195 ond him gesealde seofan )?usendo,
bold ond brego-stol. Him wses bam samod
on Sam leod-scipe lond gecynde,
eard, eSel-riht, oSrum swiSor
side rice, ]?am 5^r seba wses. 2200 Eft )78et geiode ufaran dogrum
hilde-hlsemmum, sySSan Hygelac laeg,
ond Hear[dr]ede hilde-meceas
under bord-hreoSan to bonan wurdon,
Sa hyne gesohtan on sige-]?eode 2205 hearde hilde-frecan, HeaSo-Scilfingas,
niSa gen^gdan nefan Hererices —
sySSan * Beowulfe brade rice Fol. 179^
2202. MS. 'hearede.' But see 1. 2375.
2206. All editors put a full stop at the close of this line, leaving the sense of ")j8et geiode etc." very lame or very obscure. I take the con- struction of the passage to be as follows: );>cst (1. 2200), as in many other passages in the poem (cf. 11. 1846, 1591), has a forward reference like mod. "this," and is anticipatory of a substantive clause, which usually begins with a correlative \>cet ; this substantive clause is contained in 11. 2207 — 8 (first half), but the conjunction is omitted here, as in 1. 2035, perhaps because sy'^'San (2207) is correlative with sy'^'&an (2201).
2207. The foHo that begins here (179^) with the word "beowulfe" takes rank with the last folio of all (198^) as the most defective and illegible portions of the MS. Zupitza says : "All that is distinct in the facsimile in fol. 179 has been freshened up by a later hand in the MS." Sometimes the later hand has altered the original reading, and not for the better ; e.g. in 1. 2209, wintra has been changed to lointru. Zupitza transliterates the readings of the later hand.
94 BEOWULF.
on hand gehwearf. He geheold tela fiftig wintra (waes 5a frod cyning,
2210 eald e)7el-weard), oS Sset an ongan deorcum nihtum draca rics[i]an, se Se on hea[iim] hl^we hord beweotode, stan-beorh steapne ; stig under Iseg eldum uncuS. p^r on innan 'giong
2215 niSa nat-hwylc ::::::: gefeng h^Snum horde hond ::::::::
2210. Later hand ' on.' Cf. 1. 100.
2211. AB 'ricsan,' now gone.
2212. MS. very indistinct ; nothing in AB between hea and hord. Zupitza 'hea['5o]-hl8ewe,' and in a foot-note: "what is left of the two letters after hea justifies us in reading them 'So." As I can assign no satisfactory meaning to hea'So-hlceice, I have emended as in the text. Grein suggested 'heare hffi^e' (so Heyne).
2213. Later hand ' stearne.'
2215 — 2231. Here I have closely followed Zupitza's transliteration, except in one particular. Much is very doubtful — readings, punctuation, division into lines. Zupitza gives only the lines of the MS., without division into verse lines, except that he marks with an asterisk and numbers every fifth line of the poem. In illegible passages he employs " as many colons as letters seem to have been lost." I differ from Zupitza, as well as from Grein and Heyne, in the division and numbering of these lines, and with good reason. Between /a/i ne and Wofes they make two lines and a half, 2217 (2) — 2219 ; I make it one line and a half, as in the text. Zupitza's arrangement of these two and a half lines (using exactly the number of letter spaces he gives in his transliteration) would be this :
2217 ne he >ffit syS-San
2218 : : : : : t>[eah] «[e he]
2219 slgepende be syre : : : : de
Compare this with the text and it will be seen that the material, which comfortably fills a line and a half, is hopelessly inadequate for two and a half. On the other hand, in 11. 2229 and 2230 they make the first sceapen conclude the first half of 2229 and the second sceapen come in the first half of 2230. But, besides the improbability of the same word being re-
BEOWULF. 95
: : : : : since fah ne he 'pset sySSan : : : : : J>[eah] 3[e he] sl^pende be syi*e : : : : de }>eofes crsefte )?8et sie Siod : : : : : 2220 : : : : folc beorna ]79et he gebolge[n] wses.
peated in two following lines, Zupitza puts forty dots between sceapen and sceapen, and this is certainly below rather than above the number of missing letters, for the first seeapen comes at the beginning (all but a space for four letters) of the last line of fol. 179"^ in the MS., and the second sceapen closes the first line of fol. 179*^ (cf. 11, 2295 — 7, where scire and utan- stand in exactly the same relative positions in two following folios). Hence the arrangement of 11. 2228 — 30 in the text, which makes my line- numbers again correspond with those of Grein. In this rearrangement I have been anticipated by Bugge (see below), although I arrived at the same conclusion quite independently.
Innumerable emendations of this passage have been suggested (see Wiilcker), of which I give only a very few. I have punctuated only where the connected sense is tolerably certain.
2217. Zupitza : ''fah originally fac, but h written over c." Heyne 5 'facne'; Wiilcker 'fahne.'
2218. Zupitza: "The traces left between J? and slcepende I think justify us in reading \>eaTi "Se he." The letters within square brackets here and in 11. 2225, 2227, 2228, 2230, he omits, however, in his trans- literation, although suggesting them in foot-notes.
"■syre—1 do not see any trace of the first letter having ever been /." — Z.
2219. Zupitza puts nine colons between "SiocZ and folc, but it is im- possible to say how they are to be divided between this and the next line.
2220. "ri in bolgen faded." — Z.
Grein's reconstruction of 11. 2214 ff. is as follows : p£er on innan giong 2215 ni'Sa nat-hwylc, se neodu gefeng
has'Snum horde : hond-bollan hwylcne since fahne he ]psev sy'S'San genam readan goldes, J?ffit bereafod wear's slffipende be fyre sinces hyrde (2220) jpeofes crasfte : >Eet siSSan )jeoden onfand, 2220 bealu-leas folc-biorn, >aet he gebolgen waes. This may be compared with the text. In some respects it is preferable to Bugge' s more recent reconstruction, which I append :
BEOWULF.
XXXII.
Nealles mid gewealdum wyi-m-horda crseft [sohte], sylfes willum, se 3e him sare gesceod ; ac for )7rea-nedlan )?[eow] nat-hwylces hseleSa bearna hete-swengeas fleah, 2225 [semes] j^earfa, ond 5^r inne fealh, secg syn-bysig. Sona ^etid[d]e, )?8et : : : : : Sam gyst[e gryre-]broga stod ;
pffir on innan giong 2215 ni'S'Sa nat-hwylc, neode to gefeng
hse'Snum horde ; hond aetgenam
sele-ful since fah; ne he j^ast syS'San ageaf,
jjeah 'Se he sliepende besyrede hyrde
Jjeofes craefte : t>aet se ^ioden onfand, 2220 by-folc beorna, baet he gebolgen waes.
2221. '^weoldum the later hand instead of loealdum, the a being still recognisable. Nothing after liorda [i.e. between it and crcefty — Zupitza.
2222. Grein's emendation. No gap in MS.
2223. Zupitza ' t)[egn],' and in a foot-note : "the traces of three letters between \> and nat justify us in reading egn {\>egn K.)." So Grein. On the other hand, Thorpe, who made a careful collation of the MS. in 1830, three years before Kemble's first edition, leaves a blank. As ))egn seems from the whole context to be an impossible name for the " fea-sceaftum men " (1. 2285), I read ]peoio with Wiilcker and Heyne 5.
2224. Later hand ' fleoh.'
2225. " To judge from what is left, the second word of this line was oernesJ" — Z.
AB *weall.' "Now only loeal left, but w stands on an original/, which is still recognisable ; and what seemed to be another I in Thorkelin's time may have been the remnant of an original /i." — Z.
2226. Grein ' [Waes] s5na in \>a. tide. ' Thorpe ' inwlatode ' (so Heyne 5). Zupitza ^'imoatide, no doubt, the second hand." What did the second hand mean? My own conjecture is given in the text.
2227. " The indistinct letter after gyst seems to have been e. The traces of the third word allow us to read gi'yre." — Z.
BEOWULF. 97
hwseSre [earm-]sceapen
* Fol. 179'\
2230 .... sceapen [)7a hyne] se f^r begeat
sinc-fset [geseah]. p^r wses swylcra fela in Sam eor3-[hu]se ^r-gestreona, swa hy on gear-dagum gumena nat-hwylc, eormen-lafe sej^elan cynnes,
2235 )?anc-hycgende ]?c^r gehydde,
deore maSmas. Ealle hie deaS fornam ^rran m^lum, ond se sua. Sa gen leoda duguSe, se S^r lengest hwearf, wears wine-geomor, wende ]?ses yldan,
2240 ]78et he lytel fsec long-gestreona brucan moste. Beorh eall gearo wunode on wonge waeter-ySum neah, niwe be naesse, nearo-crseftum fsest; pser on innan bser eorl-gestreona
2245 hringa hyrde hard-fyrc^ne d^l,
2228. "According to the traces left, the first word [i.e. in the MS. line] may have been mrw." — Z.
2230. " \>a hine before se ? "— Z.
Wiilcker 'fies.' Zupitza : "fas freshened up, but s seems to stand on an original r. "
2231. After the first line of the new folio, the illegibility is confined to the edges of the next three lines. Heyne's emendation. Wiilcker ' scir ' or ' seah,' thinking there is not room for geseah. I think there is. Zupitza has six dots.
2237. " Si the later hand, but i seems to stand on an original e." — Z.
2239. B 'weard' (so Wiilcker and Heyne); Zupitza 'wearlS' (almost the only instance in which he transliterates the reading of the first hand). " The last letter of the first word was originally ^, although the later hand has not freshened up the stroke through the d."— Z.
"n'/ide the later hand, but ivende the first." — Z. Wiilcker 'wiscte.'
2244. 'Hnnon the later hand, but o stands on an original a." — Z.
2245. Zupitza 'hard-wyr'Sne,' and in a foot-note : "xo (or/?) and the
W. B. 7
98 BEOWULF.
fgettan goldes, fea worda cwseS :
" Heald f>u nu, hmse, nu hseleS ne mostan,
eorla ^hte. Hwset ! hyt ^r on Se
gode begeaton ; guS-deaS fomam, 2250 feorh-bealo frecne, ijra gehwylcne,
leoda minra, ]7ara Se ]?is [lif] ofgeaf;
gesawon sele-dream. * Nah hwa sweord wege, Fol.
oSSe fe[o]r[mie] fseted w^ge, 180».
drync-fget deore; dug[u5] ellor scoc. 2255 Sceal se hearda helm [hyr]sted golde
f^tum befeallen; feormend swefaS,
)7a Se beado-griman bywan sceoldon ;
ge swylce seo here-pad, sio 9st hilde gebad
ofer borda gebrsec bite irena, 2260 brosnaS aefter beorne; ne maeg byrnan bring
sefter wig-fruman wide feran
hseleSum be healfe. Nis hearpan wyn,
stroke through d in wyrSne not freshened up." Though adopting its reading, I am suspicious of the later hand. The form hard occurs nowhere else in "Beowulf."
2246. "/ec later hand, but originally /ert." — Z.
2247. "mcestan later hand, but I think I see an original o under the ce; a also seems to stand on another vowel (w or o?)." — Z.
2250. "reorh bealc later hand, but the first r stands on an original /, and c on an original o." — Z.
MS. 'fyrena.'
2251. "]pa7ia later hand, no doubt ; nor do I see any sign of the third letter having originally been r."— Z.
2252. Zupitza 'sele-dream : : '
2253. MS. defective at corner and edge here and in 11. 2254, 2255, and 2268. Grein's emendation, supported by Zupitza, who says that the re- maining traces of the word in the MS. make fetige impossible. Cf. 1. 2256.
2254. MS. 'seoc'
2256. MS. 'feormynd.' Cf. 1. 2761.
2262. MS. 'n^s' (so Heyne). Cf. 11. 1923, 2486, where I have kept the MS. reading. But here the change of tense is too harsh.
BEOWULF. 99
gomen gleo-beames, ne god hafoc
geond sael swingeS, ne se swifta mearh 2265 burh-stede beateS. Bealo-cwealm hafaS
fela feorh-cynna forS onsended."
Swa giomor-mod giohSo m^nde
an aefter eallum, unbliSe hwe[op]
daeges ond nihtes, oS Sset deaSes wylm 2270 hran set heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald uht-sceaSa opene standan,
se Se byrnende biorgas seceS,
nacod niS-draca, nihtes fleogeS
fyre befangen; hyne fold-buend 2275*[swiSe ondn"e]da[S]. He gesecean sceall Fol. 180'^.
[ho]r[d on] hmsan, ]?^r he h^Sen gold
waraS wintrum frod; ne byS him wihte 3y sel.
Swa se 5eod-scea5a ]?reo hund wintra
heold on hmsan hord-aerna sum 2280 eacen-crgeftig, o5 5get hyne an abeal/i
mon on mode ; man-dryhtne bser
fitted w^ge, frioSo-w^re bsed
hlaford sinne. Da wses hord rasod,
onboren beaga hord; bene getiSad 2285 fea-sceaftum men. Frea sceawode
fira fyrn-geweorc forman siSe.
2266. A B 'feor^S'; Zupitza 'for'5.' He says: "There is a dot under e, which is besides very indistinct." Underdotting is equivalent to erasure. Heyne considers 1. 808 conclusive in favour of his reading ' feorr.'
2275 — 6. MS. defective and illegible at top and corner. Zupitza's emendations.
2279. MS. 'hrusam.'
2280. MS. 'abealch.'
2284. Bugge suggests 'beaga dM' on the ground that the repetition of hord is a mistake of the scribe.
7—2
100 BEOWULF.
pa se wyrm on woe, wroht wses geniwad ; stone Sa seffcer stane, steare-heort onfand feondes fot-last; he to forS gestop
2290 dyrnan crsefte dracan heafde neah. Swa mseg unfgege eaSe gedigan wean ond wrgee-siS, se Se Waldendes hyldo gehealde]?. Hord-weard sohte georne sefter grunde, wolde guman findan,
2295 J>one ]?e him on sweofote sare geteode ;
hat ond hreoh-mod *h\dew oft ymbehwearf Fol. ealne utan-weardne ; ne S^r fenig mon 1^1*-
on )?^m westenne. HwseSre hilde gefeh, bea[du]-weorces ; hwilum on beorh sethwearf,
2300 sine-fset sohte ; he f'aet sona onfand,
Saet hsefde gumena sum goldes gefandod, heah-gestreona. Hord-weard onbad earfoSlice, o5 Sset ^fen cwom ; wses Sa gebolgen beorges hyrde,
2305 wolde se laSa lige forgyldan
drinc-fBet dyre. pa wses dseg sceacen wyrme on willan; no on wealle \eng bidan wolde, ac mid bgele for, fyre gefysed. Waes se fruma egeslie
2310 leodum on lande, swa hyt lungre wearS on hyra sinc-gifan sare geendod.
2296. MS. 'hlsewu'; Grundtvig 'hl»w nu' (so Wiilcker and Heyne).
2298. B * >aere ' ; A a blank ; Grein ' hs^e,' for the alliteration ; " now nothing but the lower part of the perpendicular stroke of \> left" (Z.). Heyne '[wses] on J>Sre westenne.' Grein inserts loces after iie in the previous line.
2299. MS. defective at edge.
2305. MS. ' fela «a ' ; Bugge 'se la«a.' 2307. MS. ' Iseg ' ; Thorpe ' leng. '
BEOWULF. 101
XXXIII.
Da se gsest ongan gledum spiwan, beorht hofu bsernan ; bryne-leoma stod eldum on andan ; no S^r aht cwices
2315 laS lyft-floga leefan *wolde. Fol. 181^
Wses ]?8es wyrmes wig wide gesyne, nearo-fages niS nean ond feorran, hii se gii3-sceaSa Geata leode hatode ond hynde. Hord eft gesceat,
2320 dryht-sele dyrnne, ^r dseges hwile ; hsefde land-wara lige befangen, bt'ele ond bronde ; beorges getmwode, wiges ond wealles; him seo wen geleah. pa wses Biowulfe broga gecySed
2325 sniide to s5Se, )?9et his sylfes ham, bolda selest, bryne-wyhnum mealt, gif-stol Geata. pset Sam godan wges hreow on hreSre, hyge-sorga m^st; wende se wisa, J?3et he Wealdende
2330 ofer ealde riht, ecean Dryhtne, bitre gebulge ; breost innan weoll |?eostrum ge]?oncum, swa him ge]?ywe ne wses. Haefde lig-draca leoda fsesten, ea-lond iitan, eorS-weard Sone,
2335 gledum forgrunden; him Saes gOS-kyning, Wedera J^ioden, wrsece leornode. Heht him )?a gewyrcean wigendra hleo eall-irenne, eorla dryhten, wig-bord wrsetlic ; *wisse he gearwe, Fol. 182'^.
2325. MS. 'him' (so Wiilcker) ; Conybeare 'ham.'
102 BEOWULF.
2340 )?set him holt-wiidu he[lpan] ne meahte, lind wis lige. Sceolde Icen-ds^ga. sej^eling ^r-god ende gebidan, worulde lifes, ond se wyrm somod, )7eah ?Se hord-welan heolde lange.
2345 Oferhogode Sa hringa fengel,
]>set he ]7one wid-flogan weorode gesohte, sidan herge ; no he him J?^ ssecce ondred, ne him ];8es wyrmes wig for wiht dyde, eafoS ond ellen, forSon he i^r fela,
2350 nearo ne?5ende, niSa gedigde,
hilde-hlemma, sySSan he HroSgares, sigor-eadig secg, sele f^lsode, ond set guSe forgrap Grendeles m^gum laSan cynnes. No pset l^sest wses
2355 hond-gemot, ]}ser mon Hygelac sloh, sySSan Geata cyning guSe r^sum, frea-wine folca Fres-londum on, HreSles eafora, hioro-dryncum swealt bille gebeaten; J^onan Biownlf com
2360 sylfes crajfte, sund-nytte dreah ;
hsefde him on earme *[ana] ]7rittig FoL 182^
hilde-geatwa, ]7a he to hohne [st]ag. Nealles Hetware hremge l7orf[t]on
2340. MS. defective at corner.
2341. MS. '>end'; Kemble 'ISn.' Cf. 1. 2591.
2347. MS. '>a' ( = >am). Wulcker retains the MS. reading and defends it in a note, which one can only suppose to be a misprint: "Da on mit dat. ebenso wie mit accus. verbunden wird." Scbcc is fern. (Sievers § 258. 1).
2356. Zupitza 'gu^e-raesum.' Not one of the sixty odd compounds of gil^ is formed in this way.
2361. MS. defective at corner, here and in two following hnes. Zupitza ' . . . XXX.' Grein's emendation.
BEOWULF. 103
feSe-wiges, ]>e him foran ongean
2365 linde bi^ron ; lyt eft becwom
fram ]7am hild-frecan hames niosan. Oferswam Sa sioleSa bigong sunu EcgSeowes, earm an-haga, eft to leodum, )7^r him Hygd gebead hord ond rice,
2370 beagas ond brego-stol ; bearne ne tmwode, )78et he wis aol-fylcum e)7el-stolas heal dan cuSe, Sa waes Hygelac dead. No Sy ^r fea-sceafte findan meahton set Sam seSelinge senige Singa,
2375 )?9et he Heardrede hlaford wgere, oSSe f»one cynedom ciosan wolde ; hwaeSre he hi^ie; on folce freond-larum heold, estum mid are, oS Saet he yldra wearS, Weder-Geatum weold. Hyne wraec-msecgas
2380 ofer s^ sohtan, suna Ohteres ;
hsefdon hy forhealden helm Scylfinga,
)?one selestan s^-cyninga,
)7ara Se in Swio-rice sine brytnade,
m^rne *]7eoden. Him ]>set to mearce wearS; FoI.
2385 he ]?£er orfeorme feorh-wunde hieat ISo".
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelaces. Ond him eft gewat OngenSioes beam hames niosan, sySSan Heardred Iseg, let Sone brego-stol Biowulf healdan,
2390 Geatum wealdan ; ]78et wses god cyning.
2377. MS. ' hi ' ( = him) ; Thorpe ' hme.'
2383. MS. "5e «e,' the first at the end of a line, the second at the be- ginning of the next.
2385. Grein 'on feorme'; Moller 'for feorme' (so Heyne 5).
104 BEOWULF.
XXXIV.
Se Sges leod-hryres lean gemunde
uferan dogrum ; Eadgilse wearS
fea-sceaftum freond, folce gestepte
ofer s^ side sunu Oh teres, 2395 wigum ond w^pnum ; he gewryec sySSan
cealdum cear-siSum, cyning ealdre bineat.
Swa he niSa gehwane genesen hgefde,
sliSra geslyhta, sunu EcgSiowes,
ellen-weorca, o3 Sone anne dseg, 2400 ]>e he wi9 |7am wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewat )?a twelfa sum, torne gebolgen,
dryhten Geata dracan sceawian ;
hsefde J?a gefmnen, hwanan sio f^hS aras,
bealo-ni3 biorna ; him to bearme *cwom Fol. 183^. 2405 ma3)7um-f8et m^re )?urh Sges meldan hond.
Se wges on Sam Sreate )?reotteoJ>a secg,
se Saes orleges or onstealde ;
hseft hyge-giomor sceolde hean Sonon
wong wisian. He ofer willan giong, 2410 to Sees Se he eorS-sele anne wisse,
hl^w under hrusan holm-wylme neh,
yS-gewinne, se wees innan full
wrgetta ond wira. Weard unhiore,
2393. Heyne 'feond, folce gestepte,' with a different interpretation of the whole passage: sunu (2394) nom., cyning (2396) = Eadgils. With the MS. reading, retained in the text, sunu is accus., and cyning = Onel&. By supporting the exiled Eadgils against Onela, Beowulf obtains his revenge on the Swedes. See Bugge, "Beit." xii. 11 ff., and Eadgils in Index of Persons and Places.
2401. MS. '.xn.'
BEOWULF. 105
gearo guS-freca, gold-maSmas heold,
2415 eald under eorSan; na^s )?8et ySe ceap to gegangenne gumena genigum. Gesset Sa on nsesse niS-heard cyning, )7enden htelo ahead heorS-geneatum, gold-wine Geata. Him wses geomor sefa,
2420 wgefre ond wsel-fus, wyrd ungemete neah, se Sone gomelan gretan sceolde, secean sawle hord, sundur ged^lan lif wis lice ; no )7on lange wees feorh 8e]7elinges fl^sce bewunden.
2425 Biowulf ma)?elade, beam EcgSeowes : "Fela ic on giogoSe guS-rsesa genses, orleg-hwila; ic )?8et eall gemon. *Ic wses syfan-wintre, }>a mec sinca baldor, Fol. frea-wine folca, aet minum feeder genam ; 184*.
2430 heold mec ond hsefde HreSel cyning,
geaf me sine ond symbel, sibbe gemunde ; nses ic him to life laSra owihte beorn in burgum )?onne his bearna hwylc, Herebeald ond HgeScyn, oSSe Hygelac min.
2435 Wses )?am yldestan ungedefelice m^ges dgedum mor)7or-bed stred, sy35an hyne HseScyn of horn-bogan, his frea-wine, flane geswencte, miste mercelses ond his mieg ofscet,
2440 broSor oSerne, blodigan gare.
p8et waes feoh-leas gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad, hreSre hyge-meSe ; sceolde hwaeSre swa ]7eah geSeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2421. Wiilcker ' seo.' Wyrd is fern, elsewhere in the poem; but cf. 11. 1344, 2685.
106 BEOWULF.
Swa bis geomorlic gomelum ceorle
2445 to gebidanne, )?set his byre ride
giong on galgan; ]7onne he gyd wrece, sarigne sang, ]7onne his sunu hangaS hrefne to hroSre, ond he him helpan ne maeg, eald ond in-frod, ^nige gefremman.
2450 Symble biS gemyndgad morna gehwylce
*eaforan ellor-siS ; oSres ne gymeS Fol. 184^
to gebidanne burgum in innan yrfe-weardas, fonne se an hafaS )7urh deaSes nyd d^da gefondad.
2455 GesyhS sorh-cearig on his suna bure win-sele westne, wind-gereste, reote berofene; ridend swefaS, hseleS in hoSman ; nis J7c'er hearpan sweg, gomen in geardum, swylce 5^r iu wgeron.
XXXV.
2460 GewitetS ]?onne on sealman, sorh-leoS gseleS an sefter anum ; )?iihte him eall to rum, wongas ond wic-stede. Swa Wedra hehn aefter Herebealde heortan sorge weallinde wseg; wihte ne meahte
2465 on Sam feorh-bonan f^ghSe gebetan;
no Sy e'er he )?one heaSorinc hatian ne meahte laSum deedum, )?eah him leof ne wses. He Sa mid f'c'ere sorhge, ]>e him sio sar belamp, gum-dream ofgeaf, Godes leoht geceas;
2448. Kemble ' helpe.' There is no other certain instance of the weak form than this. Possibly the scribe was thinking of the infinitive.
2453. For gen. sing, in -as see Sievers § 237, N. 1. Cf. 11. 63, 2921.
BEOWULF. 107
2470 eaferum l^fde, swa deS eadig mon,
lond ond leod-byrig, )?a he of life gewat. pa *w3es synn ond sacu Sweona ond Geata, Fol. ofer [w]id waeter wroht gem^ne, l^^^-
here-niS hearda, sytSSan HreSel swealt ;
2475 oS5e him OngenSeowes eaferan Wc'eran frome, fyrd-hwate, freode ne woldon ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hreosnabeorh eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon. paet mjeg-wine mine gewrgecan,
2480 f^hSe ond fyrene, swa hyt gefr^ge wees, ]?eah Se oSer his ealdre gebohte, heardan ceape ; H^eScynne wearS, Geata dryhtne, gutJ ons^ge. pa ic on morgne gefrsegn m^g oSerne
2485 billes ecgum on bonan st^lan, ]7^r Ongen)?eow Eofores niosaS ; guS-helm toglad, gomela Scylfing hreas [heoro-]blac ; bond gemunde f^hSo genoge, feorh-sweng ne ofteah.
2490 Ic him l7a maSmas, ]?e he me sealde, geald set giiSe, swa me gifeSe w£es, leohtan sweorde ; he me lond forgeaf, eard, eSel-wyn. Nses him ^enig J>earf, ]?8et he t5 GifSum, oSSe to Gar-Denum,
2495 oSSe in Swio-rice, secean ]7urfe
*wyrsan wig-frecan, weorSe gecypan ; Fol. 185^.
symle ic him on feSan beforan wolde,
2473. MS. defective at corner.
2478. MS. 'ge ge fremedon.' Cf. 11. 986 (see note), 2383.
2486. Grein 'niosade'; but cf. 11. 1923, 1928, etc.
2488. No gap in MS. Grein's emendation.
108 BEOWULF.
ana on orde, ond swa to aldre sceall ssecce fremman, )?enden J>is sweord ]?olaS,
2500 ]73et mec ^r ond siS oft geh'este,
sySSan ic for dugeSum Dseghrefne wearS to hand-bonan, Huga cempan. Nalles he Sa frsetwe Fres-cyning[e], breost-weorSunge, bringan moste,
2505 ac in campe gecrong cumbles hyrde, sej^eling on elne; ne wses ecg bona, ac him hilde-grap heortan wylmas, ban-hus gebraec. Nil sceall billes ecg, hond ond heard sweord, ymb hord wigan."
2510 Beowulf maSelode, beot-wordum spraec, niehstan siSe : " Ic geneSde fela guSa on geogoSe ; gyt ic wylle, frod folces weard, f^hSe secan, m^rSum fremman, gif mec se man-sceaSa
2515 of eorS-sele ut geseceS."
Gegrette Sa gumena gehwylcne, hwate helm-berend, hindeman siSe, sw^se gesiSas : " Nolde ic sweord beran, wsepen to wyrme, *gif ic wiste hu Fol. l86^
2520 wis Sam agl^cean elles meahte
gylpe wiSgripan, swa ic gio wiS Grendle dyde ; ac ic Sier heaSu-fyres hates wene, [oJreSes ond attres; forSon ic me on hafu
2503. MS. ' frescyning.'
2505. MS. 'cempan.'
2514. Kemble 'mffirt5o,' supported by Bugge on the analogy of 11. 2134, 2645. But the argument from analogy may be pushed too far, and it is even possible ih&t fremman is intrans., as in 1. 1003.
2523. MS. 'ret5es yhattres'; Heyne 're'Ses and-hattres,' ^erce heat coming against one. Grein's emendation in text. Cf. 1. 2557.
BEOWULF. 109
bord ond byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard 2525 oferfleon fotes trem,
ac line sceal weorSan set wealle, swa uiic wyrd geteoS,
Me tod manna gehwses. Ic eom on m5de from,
l^aet ic wis ]7one gnS-flogan gylp ofersitte.
Gebide ge on beorge byrnum werede, 2530 secgas on searwum, hwseSer sel msege
gefter wael-r^se wunde gedygan
uncer twega. Nis )78et eower siS,
ne gemot mannes nefn[e] min anes,
pcet he wis agl^cean eofoSo d^lej 2535 eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall
gold gegangan, oSSe guS nimeS,
feorh-bealu frecne, frean eowerne."
Aras Sa bi ronde rof oretta,
heard under helme, hioro-sercean bser 2540 under stan-cleofu, strengo getruwode
anes mannes; ne biS swylc earges siS.
Geseah 5a be wealle, *se Se worna fela, Fol. 186".
gum-cystum god, guSa gedigde,
hilde-hlemma, )?onne hnitan feSan, 2545 sto[n]dan stan-bogan, stream ut j7onan
brecan of beorge ; wses )?^re human wselm
heaSo-fyrum hat ; ne meahte horde neah
unbyrnende ^nige hwile
deep gedygan for dracan lege.
2525. This line is metrically deficient. Ettmiiller '[feond] oferfleon' (so Grein), but this still leaves the second half-line defective. Heyne considers that the second half- line is wanting, and supplies /ea?jrf unhyre.
2533. MS. defective at edge.
2584. MS. ' wat.'
2545. MS. 'stodan.'
110 BEOWULF.
2550 Let Sa of breostum, Sa he gebolgen wses, Weder-Geata leod word ut faran, stearc-heort styrmde ; stefn in becom heaSo-torht hljmnan under harne stan; hete waes onhrered, hord-weard oncniow
2555 mannes reorde ; nses Sier mara fyrst freode to friclan. From merest cwom oruS agl^cean ut of stane, hat hilde-swat; hruse dynede. Biorn under beorge bord-rand onswaf
2560 wis (5am gryre-gieste, Geata dryhten; 5a waes hring-bogan heorte gefysed soecce to seceanne. Sweord e'er gebr^d god guS-cyning, gomele lafe, ecgum unslaw; ieghwaeSrum wses
2565 bealo-hycgendra *broga fram oSrum. Fol. 187^. StiS-mod gestod wiS steapne rond winia bealdor, Sa se wyrm gebeah snude tosomne ; he on searwum bad. Gewat Sa byrnende gebogen scriSan,
2570 to gescipe scyndan. Scyld wel gebearg life ond lice l^ssan hwile mserum )7eodne, )7onne his myne sohte, S^r he )?y fyrste forman dogore wealdan moste, swa him wyrd ne gescraf
2575 hreS let hilde. Hond up abr^d
2564. MS. 'un/glaw.' "A letter erased between I and a in glaio: that it was e is not quite certain." — Z. As there is all the appearance of an uncompleted alteration, I have adopted Bugge's emendation.
2570. MS. ' g scipe. ' Heyue adopts Miillenhoff's emendation, ' scri^an to,/gescife scyndan,' shoving himself, advancing, which the latter' bases on a gloss, "per praeceps, ni^erscife [?], marg. ni'^ersceoteucle" (Haupt ix. 468 b).
BEOWULF. Ill
Geata dryhten, gryre-fahne sloh
incge lafe, ]?a3t sio ecg gewac
brun on bane, bat unswiSor,
]7onne his Siod-cyning )?earfe hsefde, 2580 bysigum gebfeded. pa wses beorges weard
sefter heaSu-swenge on hreoum mode,
wearp wael-fyre ; wide sprungon
hilde-leoman. HreS-sigora ne gealp
gold-wine Geata; gii5-bill geswac 2585 nacod set niSe, swa hyt no sceolde,
iren ser-god. Ne waes J^aet eSe siS, )7set se m^ra maga EcgSeowes
grund-wong j7one ofgyfan wolde ; sceolde [ofer] willan wic eardian 2590 elles hwergen, swa *sceal ^ghwylc mon Fol. 187''. al^tan Ic'en-dagas. Nses Sa long to Son, ]?8et Sa agl^cean hy eft gemetton. Hyrte hyne hord-weard, hreSer c"eSme weoll, niwan stefne ; nearo Srowode 2595 fyre befongen, se 5e ^r folce weold. Nealles him on heape hand-gesteallan, seSelinga beam, ymbe gestodon hilde-cystum, ac hy on holt bugon ealdre burgan. Hiora in anum weoll 2600 sefa wiS sorgum; sibb ^fre ne maeg wiht onwendan, ]?am Se wel j^enceS.
2577. MS. 'incgelafe.' Thorpe 'Incges'; cf. "Ing," King of the East-Danes {Rujie-poem 67), and "Ing-wine" in this poem.
2589. No gap in MS. Kieger 'ofer willan' (cf. 1. 2409); Grain ♦wyrmes willan' (cf. 1. 3077).
2596. MS. 'heand.'
112 BEOWULF.
XXXVI.
Wiglaf W8es haten, Weoxstanes sunu,
leoflic lind-wiga, leod Scylfinga,
m^g iElfheres; geseah his mon-diyhten
2605 under here-griman hat J^rowian;
gemunde Sa Sa are, )?e he him ivr forgeaf, wic-stede weligne Wt'egmundinga, folc-rihta gehwylc, swa his fseder ahte; ne mihte Sa forhabban, hond rond gefeng,
2610 geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteah.
p9et waes mid eldum Eanmundes laf, *suna Ohtere[s], ]?am get ssecce wearS, Fol. 188^ wr8ecca[n] wine-leasum, Weohsta?i bana meces ecgum, ond his magum setbser
2615 brun-fagne helm, hringde byrnan,
eald sweord etonisc, }>8et him Onela forgeaf, his gaedelinges guS-gew^du, fyrd-searo fCislic ; no ymbe Sa f^hSe spraec, l^eah Se he his broSor beam abredwade.
2620 He frsetwe geheold fela missera,
bill ond byrnan, o3 Saet his byre mihte eorl-scipe efnan swa his ^r-fseder; geaf him Sa mid Geatum guS-gew^da geghwses unrim, J?a he of ealdre gewat
2625 frod on forS-weg. pa wses forma siS geongan cempan, J^get he guSe r^s mid his freo-dryhtne fremman sceolde ; ne gemealt him se mod-sefa, ne his m^ges laf
2612. MS. 'ohtere.'
2613. MS. defective at corner. MS. ' weohstanes. '
2628. MS. 'mffigenes'; Ettmtiller 'mieges.'
BEOWULF. 113
gewac set wige ; ]>cet se wyrm onfand,
2630 sySSan hie togsedre gegan hsefdon. Wiglaf maSelode word-rihta fela, ssegde gesiSum (him wses sefa geomor) : " Ic Sset *miSl geman, ]>sev we medii }>eguii, Fol. ];onne we geheton ussum hlaforde 1^^^*
2635 in bior-sele, tSe us Sas beagas geaf,
]79et we him Sa gfiS-getawa gyldaii woldon,
gif him )7yslicu )?earf gelumpe,
helmas ond heard sweord. De he usic on herge
geceas to Syssum siS-fate sylfes wiUum,
2640 onmunde usic m^erSa, ond me )?as matSmas geaf, )7e he usic gar-wigend gode tealde, hwate helm-berend, }>eah Se hlaford us )7is ellen-weorc ana a35hte to gefremmanne, folces hyrde,
2645 forSam he manna m^st m^rSa gefremede, d^da dollicra. NCi is se dseg cumen, )79et ure man-dryhten msegenes behofaS godra guS-rinca; wutun gongan to, helpan hild-fruman, ]?enden hyt sy,
2650 gled-egesa grim. God wat on mec,
]78et me is micle leofre, ]>aet minne lic-haman
mid minne gold-gyfan gled faeSmie.
Ne ]?ynce5 me gerysne, )?set we rondas beren
2629. MS. ' >a ' ; Thorpe ' J>8et. '
2645. MS. 'for«a'; Zupitza ♦for'San.' So also 1. 2741.
2652. MS. and Zupitza 'fae'Smi^'; hence Wiilcker 'fse^miae' (cf. 1. 2126, and Sievers § 361). In "reced" (1. 1981) Zupitza is not sure that the mark under the e is not a mere flourish. It is used to convert e into (B in "b§l" (1. 2126), but it also occurs under the (e of "ssecce" (1. 1989).
W. B. 8
114 BEOWULF.
eft to earde, nemne we ffiror msegen 2655 fane gefyllan, *feorh ealgian Fol. 197*.
Wedra Seodnes. Ic wat geare,
)78et nseron eald gewyrht, }>9et he ana scyle
Geata duguSe gnom J^rowian,
gesigan set saecce ; urum sceal sweord ond helm, 2660 byrne ond byrdu-scrud, bam gemsene."
Wod J?a |?urh ]?one wael-rec, wig-heafolan bser
frean on fultum, fea worda cwseS :
" Leofa Biowulf, l^st eall tela,
swa Su on geoguS-feore geara gecw^de, 2665 l78et Su ne alsete be 3e lifigendum
dom gedreosan; scealt nu dgedum rof,
aeSeling an-hydig, ealle msegene
feorh ealgian; ic 3e ful-fetu."
^fter Sam wordum wyrm yrre cwom, 2670 atol inwit-gsest, oSre siSe
fyr-wylmum fah fionda nios[i]an,
laSra manna. Lig-y5um forborn
bord wis rond ; byrne ne meahte
geongum gar-vvigan geoce gefremman; 2675 ac se maga geonga under his m^ges scyld
2655. The numbers of the folios are given as they stand in the MS. Fol. 131 follows fol. 146. " The old number of this leaf is 197 ; but now it stands between 188 and 189, and the old number has been changed to 189 in pencil."— Z.
2659. MS. ' uru : '; Zupitza 'urum sceal,' and in a foot-note :
>
" sceal within dots and with a '5 before it added in the left margin, whereas a '5 over a colon with a comma under it marks the place in the line where it is to be inserted." From a misunderstanding of this device have arisen the frequent misreadings of this line.
2671. MS. defective at edge, here and in 11. 2676, 2678.
BEOWULF. 115
elne geeode, )?a his agen w[aes] glediim forgrunden. pa gen guS-cyning in[^rSa] gemunde, msegen-strengo sloh hilde-bille, )7aet hyt on heafolan stod
2680 ni)7e genyded ; Nsegling forba3rst, geswac set ssecce sweord Biowulfes, *gomol ond gneg-mc^l. Him )7set gifeSe ne wses, Fol. )?a3t him irenna ecge mihton IQ?''.
helpan set hilde ; w£es sio hond to strong,
2685 se Se meca gehwane, mine gefn'ege,
swenge ofersohte, )7onne he to ssecce bser w^pen wund[r]um heard ; nses him wihte Se sel. pa wges ]7eod-sceaSa J^riddan sISe, frecne fyr-draca, f^hSa gemjmdig,
2690 n'fcsde on Sone rofan, J^a him rum ageald, hat ond heaSo-grim, heals eahie ymbefeng biteran banum; he geblodegod wearS sawul-driore ; swat ySum weoll.
XXXVII.
Da ic a3t )7earfe [gefrsegn] |7eod-cyninges 26.95 andlongne eorl ellen cySan,
crseft ond cenSu, swa him gecynde wees;
ne hedde he }>8es heafolan (ac sio hand gebarn
modiges mannes, J^ier he his nidges healp),
2678. Kemble's emendation.
2687. MS. 'wundu'; Wiilcker 'wundum.' Thorpe 'wundrum' — a •convincing emendation; cf. loundrum lorcetllce "Phoenix" 63, lounclrum heah "Wanderer" 98.
2694. No gap in MS. Kemble's emendation. See 11. 2484, 2752, etc.
2698. MS. 'mffigenes' (so Wiilcker); cf. 1. 2628 and foot-note. See also 1. 2879.
8—2
116 BEOWULF.
)79et he |7one niS-ggest nioSor hwene si oh,
2700 secg on searwum, )?8et Sset sweord gedeaf fah ond i^ted, f>9et Sset fyr ongon sweSrian sySSan. pa gen sylf cyning geweold his gewitte, wsell-seaxe gebrSd biter ond beadu-scearp, ]78et he on byrnan waeg;
2705 forwrat Wedra *helm wyrm on middan. Fol. 189^. Feond gefyldan, ferh ellen wrsec, ond hi hyne )7a begen abroten hsefdon, sib-se3elingas ; swylc sceolde secg wesan, ]>egn set Searfe. paet Sam )?eodne wses
2710 siSas[t] sige-hwile sylfes di'edum,
worlde geweorces. Da sio wund ongon, ]?e him se eorS-draca ?er geworhte, swelan ond swellan; he )78et sona onfand, l^set him on breostum bealo-niS weoll,
2715 attor on innan. Da se seSeling giong, ]?8et he bi wealle wis-hycgende gesset on sesse, seah on enta geweorc, hu Sa stan-bogan stapulum fseste ece eorS-reced innan healde.
2720 Hyne )7a mid handa heoro-dreorigne, )?eoden mierne, ]?egn ungemete till, wine-dryhten his, wsetere gelafede hilde-saedne, ond his hel[m] onspeon. Biowulf ma)7elode : he ofer benne sprsec,
2725 wunde wsel-bleate ; wisse he gearwe,
2710. Grundtvig's emendation. Kemble * srSes sige-hwil ' ; Grein 'si'Sast sige-hwila.'
2719. Heyne 'heoldon.' For the tense of. 11. 1923, 1928, 2486; and for the sing, verb with pi. subject in a subordinate clause cf. 1. 2164, and see the note on 1. 2035.
2723. MS. defective at edge, here and in 1. 2727.
BEOWULF. 117
)78et he dseg-hwila gedrogen haefde eorSan wynn[e] ; Sa wses eall sceacen dogor-gerimes, deatS ungemete neah : "Nu ic suna minum syllan wolde
2730 giiS-gew^du, ]?8er me gifeSe swa
i^nig yrfe-*\veard «fter wurde Fol. 189^.
lice gelenge. Ic Sas leode heold fiftig wintra; naes se folc-cyning ymbe-sittendra t'enig Sara,
2735 fe mec guS-winum gretan dorste, egesan Seon. Ic on earde bad miel-gesceafta, heold miii tela, ne sohte searo-niSas, ne me swor fela aSa on unriht. Ic Sses ealles maeg
2740 feorh-bennum seoc gefean habban;
forSam me witan ne Searf Waldend fira morSor-bealo maga, )7onne min sceaceS lif of lice. Nu 5u lungre geong hord sceawian under harne stan,
2745 Wiglaf leofa, nil se wyrm ligeS, swefeS sare wund, since bereafod. Bio nu on ofoste, ]>ddt ic ^r-welan, gold-yeht ongite, gearo sceawige swegle searo-gimmas, ]?8et ic Sy seft maege
2750 sefter maSSum-welan min aUetan
lif ond leod-scipe, |7one ic longe heold."
XXXVIII.
©a ic snude gefrasgn sunu Wihstanes sefter word-cwydum wundum dryhtne hyran heaSo-siocum, hring-net beran,
118 BEOWULF.
2755 brogdne beadu-sercean, u?zder beorges hrof.
Geseah 3a sige-hreSig, J>a he bi sesse geong,
mago-]?egn *modig maSSum-sigla fealo, Fol. IW.
gold glitinian grunde getenge,
wundur on wealle, ond J^aes wyrmes denn, 2760 ealdes tiht-flogan; orcas stondan,
fyrn-manna fatu, feormend-lease,
hyrstum behrorene. pier wses helm monig
eald ond omig, earm-beaga fela
searwum ges^led. Sine eaSe mseg, 2765 gold on gTund[e], gum-cynnes gehwone
oferhigian, hyde se Se wylle.
Swylce he siomian geseah segn eall-gylden
heah ofer horde, hond-wundra m^st,
gelocen leo?5o-crseftum ; of Sam leoma stod, 2770 J>9et he pone grund-wong ongitan meahte,
wrsete giondwlitan. Nses Sees wyrmes ]>^v
onsyn ^nig, ac hyne ecg fornam.
Da ic on hl^we gefrsegn hord reafian,
eald enta geweorc, anne mannan, 2775 him on bearm hladon biman ond discas
sylfes dome ; segn eac genom,
beacna beorhtost. Bill ier gescod
2755. MS. 'urder.'
2757. Most editors normalise to 'fela' or 'feola.' But see Sievers §§ 275 and 150, 3).
2765. MS. defective at edge.
2766. Grein '[hord] oferhigian' (surpass). No gap in MS. 2769. MS. 'leoman.'
2771. MS. ' wraece,' here and in 1. 3060. Thorpe ' wraete ' in both
2775. MS. 'hlodon.' For infin. in -on cf. 11. 308, etc., and see Sievers § 363, 1).
2777. MS. 'serge scod.' Kemble '^r-gescod,' brass-shod , sheathed in
BEOWULF. 119
(ecg wses iren) eald-hlafordes
]7am Sara maSma mund-bora wses 2780 longe hwile, lig-egesan wseg
hatne for horde, hioro-weallende
middel-nihtum, *o3 }>a3t he morSre swealt. FoL
Ar W8es on ofoste, eft-siSes georn, l^O"^.
frsetwum gefyrSred; hyne fyrwet brsec, 2785 hwseSer collen-ferS cwicne gemette
in Sam wong-stede Wedra )?eoden,
ellen-siocne, ])^r he hine a^r forlet.
He Sa mid l^am maSmum m^rne |?ioden,
dryhten sinne, driorigne fand 2790 ealdres set ende ; he hine eft ongon
wseteres weorpan, oS f>set wordes ord
breost-hord )7urhbr8ec. [Beowulf maSelode,]
gomel on gio/^Se gold sceawode :
"Ic Sara frsetwa Frean ealles Sane, 2795 Wuldur-cyninge, wordum secge,
ecum Dryhtne, )?e ic her on starie,
)?3es Se ic moste minum leodum
bi-ass. This has the support of Thorpe and Grein, but lacks analogy; for the reading in the text cf. 1. 1587, and 11. 1615, 2562, and 2973.
2778. Eieger ' eald-hlaforde ' ( = the dragon), supported by Earle. The MS. reading, * eald-hlafordes, ' is understood by Bugge and Heyne of Beowulf, by Miillenhoff and Wiilcker of the former possessor of the hoard. The reading of the latter is :
"segn eac genom,
beacna beorhtost, bill aergescod
(ecg waBS iren) ealdhlafordes,
J>am etc." That 11. 2780 — 82 refer to the dragon, and are inconsistent with what we are told of the former owner, will be seen by a comparison with 11. 2231—70.
2792. No gap in MS.
2793. MS. *giogo«e'; Thorpe 'gioh«e.
120 BEOWULF.
^r swylt-dapge swylc gestiynan.
Nu ic on maSma hord mine bebohte
2800 frode feorh-lege, fremmaS gena
leoda J?earfe ; ne mseg ic her leng wesan. HataS heaSo-miere hl^w gevvyrcean beorhtne sefber biele aet brimes nosan ; se seel to gemyndum minum leodum
2805 heah hlifian on Hrones n^esse, )7ast hit s^-liSend sySSan hatan Biowulfes biorh, Sa Se brentingas ofer *floda genipu feorran drifaS." Fol. 191».
Dyde him of healse bring gyldenne
2810 ]?ioden j^rist-hydig ; pegne gesealde, geongum gar-wigan, gold-:^hne hehn, beah ond byrnan, het hyne briican well. " pu eart ende-laf usses cynnes, W^gmundinga; ealle wyrd {orsweo2}
2815 mine magas to metod-sceafte,
eorlas on elne; ic him aefter sceal." paet w£es J^am gomelan ging^ste word breost-gehygdum, cier he bSl cure, hate heaSo-wylmas ; him of h?'eSre gewat
2820 sawol secean soS-fsestra dom.
2799. MS. 'minne,'
2800. Thorpe 'ge nii'; so Grein and Heyne. Why?
2814. MS. 'for/speof.' Kemble 'forsweof (so Grem and Heyne). But when the MS. reading is certainly wrong, it is surely better, by a change of two letters, to obtain the pret. of a verb already used in this poem (1. 477), and found in the past part, in " Genesis" 391, than, by a change of one letter only, to set up a verb, of whose existence there is no other evidence.
2819. MS. 'hwse'Sre.' Kemble's emendation.
2820. No number in the MS. after this hne, but there is a space, and 1. 2821 begins with a large capital.
BEOWULF. 121
[XXXIX.]
f)a w«s gegongen guraaii unfrodum
earfoSlice, ]>9dt he on eorSan geseah
]7one leofestan lifes set ende
bleate geb^ran. Bona swylce Iseg, 2825 egeslic eorS-draca ealdre bereafod,
bealwe gebi^ded. Beah-hordum leng
wyrm woh-bogen wealdan ne moste,
ac hine irenna ecga fornamon,
hearde, heaSo-scearde homera lafe, 2830 ]>set se wid-floga wundum stille
hreas on hriisan hord-serne neah ;
nalles *8efter lyfte lacende hwearf Fol. 191^
middel-nihtum, maSm-^hta wlonc
ansyn ywde, ac he eorSan gefeoll 2885 for Sses hild-fruman hond-geweorce.
Hum l?8et on lande lyt manna Sah
maegen-agendra, mine gefrSge,
]?eah 5e he d^da gehwses dyrstig w^re,
]78et he wis attor-sceaSan orebe geraesde, 2840 oSSe hring-sele hondum styrede,
gif he wseccende weard onfunde
buon on beorge. Biowulfe wearS
dryht-maSma diel deaSe forgolden;
hsefde c'eghwseSer ende gefered
2821. MS. 'gumu unfrodu,' doubtless another instance of "anticipa- tion"; in 1. 158 the MS. has 'banu folmu,'
2828. MS. 'him'; so Heyne and Wiilcker. In all other instances forniman governs the accus.
2844. MS. ' aBghw£e"Sre ' ; Kemble 'aeghwseSer.' Grein 'seghwse'Sre (aec. pi.) ende (worn.).' But cf. 1. 3063; besides, aghivcelSer is found no- where else in the pi.
122 BEOWULF.
2845 l^nan lifes. Nges Sa lang to Son,
]?8et 5a hild-latan holt ofgefan,
tydre treow-logan tyne a^tsomne,
Sa ne dorston i^r dareSum lacan
on hyra man-dryhtnes miclan J>earfe ; 2850 ac hy scamiende scyldas b^ran,
gu5-gew^du, ])mr se gomela Iseg;
wlitan on Wi[g]laf. He gewergad sset,
feSe-cempa, frean eaxlum neah,
wehte hyne wsetre ; him wiht ne speo^(;. 2855 Ne meahte he on eorSan, Seah he uSe wel,
on Sam frum-gare feorh gehealdan,
ne Sses Wealdendes [willan] wiht oncirran.
Wolde dom *Godes d^dum r^dan Fol. 192».
gumena gehwylcum, swa he nu gen deS. 2860 pa W9es set Sam geongum grim ondswaru
eS-begete, )?am Se ^r his elne forleas.
Wiglaf maSelode, Weohstanes sunu,
sec[g] sarig-ferS seah on unleofe :
" peet la ! mseg secgan, se Se wyle soS specan, 2865 J78et se mon-dryhten, se eow Sa maSmas geaf,
eored-geatwe, ]?e ge ]>ser on standaS,
J>onne he on ealu-bence oft gesealde
heal-sittendum helm ond byrnan,
]?eoden his )?egnum, swylce he J^ryc^licost 2870 ower feor oSSe neah findan meahte,
2852. MS. 'wilaf.'
2854. MS. 'speop.'
2857. Thorpe reads ' willan ' for ' wiht ' (so Wiilcker). Heyne's emenda- tion in text. It is easier to believe that the scribe omitted a word, than that he wrote 2viht for willan.
2863. MS. 'sec'
2869. MS. 'kydlicost.'
BEOWULF. 123
J?9e^ he genunga guS-gewt"edu
wraSe forwurpe, Sa hyne wig beget.
Nealles folc-cyning fyrd-gesteallum
gylpan ]?orfte ; hwseSre him God uSe, 2875 sigora Waldend, 'pset he hyne sylfne gewrsec
ana mid ecge, )7a him wses ehies )?earf.
Ic him lif-wraSe lytle meahte
setgifan set guSe, ond ongan swa j^eah
ofer min gemet m^ges helpan. 2880 Symle wses ]>y siemra, |7onne ic sweorde drep
ferhG-geniSlan ; fyr unswiSor
weoU of gewitte. TFergendra to lyt
frong ymbe J^eoden, ]>a, hyne sio *]?rag FoL
becwom. 192^
Nu sceal sinc-)7ego ond swyrd-gifu, 2885 eall eSel-wyn, eowrum cynne,
lufen alicgean; lond-rihtes mot
'p^re mjeg-burge monna feghwylc
idel hweorfan, sy3San seSelingas
feorran gefricgean fleam eowerne, 2890 dom-leasan d^ed. DeaS biS sella
eorla gehwylcum j^onne edwit-lif."
XL.
Heht Sa J>8et heaSo-weorc to hagan biodan
2881. MS. 'fyrun {"u altered from a") swi^or.' Grein 'fyr ran swrSor.' This makes Beowulf, instead of the dragon, the subject of 7vas (2880), and spoils the passage. For "unswrSor," cf. I. 2578.
2882. MS. 'fergendra.' 2884 MS. 'hu.'
124 BEOWULF.
up ofer e^-clif, )?^r ]>eet eorl-weorod
morgen-longne dseg mod-giomor sset, 2895 bord-hsRbbende, bega on wenum,
ende-dogores ond eft-cymes
leofes monnes. Lyt swigode
niwra spella, se Se naes gerad,
ac he soSlice ssegde ofer ealle: 2900 " Nu is wil-geofa Wedra leoda,
dryhten Geata, deaS-bedde foest,
wunaS wael^reste wyrmes dsedum.
Him on efn ligeS ealdor-gewinna
siex-bennum seoc; sweorde ne meahte 2905 on Sam agl^cean ^nige J>inga
wunde gewyrcean. Wiglaf siteS
ofer Biowulfe, byre Wihstanes,
eorl ofer oSrum unlifigendum,
healdeS hige-m^Sum *heafod-wearde Fol. 193^ 2910 leofes ond laSes. Nu ys leodum wen
orleg-hwile, sySSan under[ne]
Froncum ond Frysum fyll cyninges
wide weorSeS. Wses sio wroht scepen
heard wiS Hiigas, sySSan Higelac cwom 2915 faran flot-herge on Fresna land,
]>^Y hyne Hetware hilde gehn«gdon,
elne geeodon, mid ofer-msegene,
]78et se byrn-wiga bugan sceolde,
feoll on feSan ; nalles fraetwe geaf 2920 ealdor dugoSe. Us woes a sySSan
2893. MS. 'ecg clif ; Kemble 'eg-clif.' Cf. 1. 577. Ecg is used only of weapons in O. E.
2909. Sievers 'bige-me'5e'; cf. 1. 2442.
2911. MS. 'under.' Grein's emendation. Cf. 1. 127.
BEOWULF. 125
Merewioingas milts imgyfeSe.
Ne ic to Sweo-Seode sibbe o?55e treowe
wihte ne wene ; ac wees wide cut5,
}>8ette OngenOio ealdre besnySede 2925 Hi^Scen Hre)7ling wiS Hrefna-wudu,
]7a for onmedlan i^rest gesohton
Geata leode GuS-Scilfiiigas.
Sona him se froda fa3der Ohtheres,
eald ond eges-full, ondslyht ageaf, 2930 abreot brim-wisan, bryd aheorde,
gomela io-meowlan golde berofene,
Onelan modor ond Ohtheres,
ond 3a folgode feorh-genitSlan,
o3 Sset hi oSeodon earfoSlIce 2935 in Hrefnes holt hlaford-lease.
Besaet 3a sin-herge sweorda lafe
wundum werge ; *\vean oft gehet Fol. 193^.
earmre teohhe ondlonge niht ;
cwa?,t5, he on mergenne meces ecgum 2940 getan wolde, sum[e] on galg-treowu[m]
[fuglum] to gamene. Frofor eft gelamp
sarig-modum somod ^r-dsege,
sy3"5an hie Hygelaces horn ond byman
2921. Wulcker 'Merewioinga.' See note on 1. 2453.
2922. MS. 'te.'
2929. MS. 'hond slyht,' here and in 1. 2972. The change m the text is necessary, unless one admits that // can alliterate with vowels. Such cases as this and that of the name "Unferth," always Hunfer'S in the MS. but alliterating with vowels, tempt strongly to the abandonment of the rule. Cf. 1. 1541 (and note), and see Sievers § 217, N. 1.
2930. MS. and Zupitza 'bryda heorde.'
2940 — 1. MS. 'sum on galg treowu to gamene.' Thorpe 'sume' and 'fuglum,' comparing Judith 297: "fuglum to frofre."
126 BEOWULF.
gealdor ongeaton, )?a se goda com 2945 leoda dugoOe on last faran.
XLI.
Wses sio swat-swaSu Sw[e]ona ond Geata, W3el-rSs weora, wide gesyne, hu 5a folc mid him f^hSe towehton. Gewat him Sa se goda mid his gaedelingum,
2950 frod, fela-geomor, fsesten secean, eorl Ongen]7io vifor oncirde ; haefde Higelaces hilde gefrunen, wlonces wig-crseffc; wiSres ne tmwode, ]?3et he s^-mamium onsacaii mihte,
2955 heaSo-liSendiim, hord forstandan, beam ond bryde; beah eft )7onan eald under eorS-weall. pa w«s Sht boden Sweona leodum, segn Higelace[s] ; freoSo-wong )7one forc^ ofereodon,
2960 sj^San HreSlingas t5 hagan )?rungon. psdY wearS OngenSiow ecgum sweorda, blonden-fexa, on bid wrecen, )?8et se j7eod-cyning Safian sceolde
2946. MS. 'swona.'
2958. Grein and Heyne retain the MS. reading; the latter explains: *'Dasauf der Flucht entrissene Banner der Schweden kam in Hygelacs Hande." But it is a far cry from giving chase to the capture of the banner, not to mention the violent zeugma in boden. Bugge supports Kemble's emendation, adopted in the text: "Das erhobene banner ist das merkmal der verfolguug."
2959. MS. ' ford.' Heyne thinks freoi^o-icong may be a proper name. Would it, in that case, be followed by '5o«e?
2961. MS. 'sweordu.'
BEOWULF. 127
Eafores *anrie dom. Hyne yrringa Fol. 194*
29G5 Wulf Wonreding w^pne ger^hte,
)7get him for swenge swat ^drum sprong forS under fexe. Nses he forht swa Seh, gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraSe wyrsan wrixle wael-hlem )7one,
2970 sySSan Seod-cyniiig J^yder onch*de.
Ne meahte se snella sunu Wonredes ealdum ceorle ondslyht giofan, ac he him on heafde hehn Sr gescer, ]79et he blode fah bugan sceolde,
2975 feoll on foldan ; nses he fgege |?a git,
ac he hyne gewyrpte, )7eah Se him wund hrine. Let se hearda Higelaces f>egn brad[n]e mece, J^a his broSor la3g, eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm
2980 brecan ofer bord-weal ; Sa gebeah cyning, folces hyrde, wses in feorh dropen. Da wseron monige, ]?e his nicBg wriSon, ricone ar^rdon, Sa him gerymed wearS, )78et hie wsel-stowe wealdan moston,
2985 ]7enden reafode rinc oSerne,
nam on OngenSio iren-byrnan,
heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod;
hares hyrste Higelace bser.
He 5[am] fr^etwum feng, ond him fsegre gehet
2990 leana [for] *leodum, ond geheste swa ; Fol. 194^.
2964. Heyne 'Eofores.' But see 1. 2757 and note.
2972. See note on 1. 2929.
2978. MS. 'brade.'
2989. MS. defective at corner, here and in the next line.
2990. A word is missing in the MS. in the first half of this line.
128 BEOWULF.
geald )7one guS-r^s Geata dryhten,
HreSles eafora, ]>R he to ham becom,
lofore ond Wulfe mid ofer-maSmum,
sealde hiora gehw?eSi'um hund jmseiida 2995 landes ond locenra beaga ; ne Sorfte him Sa lean oSwitan
mon on middan-gearde, sySSa[n] hie Sa mSrSa geslogon ;
ond Sa lofore forgeaf angan dohtor,
ham-weorSiinge, hyldo to wedde.
p8et ys sio f^hSo ond se feond-scipe, 3000 wsel-niS wera, Sses Se ic [wen] hafo,
)?e lis seceaS to Sweona leoda,
sySSan hie gefricgeaS frean iiserne
ealdor-leasne, l?one Se Sr geheold
wis hettendum hord ond rice 3005 sefter hseleSa hryre, hwate Scil/ingas,
folc-red fremede, oSSe furSur gen
B has two dots, Zupitza three. Kemble ' on.' For for leodnm cf. "Daniel" 720: " he f or leodum lygeword gecwaetJ. "
MS. 'gelaesta.'
2996. MS. ' sy'S'Sa.'
3000. No gap in MS. Kemble's emendation. Cf. 1. 383.
3001. Heyne 'leode.' For the pi. leoda see Wulfstan (ed. Napier) 106. 23, and Ps. 71. 10.
3005. MS. 'Scildingas.' Miillenhoff considered this line a careless repetition of 1. 2052. It is the easiest way out of the difficulty. Thorpe ' Scyldingas,' and in a foot-note: "Hence it would appear that Beowulf, in consequence of the fall of Hrothgar's race, was called to rule also over the Danes (Scyldings)." The punctuation in the text allows Scijljingas to be taken in apposition with hie in 1. 3002, which is intolerably forced, or parallel with hord ond rice in 1. 3004. I favour the latter interpretation, if the line is to be kept, and can only suppose that the term " Scylfingas " could be applied equally, on the ground of common ancestry, to both Swedes and Geats. See 1. 2603, where Wiglaf is called "leod Scylfinga."
BEOWULF. 129
eorl-scipe efnde. Nu is ofost betost,
)78et we )7eod-cyning \^v sceawian,
ond ]7one gebringan, ]7e us beagas geaf,
3010 on ad-faere. Ne seel anes hwset
meltan mid ]7am modigan, ac ]?ier is maSma hord,
gold unrime, grimme gecea[po]d,
ond nu set siSestan sylfes feore
beagas [gebohjte ; j^a sceall brond fretan,
3015 feled )7eccean, *nalles eorl wegan Fol. 195*.
maSSum to gemyndum, ne maegS scyne habban on healse hring-weorSunge, ac sceal geomor-mod, golde bereafod, oft, nalles t'ene, el-land tredan,
3020 nu se here-wisa hleahtor alegde,
gamen ond gleo-dream. ForSon sceall gar wesan, monig morgen-ceald, mundum bewunden, hsefen on handa, nalles hearpan sweg wigend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
3025 fus ofer f^gum fela reordian,
earne secgan hu him set ^te speow, )7enden he wiS wulf wsel reafode." Swa se secg hwata sec^ende wses laSra spella; he ne leag fela
3030 wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall aras; eodon unbliSe under Earna uses, wollen-teare, wundur sceawian. Fundon Sa on sande sawul-leasne hlim-bed healdan, ]7one \q him hringas geaf
3007. MS. 'meis.' Kemble's emendation. Me is is a possible reading.
3012. MS. defective at corner, here and in 1. 3014.
3028. Grein and Zupitza ' secg-hwata. '
MS.' secg gende,'probablydue to "repetition." ButseeSievers§216,N.l.
3084. Grein (after Grimm) 'hlin-bed.' See note on 1. 1271.
W. B. 9
130 BEOWULF.
3035 ^rran m^lum; )7a wses ende-daeg
godum gegongen, j^set se guS-cyning,
Wedra ]?eoderi, wundor-deaSe swealt.
Mr hi )?^r gesegan syllicran wiht,
wyrm on wonge wiSer-rsehtes 'psev 3040 laSne licgean ; wses se leg-draca,
grimlic gryr[e], *gledum besw^led. Fol. 195''.
Se wses fiftiges fot-gemearces
lang on legere ; lyft-wynne heold
nihtes hwilum, nySer eft gewat 3045 dennes niosian ; wses Sa deaSe fa^st,
hsefde eorS-scrafa ende genyttod.
Him big stodan bunan ond orcas,
discas lagon ond dyre swyrd,
omige, )7urh-etone, swa hie wi?5 eorSan fsetSm 3050 ]7usend wintra |?8er eardodon;
]7onne wses 'psdt yrfe eacen-crseftig,
iu-monna gold, galdre bewunden,
]78et Sam hring-sele hrinan ne moste
gumena ^nig, nefne God sylfa, 3055 sigora SoS-cyning, sealde J^am 3e he wolde
(he is manna gehyld) hord openian,
efne swa hwylcum manna, swa him gemet Suhte.
3035. MS. 'asrrun' ("t< altered from a by erasure." — Z.) Sievers § 304, N. 2.
3041. MS. defective at corner. Heyne 'gryre-gsest' (cf. 1. 2560), based on Kolbing's statement that there is room for from four to six letters on the missing corner. This seems more than doubtful. B ' gry . . . ' ; Zupitza 'gryr[e]' simply. It would appear from the facsimile that the corner of the folio was defective from the very first and that certainly not more than one letter is missing. This is confirmed by the fact, that if the corner had been perfect there had been ample space for two or three letters after la'^ne at the end of the bottom line but one.
A
BEOWULF. 131
XLII.
pa W8es gesyne, )?8st se si(5 ne Sah
)7am Se unrihte inne gehydde 3060 wrae^e under wealle. Weard ^r ofsloh
feara sumne ; }>a sio fiehS gewearS
gewrecen wraSlice. Wundur hwar ]?onne
eorl ellen-rof ende gefere
lif-gesceafta, )?onne leng ne mseg 3065 mon mid his [majgiim medu-seld buan.
Swa wses Biowulfe, *]?a he biorges weard Fol. 196^.
sohte, searo-niSas ; seolfa ne ciiSe,
)7urh hwset his worulde gedal weorSan sceolde.
Swa hit o5 domes dseg diope benemdon 3070 ]?eodnas m^re, )?a Sset ]>sqy dydon,
)78et se secg w^re synnum scildig,
hergum geheaSerod, hell-bendum fsest,
wommum gewitnad, se Sone wong stride.
Naes he gold-hwse^; gearwor hsefde 3075 Agendes est ^r gesceawod.
Wiglaf maSelode, Wihstanes sunu:
" Oft sceall eorl monig anes willan
wrgec adreoga?i, swa us geworden is.
Ne meahton we gel^ran leofne J^eoden, 3080 rices hyrde, ned ^nigne,
)?8et he ne grette gold-weard ]7one,
3060. MS. 'wrffice'; Thorpe 'wraete.' Cf. 1. 2771.
3065. MS. defective at corner.
Wiilcker has a question-mark after buan.
3078. MS. 'strade.' Cf. 1. 3126.
3074. MS. 'gold-hwaete.' Thorpe and Wiilcker ' gold-hwaete ': Grein (after Bugge) 'Nass ("not") he gold-hwaste (agreeing with est) gearwor etc' Sievers ' gold-hw£etes ' (agreeing with agencies).
3078. MS. 'adreoge^.'
9—2
132 BEOWULF.
lete hyne licgean, j^ser he longe wfles,
wicum wunian o3 woruld-ende ;
heold on heah gesceap. Hord ys gesceawod,
3085 grimme gegongen; waes ]?9et gifeSe t5 swiS, )7e Sone [)?eod-cyning] ]?yder ontyhte. Ic W8es ]?cer inne ond )7set eall geondseh, recedes geatwa, J^a me gerymed wses nealles sw^slice, si5 alyfed
8090 inn under eorS-Aveall. Ic on ofoste gefeng micle mid mundum msegen-byrSenne hord-gestreona, hider *ut setbser Fol. 196'^.
cyninge minum ; cwico wses ]?a gena, wis ond gewittig. Worn eall gesprsEJC
3095 gomol on gehSo, ond eowic gretan het,
ba3d ]?8et ge geworhton seffcer wines d^dum in b^el-stede beorh }7one hean, micelne ond mserne, swa he manna wges wigend weorS-fullost wide geond eorSan,
3100 )?enden he burh-welan brucan moste. Uton nil efstan oSre [siSe] seen ond secean searo-gej^rsec, wundur under wealle; ic eow wisige,
3084. MS. 'heoldon,' or not impossibly 'heold on.' Heyne 'Heoldon heah gesceap,' wir erhielten ein schweres Schicksal. Wiilcker 'woruld- ende, / healdan heah-gesceap.' These appear to me equally unsatisfactory, and I have therefore suggested an emendation, which, if it lacks analogy, yet seems to give the sense required: "We could not dissuade him; he held (on) to his high fate, or he held on {adv.) his high fate." Grein and Toller give several instances of the intrans. use of healdan, and of on used adverbially. See also Matzner's 0. E. Diet., p. 405, col. 1 ; among other passages there quoted is: "hald hardiliche o f tu haues bigunuen," St. Kath. 676.
3086. No gap in MS. Grein's emendation. Grundtvig '>>eoden.'
3101. No gap in MS.
BEOWULF. 133
]78et ge genoge neon sceawiaS 3105 beagas ond brad gold. Sie sio bi'Sr gearo
^dre gesefned, j^onne Ave ut cymen,
ond )?onne geferian frean userne,
leofne mannan, )7^i' he longe sceal
on Sges Waldendes wgere gej^olian." 3110 Het 6a gebeodan byre Wihstanes,
hsele hilde-dior, haeleSa monegiim,
bold-agendra, ]?set hie b^l-wudu
feorran feredon, folc-agende,
godum togenes : " Nu sceal gled fretan 3115 (weaxan wonna leg) wigena strengel,
)?one Se oft gebad isern-scure,
|7onne stri^la storm strengum gebgeded
scoc ofer scild-weall, sceft nytte heold,
fec^er-gearwum fus flane full-eode." 3120 Huru se snotra sunu Wihstanes
acigde of corSre *cyni[n]ges J^egnas Fol. 198*.
syfone [getjsomne, )?a selestan,
eode eahta sum under inwit-hrof;
hilde-rinc sum on handa bser 3125 £eled-leoman, se Se on orde geong.
Nses (5a on hlytme, hwa 'pset hord strude,
S3^5an orwearde ^nigne d^l
secgas gesegon on sele wunian,
3104. Heyne 'nean.' See Sievers § 150. 3.
3119. MS. 'feeder gearwu.' Kemble's emendation.
3121. This folio, the last, is terribly mutilated with tears and holes. MS. 'cyniges.'
3122. Zupitza '[to]-somme,' and in a foot-note: "now to entirely gone." That "now" is misleading, for apparently it was just as entirely gone in Thorkelin's time. In the absence of evidence in its favour, I read cetsomne with Grein ; cf. 1. 2847.
134 BEOWULF.
l^ne licgan; lyt genig mearn, 3130 )78et hi ofostlIc[e] iit geferedon
dyre maSmas. Dracan ec scufun,
wjrm ofer weall-clif, leton weg niman,
flod fseSmian, frsetwa hyrde.
p^r wses wunden gold on wgen hladen, 3135 ^ghwses unrim ; sej^elin^ boren,
har hilde[-rinc], to Hrones nsesse.
XLIII.
Him Sa gegiredan Geata leode
ad on eorSan unwaclicne,
helm[um] behongen, hilde-bordum, 3140 beorhtum byrnum, swa he bena wa3S ;
alegdon Sa tomiddes m^rne j^eoden
haeleS hiofende, hlaford leofne.
Ongunnon ]>si on beorge blSl-fyra m^st
wigend weccan ; wud[u]-rec astah 3145 sweart ofer SAvioSole, swogende leg
wope bewunden (wind-blond gel^eg),
3130. MS. defective at edge.
3134. MS. 'f.' Thorpe ' p^r.'
3135. MS. 'ffi>elinge.'
3136. MS. 'hilde to.' "I am unable to decide whether there is an erasure of one letter after hilde or an original blank." — Z. Thorpe's emendation.
3139. MS. ' helm.' Grein's emendation.
3144. Hole in MS.
3145. MS. ' swicSole.' A difficult word. Toller gives two or three instances of su-ice, sioicc (?), "scent, smell." Skeat suggests "smelling fir- wood," from O.E. ^ol{l), Icel. }pollr, "a thole, a peg," originally "fir- tree." Grein connects with stva'^ul (1. 782). See glossary.
MS. 'let'; Thorpe 'leg.'
I
BEOWULF. 135
o?5 )73et he Sa ban-hus gebrocen hsefde,
hat on hreSre. Higum unrote
mod-ceare m^ndon mon-dryhtnes cw[e]alm ; 3150 swylce giomor gyd *[sio geo-]meowle Fol. 198^
fbjunden heorde
. . . sorg-cearig s^lSe geneahhe,
)79et hio hyre ::::::: gas hearde : : : : : de
wsel-fylla wonn : : : : des egesan 3155 hySo : h : : : : : d. Heofon rece swe[a]lg.
3149. MS. torn at foot.
3150. "Almost all that is legible in this page freshened up in a late hand." — Z.
3150 — 5, I have treated these six mutilated lines in the same way as 11. 2214 — 20, that is to say, the text is an accurate reproduction of Zupitza's transliteration of the MS. The only changes are the division into verse-lines, and the addition of length-marks, etc.; the letters in square brackets also are added from Zupitza's foot-notes. For the most part it is needless to give the foot-notes themselves. The division into lines is not absolutely certain, but again I agree with Bugge, and again I arrived at the same conclusion as he quite independently — that this passage contains six verse-lines and not seven, as in Heyne, Wiilcker, etc. For example, Heyne makes two half-lines between egesan and heofon, where, according to Zupitza, there is room in the MS. for only twelve letters. Similarly,