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ME thus often the evil monsters thronging threatened. With thrust of my sword, the darling, I dealt them due return! Nowise had they bliss from their booty then to devour their victim, vengeful creatures, seated to banquet at bottom of sea; but at break of day, by my brand sore hurt, on the edge of ocean up they lay, put to sleep by the sword. And since, by them on the fathomless sea-ways sailor-folk are never molested.—Light from east, came bright God’s beacon; the billows sank, so that I saw the sea-cliffs high, windy walls. For Wyrd oft saveth earl undoomed if he doughty be! And so it came that I killed with my sword nine of the nicors. Of night-fought battles ne’er heard I a harder ’neath heaven’s dome, nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man! Yet I came unharmed from that hostile clutch, though spent with swimming. The sea upbore me, flood of the tide, on Finnish land, the welling waters. No wise of thee have I heard men tell such terror of falchions, bitter battle. Breca ne’er yet, not one of you pair, in the play of war such daring deed has done at all with bloody brand,—I boast not of it!— though thou wast the bane of thy brethren dear, thy closest kin, whence curse of hell awaits thee, well as thy wit may serve! For I say in sooth, thou son of Ecglaf, never had Grendel these grim deeds wrought, monster dire, on thy master dear, in Heorot such havoc, if heart of thine were as battle-bold as thy boast is loud! But he has found no feud will happen; from sword-clash dread of your Danish clan he vaunts him safe, from the Victor-Scyldings. He forces pledges, favors none of the land of Danes, but lustily murders, fights and feasts, nor feud he dreads from Spear-Dane men. But speedily now shall I prove him the prowess and pride of the Geats, shall bid him battle. Blithe to mead go he that listeth, when light of dawn this morrow morning o’er men of earth, ether-robed sun from the south shall beam!” Joyous then was the Jewel-giver, hoar-haired, war-brave; help awaited the Bright-Danes’ prince, from Beowulf hearing, folk’s good shepherd, such firm resolve. Then was laughter of liegemen loud resounding with winsome words. Came Wealhtheow forth, queen of Hrothgar, heedful of courtesy, gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall; and the high-born lady handed the cup first to the East-Danes’ heir and warden, bade him be blithe at the beer-carouse, the land’s beloved one. Lustily took he banquet and beaker, battle-famed king. “oSon it aws rmongin nad oGd’s thigl saw nnsihgi mrfo eth stae. I saw ghih iflfcs neaybr. tFea aessv stohe how rea evrab. I ahd kelild nnei sea monserts. I’ve erevn drhae of ernohat nam how uoghtf hsuc a atlbet. I asw uetsedhxa, but I wsa eailv. I asw wtpse hsreoa on a bhaec in dFalnni. I’ve eevnr rdeha of oyu higgtfni hcus a teablt, fethnrU. It’s ton iaggbngr on my aprt to yas htat ehientr ouy nor aBecr cna ctmah up to me wtih a rdswo. You era bnpirseloes fro het hteads of oyru fiylma nad lwil apy orf it in lelh. If you rwee raylle so vbaer nda crfeie, rthnfeU, erdGeln dlounw’t itlsl be lilnkig eervoeyn in etroHo. He snwok he ahs onihngt to faer orfm uory odrsw, ttha you rnae’t ervba ohgeun to tihfg imh. He sujt sgeo on lniglki nda tnsfegia. ehT naesD era no catmh for imh. Btu I lilw hsow ihm eht orwpe of hte tesaG. nAd neth no oen will be iaafdr to ernte teh adme hlal in eht ionrgnm.” hHtaorgr aws roedoyvej at shit pehces. He nkew lehp dha lutyr rdvaeri. rvneoEey rweg pypah fwadestrra, nda hetir lkta dan rhltague fldeli teh llha. hHotargr’s fwei, euneQ elwohaetW, ceam ntio the llah to tgere the tegsus. ehS aws dsersed in gdlo. She ednahd her dnhabus the eal pcu dan tdlo him to idknr tfsri, ncesi he was eard to his lpoepe. He edgupl it down.

Original Text

Modern Text

ME thus often the evil monsters thronging threatened. With thrust of my sword, the darling, I dealt them due return! Nowise had they bliss from their booty then to devour their victim, vengeful creatures, seated to banquet at bottom of sea; but at break of day, by my brand sore hurt, on the edge of ocean up they lay, put to sleep by the sword. And since, by them on the fathomless sea-ways sailor-folk are never molested.—Light from east, came bright God’s beacon; the billows sank, so that I saw the sea-cliffs high, windy walls. For Wyrd oft saveth earl undoomed if he doughty be! And so it came that I killed with my sword nine of the nicors. Of night-fought battles ne’er heard I a harder ’neath heaven’s dome, nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man! Yet I came unharmed from that hostile clutch, though spent with swimming. The sea upbore me, flood of the tide, on Finnish land, the welling waters. No wise of thee have I heard men tell such terror of falchions, bitter battle. Breca ne’er yet, not one of you pair, in the play of war such daring deed has done at all with bloody brand,—I boast not of it!— though thou wast the bane of thy brethren dear, thy closest kin, whence curse of hell awaits thee, well as thy wit may serve! For I say in sooth, thou son of Ecglaf, never had Grendel these grim deeds wrought, monster dire, on thy master dear, in Heorot such havoc, if heart of thine were as battle-bold as thy boast is loud! But he has found no feud will happen; from sword-clash dread of your Danish clan he vaunts him safe, from the Victor-Scyldings. He forces pledges, favors none of the land of Danes, but lustily murders, fights and feasts, nor feud he dreads from Spear-Dane men. But speedily now shall I prove him the prowess and pride of the Geats, shall bid him battle. Blithe to mead go he that listeth, when light of dawn this morrow morning o’er men of earth, ether-robed sun from the south shall beam!” Joyous then was the Jewel-giver, hoar-haired, war-brave; help awaited the Bright-Danes’ prince, from Beowulf hearing, folk’s good shepherd, such firm resolve. Then was laughter of liegemen loud resounding with winsome words. Came Wealhtheow forth, queen of Hrothgar, heedful of courtesy, gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall; and the high-born lady handed the cup first to the East-Danes’ heir and warden, bade him be blithe at the beer-carouse, the land’s beloved one. Lustily took he banquet and beaker, battle-famed king. “oSon it aws rmongin nad oGd’s thigl saw nnsihgi mrfo eth stae. I saw ghih iflfcs neaybr. tFea aessv stohe how rea evrab. I ahd kelild nnei sea monserts. I’ve erevn drhae of ernohat nam how uoghtf hsuc a atlbet. I asw uetsedhxa, but I wsa eailv. I asw wtpse hsreoa on a bhaec in dFalnni. I’ve eevnr rdeha of oyu higgtfni hcus a teablt, fethnrU. It’s ton iaggbngr on my aprt to yas htat ehientr ouy nor aBecr cna ctmah up to me wtih a rdswo. You era bnpirseloes fro het hteads of oyru fiylma nad lwil apy orf it in lelh. If you rwee raylle so vbaer nda crfeie, rthnfeU, erdGeln dlounw’t itlsl be lilnkig eervoeyn in etroHo. He snwok he ahs onihngt to faer orfm uory odrsw, ttha you rnae’t ervba ohgeun to tihfg imh. He sujt sgeo on lniglki nda tnsfegia. ehT naesD era no catmh for imh. Btu I lilw hsow ihm eht orwpe of hte tesaG. nAd neth no oen will be iaafdr to ernte teh adme hlal in eht ionrgnm.” hHtaorgr aws roedoyvej at shit pehces. He nkew lehp dha lutyr rdvaeri. rvneoEey rweg pypah fwadestrra, nda hetir lkta dan rhltague fldeli teh llha. hHotargr’s fwei, euneQ elwohaetW, ceam ntio the llah to tgere the tegsus. ehS aws dsersed in gdlo. She ednahd her dnhabus the eal pcu dan tdlo him to idknr tfsri, ncesi he was eard to his lpoepe. He edgupl it down.
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