Beowulf is the oldest surviving English poem. It's written in Anglo-Saxon which, with the help of a little French when the Normans took over in 1066, eventually became the English we know and love today. It's also the longest surviving poem -- it consists of over 3000 lines! The sole existing manuscript of Beowulf was written in the eleventh century (although the poem may have been composed as early as the eighth century). In 1731 a fire badly damaged the manuscript and portions of it disappeared.
In the 1930s, excavations at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England, revealed a ship containing a huge treasure. Although no body was found, this appears to be the burial site of an early English king, most likely Raedwald, who died in the seventh century. The items in the ship are very like those included in Beowulf's burial in the last part of the poem. Was Beowulf originally composed as a tribute to this late great king?
Title: Beowulf
Author: James A. Harrison and Robert Sharp, eds.
I. BEÓWULF:
_AN ANGLO-SAXON POEM_.
II. THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURH:
_A FRAGMENT_.
WITH TEXT AND GLOSSARY ON THE BASIS OF M. HEYNE.
EDITED, CORRECTED, AND ENLARGED, BY
JAMES A. HARRISON, LL.D., LITT. D.,
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND MODERN LANGUAGES, WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,
AND
ROBERT SHARP (PH.D. LIPS.),
PROFESSOR OF GREEK AND ENGLISH, TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA.
FOURTH EDITION. REVISED, WITH NOTES.
GINN & COMPANY
BOSTON--NEW YORK--CHICAGO--LONDON
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1883, by
JAMES ALBERT HARRISON AND ROBERT SHARP
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
DEDICATED
TO
PROFESSOR F. A. MARCH, OF LAFAYETTE COLLEGE, PA.,
AND
FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, ESQ. FOUNDER OF THE "NEW SHAKSPERE SOCIETY," THE
"CHAUCER SOCIETY," ETC., ETC.
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.
The favor with which the successive editions of "Beówulf" have been
received during the past thirteen years emboldens the editors to continue
the work of revision in a fourth issue, the most noticeable feature of
which is a considerable body of explanatory Notes, now for the first time
added. These Notes mainly concern themselves with new textual readings,
with here and there grammatical, geographical, and archæological points
that seemed worthy of explanation. Parallelisms and parallel passages are
constantly compared, with the view of making the poem illustrate and
explain itself. A few emendations and textual changes are suggested by the
editors with all possible diffidence; numerous corrections have been made
in the Glossary and List of Names; and the valuable parts of former
Appendices have been embodied in the Notes.
For the Notes, the editors are much indebted to the various German
periodicals mentioned on page 116, to the recent publications of Professors
Earle and J. L. Hall, to Mr. S. A. Brooke, and to the Heyne-Socin edition
of "Beówulf." No change has been made in the system of accentuation, though
a few errors in quantity have been corrected. The editors are looking
forward to an eventual fifth edition, in which an entirely new text will be
presented.
October, 1893.
NOTE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
This third edition of the American issue of Beówulf will, the editors hope,
be found more accurate and useful than either of the preceding editions.
Further corrections in text and glossary have been made, and some
additional new readings and suggestions will be found in two brief
appendices at the back of the book. Students of the metrical system of
Beówulf will find ample material for their studies in Sievers' exhaustive
essay on that subject (Beiträge, X. 209-314).
Socin's edition of Heyne's Beówulf (called the fifth edition) has been
utilized to some extent in this edition, though it unfortunately came too
late to be freely used. While it repeats many of the omissions and
inaccuracies of Heyne's fourth edition, it contains much that is valuable
to the student, particularly in the notes and commentary. Students of the
poem, which has been subjected to much searching criticism during the last
decade, will also derive especial help from the contributions of Sievers
and Kluge on difficult questions appertaining to it. Wülker's new edition
(in the Grein _Bibliothek_) is of the highest value, however one may
dissent from particular textual views laid down in the 'Berichtigter Text.'
Paul and Braune's Beiträge contain a varied miscellany of hints,
corrections, and suggestions principally embodying the views of Kluge,
Cosijn, Sievers, and Bugge, some of the more important of which are found
in the appendices to the present and the preceding edition. Holder and
Zupitza, Sarrazin and Hermann Möller (Kiel, 1883), Heinzel (Anzeiger f.d.
Alterthum, X.), Gering (Zacher's Zeitschrift, XII.), Brenner (Eng. Studien,
IX.), and the contributors to Anglia, have assisted materially in the
textual and metrical interpretation of the poem.
The subject of Anglo-Saxon quantity has been discussed in several able
essays by Sievers, Sweet, Ten Brink (Anzeiger, f.d. Alterthum, V.), Kluge
(Beiträge, XI.), and others; but so much is uncertain in this field that
the editors have left undisturbed the marking of vowels found in the text
of their original edition, while indicating in the appendices the now
accepted views of scholars on the quantity of the personal pronouns (mê,
wê, þû, þê, gê, hê); the adverb nû, etc. Perhaps it would be best to banish
absolutely all attempts at marking quantities except in cases where the Ms.
has them marked.
An approximately complete Bibliography of Beówulf literature will be found
in Wülker's _Grundriss_ and in Garnett's translation of the poem.
JAMES A. HARRISON,
ROBERT SHARP.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,
LEXINGTON, VA., May, 1888.
NOTE TO THE SECOND REVISED EDITION.
The editors feel so encouraged at the kind reception accorded their edition
of Beówulf (1883), that, in spite of its many shortcomings, they have
determined to prepare a second revised edition of the book, and thus
endeavor to extend its sphere of usefulness. About twenty errors had,
notwithstanding a vigilant proof-reading, crept into the text,--errors in
single letters, accents, and punctuation. These have been corrected, and it
is hoped that the text has been rendered generally accurate and
trustworthy. In the List of Names one or two corrections have been made,
and in the Glossary numerous mistakes in gender, classification, and
translation, apparently unavoidable in a first edition, have been
rectified. Wherever these mistakes concern _single_ letters, or occupy very
small space, they have been corrected in the plates; where they are longer,
and the expense of correcting them in the plates would have been very
great, the editors have thought it best to include them in an Appendix of
Corrections and Additions, which will be found at the back of the book.
Students are accordingly referred to this Appendix for important longer
corrections and additions. It is believed that the value of the book has
been much enhanced by an Appendix of Recent Readings, based on late
criticisms and essays from the pens of Sievers, Kluge, Cosijn, Holder,
Wülker, and Sweet. A perplexed student, in turning to these suggested
readings, will often find great help in unravelling obscure or corrupt
passages.
The objectionable ä and æ, for the short and the long diphthong, have been
retained in the revised edition, owing to the impossibility of removing
them without entirely recasting the plates.
In conclusion, the editors would acknowledge their great indebtedness to
the friends and critics whose remarks and criticisms have materially aided
in the correction of the text,--particularly to Profs. C.P.G. Scott,
Baskervill, Price, and J.M. Hart; to Prof. J.W. Bright; and to the
authorities of Cornell University, for the loan of periodicals necessary to
the completeness of the revision. While the second revised edition still
contains much that might be improved, the editors cannot but hope that it
is an advance on its predecessor, and that it will continue its work of
extending the study of Old English throughout the land.
JUNE, 1885.
NOTE I.
The present work, carefully edited from Heyne's fourth edition, (Paderborn,
1879), is designed primarily for college classes in Anglo-Saxon, rather
than for independent investigators or for seekers after a restored or ideal
text. The need of an American edition of "Beówulf" has long been felt, as,
hitherto, students have had either to send to Germany for a text, or
secure, with great trouble, one of the scarce and expensive English
editions. Heyne's first edition came out in 1863, and was followed in 1867
and 1873 by a second and a third edition, all three having essentially the
same text.
So many important contributions to the "Beówulf" literature were, however,
made between 1873 and 1879 that Heyne found it necessary to put forth a new
edition (1879). In this new, last edition, the text was subjected to a
careful revision, and was fortified by the views, contributions, and
criticisms of other zealous scholars. In it the collation of the unique
"Beówulf" Ms. (Vitellius A. 15: Cottonian Mss. of the British Museum), as
made by E. Kölbing in Herrig's _Archiv_ (Bd. 56; 1876), was followed
wherever the present condition of the Ms. had to be discussed; and the
researches of Bugge, Bieger, and others, on single passages, were made use
of. The discussion of the metrical structure of the poem, as occurring in
the second and third editions, was omitted in the fourth, owing to the many
controversies in which the subject is still involved. The present editor
has thought it best to do the same, though, happily, the subject of Old
English _Metrik_ is undergoing a steady illumination through the labors of
Schipper and others.
Some errors and misplaced accents in Heyne's text have been corrected in
the present edition, in which, as in the general revision of the text, the
editor has been most kindly aided by Prof. J.M. Garnett, late Principal of
St. John's College, Maryland.
In the preparation of the present school edition it has been thought best
to omit Heyne's notes, as they concern themselves principally with
conjectural emendations, substitutions of one reading for another, and
discussions of the condition of the Ms. Until Wülker's text and the
photographic fac-simile of the original Ms. are in the hands of all
scholars, it will be better not to introduce such matters in the school
room, where they would puzzle without instructing.
For convenience of reference, the editor has added a head-line to each
"fit" of the poem, with a view to facilitate a knowledge of its episodes.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,
LEXINGTON, VA., June, 1882.
NOTE II.
The editors now have the pleasure of presenting to the public a complete
text and a tolerably complete glossary of "Beówulf." The edition is the
first published in America, and the first of its special kind presented to
the English public, and it is the initial volume of a "Library of
Anglo-Saxon Poetry," to be edited under the same auspices and with the
coöperation of distinguished scholars in this country. Among these scholars
may be mentioned Professors F.A. March of Lafayette College, T.K. Price of
Columbia College, and W.M. Baskervill of Vanderbilt University.
In the preparation of the Glossary the editors found it necessary to
abandon a literal and exact translation of Heyne for several reasons, and
among others from the fact that Heyne seems to be wrong in the translation
of some of his illustrative quotations, and even translates the same
passage in two or three different ways under different headings. The
orthography of his glossary differs considerably from the orthography of
his text. He fails to discriminate with due nicety the meanings of many of
the words in his vocabulary, while criticism more recent than his latest
edition (1879) has illustrated or overthrown several of his renderings. The
references were found to be incorrect in innumerable instances, and had to
be verified in every individual case so far as this was possible, a few
only, which resisted all efforts at verification, having to be indicated by
an interrogation point (?). The references are exceedingly numerous, and
the labor of verifying them was naturally great. To many passages in the
Glossary, where Heyne's translation could not be trusted with entire
certainty, the editors have added other translations of phrases and
sentences or of special words; and in this they have been aided by a
careful study of the text and a comparison and utilization of the views of
Kemble and Professor J.M. Garnett (who takes Grein for his foundation).
Many new references have been added; and the various passages in which
Heyne fails to indicate whether a given verb is weak or strong, or fails to
point out the number, etc., of the illustrative form, have been corrected
and made to harmonize with the general plan of the work. Numerous misprints
in the glossary have also been corrected, and a brief glossary to the
Finnsburh-fragment, prepared by Dr. Wm. Hand Browne, and supplemented and
adapted by the editor-in-chief, has been added.
The editors think that they may without immodesty put forth for themselves
something more than the claim of being re-translators of a translation: the
present edition is, so far as they were able to make it so, an adaptation,
correction, and extension of the work of the great German scholar to whose
loving appreciation of the Anglo-Saxon epic all students of Old English owe
a debt of gratitude. While following his usually sure and cautious
guidance, and in the main appropriating his results, they have thought it
best to deviate from him in the manner above indicated, whenever it seemed
that he was wrong. The careful reader will notice at once the marks of
interrogation which point out these deviations, or which introduce a point
of view illustrative of, or supplementary to, the one given by the German
editor. No doubt the editors are wrong themselves in many
places,--"Beówulf" is a most difficult poem,--but their view may at least
be defended by a reference to the original text, which they have faithfully
and constantly consulted.
A good many cognate Modern English words have been introduced here and
there in the Glossary with a view to illustration, and other addenda will
be found between brackets and parenthetical marks.
It is hoped that the present edition of the most famous of Old English
poems will do something to promote a valuable and interesting study.
JAMES A. HARRISON,
_Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va._
ROBERT SHARP,
_University of Louisiana, New Orleans_.
April, 1883.
The responsibility of the editors is as follows: H. is responsible for the
Text, and for the Glossary from hrînan on; S. for the List of Names, and
for the Glossary as far as hrînan.
ARGUMENT.
The only national [Anglo-Saxon] epic which has been preserved entire is
Beówulf. Its argument is briefly as follows:--The poem opens with a few
verses in praise of the Danish Kings, especially Scild, the son of Sceaf.
His death is related, and his descendants briefly traced down to Hroðgar.
Hroðgar, elated with his prosperity and success in war, builds a
magnificent hall, which he calls Heorot. In this hall Hroðgar and his
retainers live in joy and festivity, until a malignant fiend, called
Grendel, jealous of their happiness, carries off by night thirty of
Hroðgar's men, and devours them in his moorland retreat. These ravages go
on for twelve years. Beówulf, a thane of Hygelac, King of the Goths,
hearing of Hroðgar's calamities, sails from Sweden with fourteen
warriors--to help him. They reach the Danish coast in safety; and, after an
animated parley with Hroðgar's coastguard, who at first takes them for
pirates, they are allowed to proceed to the royal hall, where they are well
received by Hroðgar. A banquet ensues, during which Beówulf is taunted by
the envious Hunferhð about his swimming-match with Breca, King of the
Brondings. Beówulf gives the true account of the contest, and silences
Hunferhð. At night-fall the King departs, leaving Beówulf in charge of the
hall. Grendel soon breaks in, seizes and devours one of Beówulf's
companions; is attacked by Beówulf, and, after losing an arm, which is torn
off by Beówulf, escapes to the fens. The joy of Hroðgar and the Danes, and
their festivities, are described, various episodes are introduced, and
Beówulf and his companions receive splendid gifts. The next night Grendel's
mother revenges her son by carrying off Æschere, the friend and councillor
of Hroðgar, during the absence of Beówulf. Hroðgar appeals to Beówulf for
vengeance, and describes the haunts of Grendel and his mother. They all
proceed thither; the scenery of the lake, and the monsters that dwell in
it, are described. Beówulf plunges into the water, and attacks Grendel's
mother in her dwelling at the bottom of the lake. He at length overcomes
her, and cuts off her head, together with that of Grendel, and brings the
heads to Hroðgar. He then takes leave of Hroðgar, sails back to Sweden, and
relates his adventures to Hygelac. Here the first half of the poem ends.
The second begins with the accession of Beówulf to the throne, after the
fall of Hygelac and his son Heardred. He rules prosperously for fifty
years, till a dragon, brooding over a hidden treasure, begins to ravage the
country, and destroys Beówulf's palace with fire. Beówulf sets out in quest
of its hiding-place, with twelve men. Having a presentiment of his
approaching end, he pauses and recalls to mind his past life and exploits.
He then takes leave of his followers, one by one, and advances alone to
attack the dragon. Unable, from the heat, to enter the cavern, he shouts
aloud, and the dragon comes forth. The dragon's scaly hide is proof against
Beówulf's sword, and he is reduced to great straits. Then Wiglaf, one of
his followers, advances to help him. Wiglaf's shield is consumed by the
dragon's fiery breath, and he is compelled to seek shelter under Beówulf's
shield of iron. Beówulf's sword snaps asunder, and he is seized by the
dragon. Wiglaf stabs the dragon from underneath, and Beówulf cuts it in two
with his dagger. Feeling that his end is near, he bids Wiglaf bring out the
treasures from the cavern, that he may see them before he dies. Wiglaf
enters the dragon's den, which is described, returns to Beówulf, and
receives his last commands. Beówulf dies, and Wiglaf bitterly reproaches
his companions for their cowardice. The disastrous consequences of
Beówulf's death are then foretold, and the poem ends with his funeral.--H.
Sweet, in Warton's _History of English Poetry_, Vol. II. (ed. 1871). Cf.
also Ten Brink's _History of English Literature_.
BEÓWULF.
I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.
Hwät! we Gâr-Dena in geâr-dagum
þeód-cyninga þrym gefrunon,
hû þâ äðelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scêfing sceaðena þreátum,
5 monegum mægðum meodo-setla ofteáh.
Egsode eorl, syððan ærest wearð
feá-sceaft funden: he þäs frôfre gebâd,
weôx under wolcnum, weorð-myndum ðâh,
ôð þät him æghwylc þâra ymb-sittendra
10 ofer hron-râde hýran scolde,
gomban gyldan: þät wäs gôd cyning!
þäm eafera wäs äfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone god sende
folce tô frôfre; fyren-þearfe ongeat,
15 þät hie ær drugon aldor-leáse
lange hwîle. Him þäs lîf-freá,
wuldres wealdend, worold-âre forgeaf;
Beówulf wäs breme (blæd wîde sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.
20 Swâ sceal geong guma, gôde gewyrcean,
fromum feoh-giftum on fäder wine,
þät hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wil-gesîðas, þonne wîg cume,
leóde gelæsten: lof-dædum sceal
25 in mægða gehwære man geþeón.
Him þâ Scyld gewât tô gescäp-hwîle
fela-hrôr fêran on freán wære;
hi hyne þâ ätbæron tô brimes faroðe.
swæse gesîðas, swâ he selfa bäd,
30 þenden wordum weóld wine Scyldinga,
leóf land-fruma lange âhte.
Þær ät hýðe stôd hringed-stefna,
îsig and ûtfûs, äðelinges fär;
â-lêdon þâ leófne þeóden,
35 beága bryttan on bearm scipes,
mærne be mäste. Þær wäs mâdma fela,
of feor-wegum frätwa gelæded:
ne hýrde ic cymlîcor ceól gegyrwan
hilde-wæpnum and heaðo-wædum,
40 billum and byrnum; him on bearme läg
mâdma mänigo, þâ him mid scoldon
on flôdes æht feor gewîtan.
Nalas hi hine lässan lâcum teódan,
þeód-gestreónum, þonne þâ dydon,
45 þe hine ät frumsceafte forð onsendon
ænne ofer ýðe umbor wesende:
þâ gyt hie him âsetton segen gyldenne
heáh ofer heáfod, lêton holm beran,
geâfon on gâr-secg: him wäs geômor sefa,
50 murnende môd. Men ne cunnon
secgan tô soðe sele-rædende,
häleð under heofenum, hwâ þäm hläste onfêng.
II. THE HALL HEOROT.
Þâ wäs on burgum Beówulf Scyldinga,
leóf leód-cyning, longe þrage
55 folcum gefræge (fäder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), ôð þät him eft onwôc
heáh Healfdene; heóld þenden lifde,
gamol and gûð-reów, gläde Scyldingas.
Þäm feówer bearn forð-gerîmed
60 in worold wôcun, weoroda ræswan,
Heorogâr and Hrôðgâr and Hâlga til;
hýrde ic, þat Elan cwên Ongenþeówes wäs
Heaðoscilfinges heals-gebedde.
Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre here-spêd gyfen,
65 wîges weorð-mynd, þät him his wine-mâgas
georne hýrdon, ôð þät seó geogoð geweôx,
mago-driht micel. Him on môd bearn,
þät heal-reced hâtan wolde,
medo-ärn micel men gewyrcean,
70 þone yldo bearn æfre gefrunon,
and þær on innan eall gedælan
geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde,
bûton folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Þâ ic wîde gefrägn weorc gebannan
75 manigre mægðe geond þisne middan-geard,
folc-stede frätwan. Him on fyrste gelomp
ädre mid yldum, þät hit wearð eal gearo,
heal-ärna mæst; scôp him Heort naman,
se þe his wordes geweald wîde häfde.
80 He beót ne âlêh, beágas dælde,
sinc ät symle. Sele hlifade
heáh and horn-geáp: heaðo-wylma bâd,
lâðan lîges; ne wäs hit lenge þâ gen
þät se ecg-hete âðum-swerian
85 äfter wäl-nîðe wäcnan scolde.
Þâ se ellen-gæst earfoðlîce
þrage geþolode, se þe in þýstrum bâd,
þät he dôgora gehwâm dreám gehýrde
hlûdne in healle; þær wäs hearpan swêg,
90 swutol sang scôpes. Sägde se þe cûðe
frum-sceaft fira feorran reccan,
cwäð þät se älmihtiga eorðan worhte,
wlite-beorhtne wang, swâ wäter bebûgeð,
gesette sige-hrêðig sunnan and mônan
95 leóman tô leóhte land-bûendum,
and gefrätwade foldan sceátas
leomum and leáfum; lîf eác gesceôp
cynna gehwylcum, þâra þe cwice hwyrfað.
Swâ þâ driht-guman dreámum lifdon
100 eádiglîce, ôð þät ân ongan
fyrene fremman, feónd on helle:
wäs se grimma gäst Grendel hâten,
mære mearc-stapa, se þe môras heóld,
fen and fästen; fîfel-cynnes eard
105 won-sælig wer weardode hwîle,
siððan him scyppend forscrifen häfde.
In Caines cynne þone cwealm gewräc,
êce drihten, þäs þe he Abel slôg;
ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac he hine feor forwräc,
110 metod for þý mâne man-cynne fram.
Þanon untydras ealle onwôcon,
eotenas and ylfe and orcnêas,
swylce gigantas, þâ wið gode wunnon
lange þrage; he him þäs leán forgeald.
III. GRENDEL'S VISITS.
115 Gewât þâ neósian, syððan niht becom,
heán hûses, hû hit Hring-Dene
äfter beór-þege gebûn häfdon.
Fand þâ þær inne äðelinga gedriht
swefan äfter symble; sorge ne cûðon,
120 won-sceaft wera. Wiht unhælo
grim and grædig gearo sôna wäs,
reóc and rêðe, and on räste genam
þritig þegna: þanon eft gewât
hûðe hrêmig tô hâm faran,
125 mid þære wäl-fylle wîca neósan.
Þâ wäs on uhtan mid ær-däge
Grendles gûð-cräft gumum undyrne:
þâ wäs äfter wiste wôp up âhafen,
micel morgen-swêg. Mære þeóden,
130 äðeling ær-gôd, unblîðe sät,
þolode þrýð-swýð, þegn-sorge dreáh,
syððan hie þäs lâðan lâst sceáwedon,
wergan gâstes; wäs þät gewin tô strang,
lâð and longsum. Näs hit lengra fyrst,
135 ac ymb âne niht eft gefremede
morð-beala mâre and nô mearn fore
fæhðe and fyrene; wäs tô fäst on þâm.
Þâ wäs eáð-fynde, þe him elles hwær
gerûmlîcor räste sôhte,
140 bed äfter bûrum, þâ him gebeácnod wäs,
gesägd sôðlîce sweotolan tâcne
heal-þegnes hete; heóld hine syððan
fyr and fästor, se þäm feónde ätwand.
Swâ rîxode and wið rihte wan
145 âna wið eallum, ôð þät îdel stôd
hûsa sêlest. Wäs seó hwîl micel:
twelf wintra tîd torn geþolode
wine Scyldinga, weána gehwelcne,
sîdra sorga; forþam syððan wearð
150 ylda bearnum undyrne cûð,
gyddum geômore, þätte Grendel wan,
hwîle wið Hrôðgâr;-- hete-nîðas wäg,
fyrene and fæhðe fela missera,
singale säce, sibbe ne wolde
155 wið manna hwone mägenes Deniga
feorh-bealo feorran, feó þingian,
ne þær nænig witena wênan þorfte
beorhtre bôte tô banan folmum;
atol äglæca êhtende wäs,
160 deorc deáð-scûa duguðe and geogoðe
seomade and syrede. Sin-nihte heóld
mistige môras; men ne cunnon,
hwyder hel-rûnan hwyrftum scrîðað.
Swâ fela fyrena feónd man-cynnes,
165 atol ân-gengea, oft gefremede
heardra hýnða; Heorot eardode,
sinc-fâge sel sweartum nihtum
(nô he þone gif-stôl grêtan môste,
mâððum for metode, ne his myne wisse);
170 þät wäs wræc micel wine Scyldinga,
môdes brecða. Monig-oft gesät
rîce tô rûne; ræd eahtedon,
hwät swîð-ferhðum sêlest wære
wið fær-gryrum tô gefremmanne.
175 Hwîlum hie gehêton ät härg-trafum
wig-weorðunga, wordum bædon,
þät him gâst-bona geóce gefremede
wið þeód-þreáum. Swylc wäs þeáw hyra,
hæðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in môd-sefan, metod hie ne cûðon,
dæda dêmend, ne wiston hie drihten god,
ne hie hûru heofena helm hêrian ne cûðon,
wuldres waldend. Wâ bið þäm þe sceal
þurh slîðne nîð sâwle bescûfan
185 in fýres fäðm, frôfre ne wênan,
wihte gewendan; wel bið þäm þe môt
äfter deáð-däge drihten sêcean
and tô fäder fäðmum freoðo wilnian.
IV. HYGELAC'S THANE.
Swâ þâ mæl-ceare maga Healfdenes
190 singala seáð; ne mihte snotor häleð
weán onwendan: wäs þät gewin tô swýð,
lâð and longsum, þe on þâ leóde becom,
nýd-wracu nîð-grim, niht-bealwa mæst.
Þät fram hâm gefrägn Higelâces þegn,
195 gôd mid Geátum, Grendles dæda:
se wäs mon-cynnes mägenes strengest
on þäm däge þysses lîfes,
äðele and eácen. Hêt him ýð-lidan
gôdne gegyrwan; cwäð he gûð-cyning
200 ofer swan-râde sêcean wolde,
mærne þeóden, þâ him wäs manna þearf.
Þone sîð-fät him snotere ceorlas
lyt-hwôn lôgon, þeáh he him leóf wære;
hwetton higerôfne, hæl sceáwedon.
205 Häfde se gôda Geáta leóda
cempan gecorone, þâra þe he cênoste
findan mihte; fîftena sum
sund-wudu sôhte; secg wîsade,
lagu-cräftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
210 Fyrst forð gewât: flota wäs on ýðum,
bât under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; streámas wundon
sund wið sande; secgas bæron
on bearm nacan beorhte frätwe,
215 gûð-searo geatolîc; guman ût scufon,
weras on wil-sîð wudu bundenne.
Gewât þâ ofer wæg-holm winde gefýsed
flota fâmig-heals fugle gelîcost,
ôð þät ymb ân-tîd ôðres dôgores
220 wunden-stefna gewaden häfde,
þät þâ lîðende land gesâwon,
brim-clifu blîcan, beorgas steápe,
sîde sæ-nässas: þâ wäs sund liden,
eoletes ät ende. Þanon up hraðe
225 Wedera leóde on wang stigon,
sæ-wudu sældon (syrcan hrysedon,
gûð-gewædo); gode þancedon,
þäs þe him ýð-lâde eáðe wurdon.
Þâ of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
230 se þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fûslîcu; hine fyrwyt bräc
môd-gehygdum, hwät þâ men wæron.
Gewât him þâ tô waroðe wicge rîdan
235 þegn Hrôðgâres, þrymmum cwehte
mägen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frägn:
"Hwät syndon ge searo-häbbendra
"byrnum werede, þe þus brontne ceól
"ofer lagu-stræte lædan cwômon,
240 "hider ofer holmas helmas bæron?
"Ic wäs ende-sæta, æg-wearde heóld,
"þät on land Dena lâðra nænig
"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
"Nô her cûðlîcor cuman ongunnon
245 "lind-häbbende; ne ge leáfnes-word
"gûð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
"mâga gemêdu. Næfre ic mâran geseah
"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is eówer sum,
"secg on searwum; nis þät seld-guma
250 "wæpnum geweorðad, näfne him his wlite leóge,
"ænlîc an-sýn. Nu ic eówer sceal
"frum-cyn witan, ær ge fyr heonan
"leáse sceáweras on land Dena
"furður fêran. Nu ge feor-bûend,
255 "mere-lîðende, mînne gehýrað
"ân-fealdne geþôht: ôfost is sêlest
"tô gecýðanne, hwanan eówre cyme syndon."
V. THE ERRAND.
Him se yldesta andswarode,
werodes wîsa, word-hord onleác:
260 "We synt gum-cynnes Geáta leóde
"and Higelâces heorð-geneátas.
"Wäs mîn fäder folcum gecýðed,
"äðele ord-fruma Ecgþeów hâten;
"gebâd wintra worn, ær he on weg hwurfe,
265 "gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman
"witena wel-hwylc wîde geond eorðan.--
"We þurh holdne hige hlâford þinne,
"sunu Healfdenes, sêcean cwômon,
"leód-gebyrgean: wes þu ûs lârena gôd!
270 "Habbað we tô þäm mæran micel ærende
"Deniga freán; ne sceal þær dyrne sum
"wesan, þäs ic wêne. Þu wâst, gif hit is,
"swâ we sôðlice secgan hýrdon,
"þät mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nât hwylc,
275 "deógol dæd-hata, deorcum nihtum
"eáweð þurh egsan uncûðne nîð,
"hýnðu and hrâ-fyl. Ic þäs Hrôðgâr mäg
"þurh rûmne sefan ræd gelæran,
"hû he frôd and gôd feónd oferswýðeð,
280 "gyf him ed-wendan æfre scolde
"bealuwa bisigu, bôt eft cuman
"and þâ cear-wylmas côlran wurðað;
"oððe â syððan earfoð-þrage,
"þreá-nýd þolað, þenden þær wunað
285 "on heáh-stede hûsa sêlest."
Weard maðelode, þær on wicge sät
ombeht unforht: "Æghwäðres sceal
"scearp scyld-wîga gescâd witan,
"worda and worca, se þe wel þenceð.
290 "Ic þät gehýre, þät þis is hold weorod
"freán Scyldinga. Gewîtað forð beran
"wæpen and gewædu, ic eów wîsige:
"swylce ic magu-þegnas mîne hâte
"wið feónda gehwone flotan eówerne,
295 "niw-tyrwedne nacan on sande
"ârum healdan, ôð þät eft byreð
"ofer lagu-streámas leófne mannan
"wudu wunden-hals tô Weder-mearce.
"Gûð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,
300 "þät þone hilde-ræs hâl gedîgeð."
Gewiton him þâ fêran (flota stille bâd,
seomode on sâle sîd-fäðmed scyp,
on ancre fäst); eofor-lîc scionon
ofer hleór-beran gehroden golde
305 fâh and fýr-heard, ferh wearde heóld.
Gûðmôde grummon, guman onetton,
sigon ätsomne, ôð þät hy säl timbred
geatolîc and gold-fâh ongytan mihton;
þät wäs fore-mærost fold-bûendum
310 receda under roderum, on þäm se rîca bâd;
lixte se leóma ofer landa fela.
Him þâ hilde-deór hof môdigra
torht getæhte, þät hie him tô mihton
gegnum gangan; gûð-beorna sum
315 wicg gewende, word äfter cwäð:
"Mæl is me tô fêran; fäder alwalda
"mid âr-stafum eówic gehealde
"sîða gesunde! ic tô sæ wille,
"wið wrâð werod wearde healdan."
VI. BEÓWULF'S SPEECH.
320 Stræt wäs stân-fâh, stîg wîsode
gumum ätgädere. Gûð-byrne scân
heard hond-locen, hring-îren scîr
song in searwum, þâ hie tô sele furðum
in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwômon.
325 Setton sæ-mêðe sîde scyldas,
rondas regn-hearde wið þäs recedes weal,
bugon þâ tô bence; byrnan hringdon,
gûð-searo gumena; gâras stôdon,
sæ-manna searo, samod ätgädere,
330 äsc-holt ufan græg: wäs se îren-þreát
wæpnum gewurðad. Þâ þær wlonc häleð
oret-mecgas äfter äðelum frägn:
"Hwanon ferigeað ge fätte scyldas,
"græge syrcan and grîm-helmas,
335 "here-sceafta heáp?-- Ic eom Hrôðgâres
"âr and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þeódige
"þus manige men môdiglîcran.
"Wên' ic þät ge for wlenco, nalles for wräc-sîðum,
"ac for hige-þrymmum Hrôðgâr sôhton."
340 Him þâ ellen-rôf andswarode,
wlanc Wedera leód word äfter spräc,
heard under helme: "We synt Higelâces
"beód-geneátas; Beówulf is mîn nama.
"Wille ic âsecgan suna Healfdenes,
345 "mærum þeódne mîn ærende,
"aldre þînum, gif he ûs geunnan wile,
"þät we hine swâ gôdne grêtan môton."
Wulfgâr maðelode (þät wäs Wendla leód,
wäs his môd-sefa manegum gecýðed,
350 wîg and wîs-dôm): "ic þäs wine Deniga,
"freán Scildinga frinan wille,
"beága bryttan, swâ þu bêna eart,
"þeóden mærne ymb þînne sîð ;
"and þe þâ andsware ädre gecýðan,
355 "þe me se gôda âgifan þenceð."
Hwearf þâ hrädlîce, þær Hrôðgâr sät,
eald and unhâr mid his eorla gedriht;
eode ellen-rôf, þät he for eaxlum gestôd
Deniga freán, cûðe he duguðe þeáw.
360 Wulfgâr maðelode tô his wine-drihtne:
"Her syndon geferede feorran cumene
"ofer geofenes begang Geáta leóde:
"þone yldestan oret-mecgas
"Beówulf nemnað. Hy bênan synt,
365 "þät hie, þeóden mîn, wið þe môton
"wordum wrixlan; nô þu him wearne geteóh,
"þînra gegn-cwida glädnian, Hrôðgâr!
"Hy on wîg-geatwum wyrðe þinceað
"eorla geæhtlan; hûru se aldor deáh,
370 "se þæm heaðo-rincum hider wîsade."
VII. HROTHGAR'S WELCOME.
Hrôðgâr maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"Ic hine cûðe cniht-wesende.
"Wäs his eald-fäder Ecgþeó hâten,
"þäm tô hâm forgeaf Hrêðel Geáta
375 "ângan dôhtor; is his eafora nu
"heard her cumen, sôhte holdne wine.
"þonne sägdon þät sæ-lîðende,
"þâ þe gif-sceattas Geáta fyredon
"þyder tô þance, þät he þrittiges
380 "manna mägen-cräft on his mund-grîpe
"heaðo-rôf häbbe. Hine hâlig god
"for âr-stafum us onsende,
"tô West-Denum, þäs ic wên häbbe,
"wið Grendles gryre: ic þäm gôdan sceal
385 "for his môd-þräce mâdmas beódan.
"Beó þu on ôfeste, hât hig in gân,
"seón sibbe-gedriht samod ätgädere;
"gesaga him eác wordum, þät hie sint wil-cuman
"Deniga leódum." Þâ wið duru healle
390 Wulfgâr eode, word inne âbeád:
"Eów hêt secgan sige-drihten mîn,
"aldor Eást-Dena, þät he eówer äðelu can
"and ge him syndon ofer sæ-wylmas,
"heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 "Nu ge môton gangan in eówrum guð-geatawum,
"under here-grîman, Hrôðgâr geseón;
"lætað hilde-bord her onbidian,
"wudu wäl-sceaftas, worda geþinges."
Ârâs þâ se rîca, ymb hine rinc manig,
400 þryðlîc þegna heáp; sume þær bidon,
heaðo-reáf heóldon, swâ him se hearda bebeád.
Snyredon ätsomne, þâ secg wîsode
under Heorotes hrôf; hyge-rôf eode,
heard under helme, þät he on heoðe gestôd.
405 Beówulf maðelode (on him byrne scân,
searo-net seówed smiðes or-þancum):
"Wes þu Hrôðgâr hâl! ic eom Higelâces
"mæg and mago-þegn; häbbe ic mærða fela
"ongunnen on geogoðe. Me wearð Grendles þing
410 "on mînre êðel-tyrf undyrne cûð:
"secgað sæ-lîðend, þät þes sele stande,
"reced sêlesta, rinca gehwylcum
"îdel and unnyt, siððan æfen-leóht
"under heofenes hâdor beholen weorðeð.
415 "Þâ me þät gelærdon leóde mîne,
"þâ sêlestan, snotere ceorlas,
"þeóden Hrôðgâr, þät ic þe sôhte;
"forþan hie mägenes cräft mînne cûðon:
"selfe ofersâwon, þâ ic of searwum cwom,
420 "fâh from feóndum, þær ic fîfe geband,
"ýðde eotena cyn, and on ýðum slôg
"niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe dreáh,
"wräc Wedera nîð (weán âhsodon)
"forgrand gramum; and nu wið Grendel sceal,
425 "wið þam aglæcan, âna gehegan
"þing wið þyrse. Ic þe nu þâ,
"brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
"eodor Scyldinga, ânre bêne;
"þät þu me ne forwyrne, wîgendra hleó,
430 "freó-wine folca, nu ic þus feorran com,
"þät ic môte âna and mînra eorla gedryht,
"þes hearda heáp, Heorot fælsian.
"Häbbe ic eác geâhsod, þät se äglæca
"for his won-hýdum wæpna ne rêceð;
435 "ic þät þonne forhicge, swâ me Higelâc sîe,
"mîn mon-drihten, môdes blîðe,
"þät ic sweord bere oððe sîdne scyld
"geolo-rand tô gûðe; ac ic mid grâpe sceal
"fôn wið feónde and ymb feorh sacan,
440 "lâð wið lâðum; þær gelýfan sceal
"dryhtnes dôme se þe hine deáð nimeð.
"Wên' ic þät he wille, gif he wealdan môt,
"in þäm gûð-sele Geátena leóde
"etan unforhte, swâ he oft dyde
445 "mägen Hrêðmanna. Nâ þu mînne þearft
"hafalan hýdan, ac he me habban wile
"dreóre fâhne, gif mec deáð nimeð;
"byreð blôdig wäl, byrgean þenceð,
"eteð ân-genga unmurnlîce,
450 "mearcað môr-hopu: nô þu ymb mînes ne þearft
"lîces feorme leng sorgian.
"Onsend Higelâce, gif mec hild nime,
"beadu-scrûda betst, þät mîne breóst wereð,
"hrägla sêlest; þät is Hrêðlan lâf,
455 "Wêlandes geweorc. Gæð â Wyrd swâ hió scel!"
VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.
Hrôðgâr maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"for were-fyhtum þu, wine mîn Beówulf,
"and for âr-stafum ûsic sôhtest.
"Geslôh þin fäder fæhðe mæste,
460 "wearð he Heaðolâfe tô hand-bonan
"mid Wilfingum; þâ hine Wedera cyn
"for here-brôgan habban ne mihte.
"Þanon he gesôhte Sûð-Dena folc
"ofer ýða gewealc, Âr-Scyldinga;
465 "þâ ic furðum weóld folce Deninga,
"and on geogoðe heóld gimme-rîce
"hord-burh häleða: þâ wäs Heregâr deád,
"mîn yldra mæg unlifigende,
"bearn Healfdenes. Se wäs betera þonne ic!
470 "Siððan þâ fæhðe feó þingode;
"sende ic Wylfingum ofer wäteres hrycg
"ealde mâdmas: he me âðas swôr.
"Sorh is me tô secganne on sefan mînum
"gumena ængum, hwät me Grendel hafað
475 "hýnðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum,
"fær-nîða gefremed. Is mîn flet-werod,
"wîg-heáp gewanod; hie Wyrd forsweóp
"on Grendles gryre. God eáðe mäg
"þone dol-scaðan dæda getwæfan!
480 "Ful oft gebeótedon beóre druncne
"ofer ealo-wæge oret-mecgas,
"þät hie in beór-sele bîdan woldon
"Grendles gûðe mid gryrum ecga.
"Þonne wäs þeós medo-heal on morgen-tîd,
485 "driht-sele dreór-fâh, þonne däg lixte,
"eal benc-þelu blôde bestýmed,
"heall heoru-dreóre: âhte ic holdra þý läs,
"deórre duguðe, þe þâ deáð fornam.
"Site nu tô symle and onsæl meoto,
490 "sige-hrêð secgum, swâ þîn sefa hwette!"
Þâ wäs Geát-mäcgum geador ätsomne
on beór-sele benc gerýmed;
þær swîð-ferhðe sittan eodon
þryðum dealle. Þegn nytte beheóld,
495 se þe on handa bär hroden ealo-wæge,
scencte scîr wered. Scôp hwîlum sang
hâdor on Heorote; þær wäs häleða dreám,
duguð unlytel Dena and Wedera.
IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BEÓWULF.
Ûnferð maðelode, Ecglâfes bearn,
500 þe ät fôtum sät freán Scyldinga;
onband beadu-rûne (wäs him Beówulfes sîð,
môdges mere-faran, micel äf-þunca,
forþon þe he ne ûðe, þät ænig ôðer man
æfre mærða þon mâ middan-geardes
505 gehêdde under heofenum þonne he sylfa):
"Eart þu se Beówulf, se þe wið Brecan wunne,
"on sîdne sæ ymb sund flite,
"þær git for wlence wada cunnedon
"and for dol-gilpe on deóp wäter
510 "aldrum nêðdon? Ne inc ænig mon,
"ne leóf ne lâð, beleán mihte
"sorh-fullne sîð; þâ git on sund reón,
"þær git eágor-streám earmum þehton,
"mæton mere-stræta, mundum brugdon,
515 "glidon ofer gâr-secg; geofon ýðum weól,
"wintres wylme. Git on wäteres æht
"seofon niht swuncon; he þe ät sunde oferflât,
"häfde mâre mägen. Þâ hine on morgen-tîd
"on Heaðo-ræmas holm up ätbär,
520 "þonon he gesôhte swæsne êðel
"leóf his leódum lond Brondinga,
"freoðo-burh fägere, þær he folc âhte,
"burg and beágas. Beót eal wið þe
"sunu Beánstânes sôðe gelæste.
525 "Þonne wêne ic tô þe wyrsan geþinges,
"þeáh þu heaðo-ræsa gehwær dohte,
"grimre gûðe, gif þu Grendles dearst
"niht-longne fyrst neán bîdan!"
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
530 "Hwät þu worn fela, wine mîn Ûnferð,
"beóre druncen ymb Brecan spræce,
"sägdest from his sîðe! Sôð ic talige,
"þät ic mere-strengo mâran âhte,
"earfeðo on ýðum, þonne ænig ôðer man.
535 "Wit þät gecwædon cniht-wesende
"and gebeótedon (wæron begen þâ git
"on geogoð-feore) þät wit on gâr-secg ût
"aldrum nêðdon; and þät geäfndon swâ.
"Häfdon swurd nacod, þâ wit on sund reón,
540 "heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas
"werian þôhton. Nô he wiht fram me
"flôd-ýðum feor fleótan meahte,
"hraðor on holme, nô ic fram him wolde.
"Þâ wit ätsomne on sæ wæron
545 "fîf nihta fyrst, ôð þät unc flôd tôdrâf,
"wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
"nîpende niht and norðan wind
"heaðo-grim andhwearf; hreó wæron ýða,
"Wäs mere-fixa môd onhrêred:
550 "þær me wið lâðum lîc-syrce mîn,
"heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;
"beado-hrägl broden on breóstum läg,
"golde gegyrwed. Me tô grunde teáh
"fâh feónd-scaða, fäste häfde
555 "grim on grâpe: hwäðre me gyfeðe wearð,
"þät ic aglæcan orde geræhte,
"hilde-bille; heaðo-ræs fornam
"mihtig mere-deór þurh mîne hand.
X. BEÓWULF'S CONTEST WITH BRECA.--THE FEAST.
"Swâ mec gelôme lâð-geteónan
560 "þreátedon þearle. Ic him þênode
"deóran sweorde, swâ hit gedêfe wäs;
"näs hie þære fylle gefeán häfdon,
"mân-fordædlan, þät hie me þêgon,
"symbel ymb-sæton sæ-grunde neáh,
565 "ac on mergenne mêcum wunde
"be ýð-lâfe uppe lægon,
"sweordum âswefede, þät syððan nâ
"ymb brontne ford brim-lîðende
"lâde ne letton. Leóht eástan com,
570 "beorht beácen godes; brimu swaðredon,
"þät ic sæ-nässas geseón mihte,
"windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
"unfægne eorl, ðonne his ellen deáh!
"Hwäðere me gesælde, þät ic mid sweorde ofslôh
575 "niceras nigene. Nô ic on niht gefrägn
"under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
"ne on êg-streámum earmran mannan;
"hwäðere ic fâra feng feore gedîgde,
"siðes wêrig. Þâ mec sæ ôðbär,
580 "flôd äfter faroðe, on Finna land,
"wadu weallendu. Nô ic wiht fram þe
"swylcra searo-nîða secgan hýrde,
"billa brôgan: Breca næfre git
"ät heaðo-lâce, ne gehwäðer incer
585 "swâ deórlîce dæd gefremede
"fâgum sweordum . . . . . . .
". . . . . . . nô ic þäs gylpe;
"þeáh þu þînum brôðrum tô banan wurde,
"heáfod-mægum; þäs þu in helle scealt
590 "werhðo dreógan, þeáh þîn wit duge,
"Secge ic þe tô sôðe, sunu Ecglâfes,
"þät næfre Grendel swâ fela gryra gefremede,
"atol äglæca ealdre þînum,
"hýnðo on Heorote, gif þîn hige wære,
595 "sefa swâ searo-grim, swâ þu self talast.
"Ac he hafað onfunden, þät he þâ fæhðe ne þearf,
"atole ecg-þräce eówer leóde
"swîðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga;
"nymeð nýd-bâde, nænegum ârað
600 "leóde Deniga, ac he on lust wîgeð,
"swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wêneð
"tô Gâr-Denum. Ac him Geáta sceal
"eafoð and ellen ungeâra nu
"gûðe gebeódan. Gæð eft se þe môt
605 "tô medo môdig, siððan morgen-leóht
"ofer ylda bearn ôðres dôgores,
"sunne swegl-wered sûðan scîneð!"
Þâ wäs on sâlum sinces brytta
gamol-feax and gûð-rôf, geóce gelýfde
610 brego Beorht-Dena; gehýrde on Beówulfe
folces hyrde fäst-rædne geþôht.
Þær wäs häleða hleahtor; hlyn swynsode,
word wæron wynsume. Eode Wealhþeów forð,
cwên Hrôðgâres, cynna gemyndig,
615 grêtte gold-hroden guman on healle,
and þâ freólîc wîf ful gesealde
ærest Eást-Dena êðel-wearde,
bäd hine blîðne ät þære beór-þege,
leódum leófne; he on lust geþeah
620 symbel and sele-ful, sige-rôf kyning.
Ymb-eode þâ ides Helminga
duguðe and geogoðe dæl æghwylcne;
sinc-fato sealde, ôð þät sæl âlamp,
þät hió Beówulfe, beág-hroden cwên,
625 môde geþungen, medo-ful ätbär;
grêtte Geáta leód, gode þancode
wîs-fäst wordum, þäs þe hire se willa gelamp,
þät heó on ænigne eorl gelýfde
fyrena frôfre. He þät ful geþeah,
630 wäl-reów wîga ät Wealhþeón,
and þâ gyddode gûðe gefýsed,
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"Ic þät hogode, þâ ic on holm gestâh,
"sæ-bât gesät mid mînra secga gedriht,
635 "þät ic ânunga eówra leóda
"willan geworhte, oððe on wäl crunge,
"feónd-grâpum fäst. Ic gefremman sceal
"eorlîc ellen, oððe ende-däg
"on þisse meodu-healle mînne gebîdan."
640 Þam wîfe þâ word wel lîcodon,
gilp-cwide Geátes; eode gold-hroden
freólîcu folc-cwên tô hire freán sittan.
Þâ wäs eft swâ ær inne on healle
þryð-word sprecen, þeód on sælum,
645 sige-folca swêg, ôð þät semninga
sunu Healfdenes sêcean wolde
æfen-räste; wiste ät þäm ahlæcan
tô þäm heáh-sele hilde geþinged,
siððan hie sunnan leóht geseón ne meahton,
650 oððe nîpende niht ofer ealle,
scadu-helma gesceapu scrîðan cwôman,
wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ârâs.
Grêtte þâ giddum guma ôðerne,
Hrôðgâr Beówulf, and him hæl âbeád,
655 wîn-ärnes geweald and þät word âcwäð:
"Næfre ic ænegum men ær âlýfde,
"siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte,
"þryð-ärn Dena bûton þe nu þâ.
"Hafa nu and geheald hûsa sêlest;
660 "gemyne mærðo, mägen-ellen cýð,
"waca wið wrâðum! Ne bið þe wilna gâd,
"gif þu þät ellen-weorc aldre gedîgest."
XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.
Þâ him Hrôðgâr gewât mid his häleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga ût of healle;
665 wolde wîg-fruma Wealhþeó sêcan,
cwên tô gebeddan Häfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tô-geánes, swâ guman gefrungon,
sele-weard âseted, sundor-nytte beheóld
ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard âbeád;
670 hûru Geáta leód georne trûwode
môdgan mägnes, metodes hyldo.
Þâ he him of dyde îsern-byrnan,
helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
îrena cyst ombiht-þegne,
675 and gehealdan hêt hilde-geatwe.
Gespräc þâ se gôda gylp-worda sum
Beówulf Geáta, ær he on bed stige:
"Nô ic me an here-wæsmum hnâgran talige
"gûð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
680 "forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
"aldre beneótan, þeáh ic eal mæge.
"Nât he þâra gôda, þät he me on-geán sleá,
"rand geheáwe, þeáh þe he rôf sîe
"nîð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
685 "secge ofersittan, gif he gesêcean dear
"wîg ofer wæpen, and siððan witig god
"on swâ hwäðere hond hâlig dryhten
"mærðo dême, swâ him gemet þince."
Hylde hine þâ heaðo-deór, hleór-bolster onfêng
690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig
snellîc sæ-rinc sele-reste gebeáh.
Nænig heora þôhte þät he þanon scolde
eft eard-lufan æfre gesêcean,
folc oððe freó-burh, þær he âfêded wäs,
695 ac hie häfdon gefrunen, þät hie ær tô fela micles
in þäm wîn-sele wäl-deáð fornam,
Denigea leóde. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wîg-spêda gewiofu, Wedera leódum
frôfor and fultum, þät hie feónd heora
700 þurh ânes cräft ealle ofercômon,
selfes mihtum: sôð is gecýðed,
þät mihtig god manna cynnes
weóld wîde-ferhð. Com on wanre niht
scrîðan sceadu-genga. Sceótend swæfon,
705 þâ þät horn-reced healdan scoldon,
ealle bûton ânum. Þät wäs yldum cûð,
þät hie ne môste, þâ metod nolde,
se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan;
ac he wäccende wrâðum on andan
710 bâd bolgen-môd beadwa geþinges.
XII. GRENDEL'S RAID.
Þâ com of môre under mist-hleoðum
Grendel gongan, godes yrre bär.
Mynte se mân-scaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þam heán;
715 wôd under wolcnum, tô þäs þe he wîn-reced,
gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse
fättum fâhne. Ne wäs þät forma sîð,
þät he Hrôðgâres hâm gesôhte:
næfre he on aldor-dagum ær ne siððan
720 heardran häle, heal-þegnas fand!
Com þâ tô recede rinc sîðian
dreámum bedæled. Duru sôna onarn
fýr-bendum fäst, syððan he hire folmum hrân;
onbräd þâ bealo-hydig, þâ he âbolgen wäs,
725 recedes mûðan. Raðe äfter þon
on fâgne flôr feónd treddode,
eode yrre-môd; him of eágum stôd
lîge gelîcost leóht unfäger.
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ätgädere,
mago-rinca heáp: þâ his môd âhlôg,
mynte þät he gedælde, ær þon däg cwôme,
atol aglæca, ânra gehwylces
lîf wið lîce, þâ him âlumpen wäs
735 wist-fylle wên. Ne wäs þät wyrd þâ gen,
þät he mâ môste manna cynnes
þicgean ofer þâ niht. Þrýð-swýð beheóld
mæg Higelâces, hû se mân-scaða
under fær-gripum gefaran wolde.
740 Ne þät se aglæca yldan þôhte,
ac he gefêng hraðe forman siðe
slæpendne rinc, slât unwearnum,
bât bân-locan, blôd êdrum dranc,
syn-snædum swealh: sôna häfde
745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod
fêt and folma. Forð neár ätstôp,
nam þâ mid handa hige-þihtigne
rinc on räste; ræhte ongeán
feónd mid folme, he onfêng hraðe
750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesät.
Sôna þät onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þät he ne mêtte middan-geardes
eorðan sceáta on elran men
mund-gripe mâran: he on môde wearð
755 forht on ferhðe, nô þý ær fram meahte;
hyge wäs him hin-fûs, wolde on heolster fleón,
sêcan deófla gedräg: ne wäs his drohtoð þær,
swylce he on ealder-dagum ær gemêtte.
Gemunde þâ se gôda mæg Higelâces
760 æfen-spræce, up-lang âstôd
and him fäste wiðfêng. Fingras burston;
eoten wäs ût-weard, eorl furður stôp.
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swâ,
wîdre gewindan and on weg þanon
765 fleón on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grâpum. Þät wäs geócor sîð,
þät se hearm-scaða tô Heorute âteáh:
dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,
ceaster-bûendum, cênra gehwylcum,
770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wæron begen,
rêðe rên-weardas. Reced hlynsode;
þâ wäs wundor micel, þät se wîn-sele
wiðhäfde heaðo-deórum, þät he on hrusan ne feól,
fäger fold-bold; ac he þäs fäste wäs
775 innan and ûtan îren-bendum
searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þær fram sylle âbeág
medu-benc monig mîne gefræge,
golde geregnad, þær þâ graman wunnon;
þäs ne wêndon ær witan Scyldinga,
780 þät hit â mid gemete manna ænig
betlîc and bân-fâg tôbrecan meahte,
listum tôlûcan, nymðe lîges fäðm
swulge on swaðule. Swêg up âstâg
niwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stôd
785 atelîc egesa ânra gehwylcum
þâra þe of wealle wôp gehýrdon,
gryre-leóð galan godes andsacan,
sige-leásne sang, sâr wânigean
helle häftan. Heóld hine tô fäste
790 se þe manna wäs mägene strengest
on þäm däge þysses lîfes.
XIII. BEÓWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL'S ARM.
Nolde eorla hleó ænige þinga
þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlætan,
ne his lîf-dagas leóda ænigum
795 nytte tealde. Þær genehost brägd
eorl Beówulfes ealde lâfe,
wolde freá-drihtnes feorh ealgian
mæres þeódnes, þær hie meahton swâ;
hie þät ne wiston, þâ hie gewin drugon,
800 heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,
and on healfa gehwone heáwan þôhton,
sâwle sêcan, þät þone syn-scaðan
ænig ofer eorðan îrenna cyst,
gûð-billa nân grêtan nolde;
805 ac he sige-wæpnum forsworen häfde,
ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedâl
on þäm däge þysses lîfes
earmlîc wurðan and se ellor-gâst
on feónda geweald feor sîðian.
810 Þâ þät onfunde se þe fela æror
môdes myrðe manna cynne
fyrene gefremede (he wäs fâg wið god)
þät him se lîc-homa læstan nolde,
ac hine se môdega mæg Hygelâces
815 häfde be honda; wäs gehwäðer ôðrum
lifigende lâð. Lîc-sâr gebâd
atol äglæca, him on eaxle wearð
syn-dolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon
burston bân-locan. Beówulfe wearð
820 gûð-hrêð gyfeðe; scolde Grendel þonan
feorh-seóc fleón under fen-hleoðu,
sêcean wyn-leás wîc; wiste þê geornor,
þät his aldres wäs ende gegongen,
dôgera däg-rîm. Denum eallum wearð
825 äfter þam wäl-ræse willa gelumpen.
Häfde þâ gefælsod, se þe ær feorran com,
snotor and swýð-ferhð sele Hrôðgâres,
genered wið nîðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,
ellen-mærðum; häfde Eást-Denum
830 Geát-mecga leód gilp gelæsted,
swylce oncýððe ealle gebêtte,
inwid-sorge, þe hie ær drugon
and for þreá-nýdum þolian scoldon,
torn unlytel. Þät wäs tâcen sweotol,
835 syððan hilde-deór hond âlegde,
earm and eaxle (þær wäs eal geador
Grendles grâpe) under geápne hrôf.
XIV. THE JOY AT HEOROT.
Þâ wäs on morgen mîne gefræge
ymb þâ gif-healle gûð-rinc monig:
840 fêrdon folc-togan feorran and neán
geond wîd-wegas wundor sceáwian,
lâðes lâstas. Nô his lîf-gedâl
sârlîc þûhte secga ænegum,
þâra þe tîr-leáses trode sceáwode,
845 hû he wêrig-môd on weg þanon,
nîða ofercumen, on nicera mere
fæge and geflýmed feorh-lâstas bär.
Þær wäs on blôde brim weallende,
atol ýða geswing eal gemenged
850 hâtan heolfre, heoro-dreóre weól;
deáð-fæge deóg, siððan dreáma leás
in fen-freoðo feorh âlegde
hæðene sâwle, þær him hel onfêng.
Þanon eft gewiton eald-gesîðas,
855 swylce geong manig of gomen-wâðe,
fram mere môdge, mearum rîdan,
beornas on blancum. Þær wäs Beówulfes
mærðo mæned; monig oft gecwäð,
þätte sûð ne norð be sæm tweonum
860 ofer eormen-grund ôðer nænig
under swegles begong sêlra nære
rond-häbbendra, rîces wyrðra.
Ne hie hûru wine-drihten wiht ne lôgon,
glädne Hrôðgâr, ac þät wäs gôd cyning.
865 Hwîlum heaðo-rôfe hleápan lêton,
on geflît faran fealwe mearas,
þær him fold-wegas fägere þûhton,
cystum cûðe; hwîlum cyninges þegn,
guma gilp-hläden gidda gemyndig,
870 se þe eal-fela eald-gesegena
worn gemunde, word ôðer fand
sôðe gebunden: secg eft ongan
sîð Beówulfes snyttrum styrian
and on spêd wrecan spel gerâde,
875 wordum wrixlan, wel-hwylc gecwäð,
þät he fram Sigemunde secgan hýrde,
ellen-dædum, uncûðes fela,
Wälsinges gewin, wîde sîðas,
þâra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne wiston,
880 fæhðe and fyrene, bûton Fitela mid hine,
þonne he swylces hwät secgan wolde
eám his nefan, swâ hie â wæron
ät nîða gehwâm nýd-gesteallan:
häfdon eal-fela eotena cynnes
885 sweordum gesæged. Sigemunde gesprong
äfter deáð-däge dôm unlýtel,
syððan wîges heard wyrm âcwealde,
hordes hyrde; he under hârne stân,
äðelinges bearn, âna genêðde
890 frêcne dæde; ne wäs him Fitela mid.
Hwäðre him gesælde, þät þät swurd þurhwôd
wrätlîcne wyrm, þät hit on wealle ätstôd,
dryhtlîc îren; draca morðre swealt.
Häfde aglæca elne gegongen,
895 þät he beáh-hordes brûcan môste
selfes dôme: sæ-bât gehlôd,
bär on bearm scipes beorhte frätwa,
Wälses eafera; wyrm hât gemealt.
Se wäs wreccena wîde mærost
900 ofer wer-þeóde, wîgendra hleó
ellen-dædum: he þäs âron þâh.
Siððan Heremôdes hild sweðrode
eafoð and ellen. He mid eotenum wearð
on feónda geweald forð forlâcen,
905 snûde forsended. Hine sorh-wylmas
lemede tô lange, he his leódum wearð,
eallum äðelingum tô aldor-ceare;
swylce oft bemearn ærran mælum
swîð-ferhðes sîð snotor ceorl monig,
910 se þe him bealwa tô bôte gelýfde,
þät þät þeódnes bearn geþeón scolde,
fäder-äðelum onfôn, folc gehealdan,
hord and hleó-burh, häleða rîce,
êðel Scyldinga. He þær eallum wearð,
915 mæg Higelâces manna cynne,
freóndum gefägra; hine fyren onwôd.
Hwîlum flîtende fealwe stræte
mearum mæton. Þâ wäs morgen-leóht
scofen and scynded. Eode scealc monig
920 swîð-hicgende tô sele þam heán,
searo-wundor seón, swylce self cyning,
of brýd-bûre beáh-horda weard,
tryddode tîr-fäst getrume micle,
cystum gecýðed, and his cwên mid him
925 medo-stîg gemät mägða hôse.
XV. HROTHGAR'S GRATULATION.
Hrôðgâr maðelode (he tô healle geóng,
stôd on stapole, geseah steápne hrôf
golde fâhne and Grendles hond):
"þisse ansýne al-wealdan þanc
930 "lungre gelimpe! Fela ic lâðes gebâd,
"grynna ät Grendle: â mäg god wyrcan
"wunder äfter wundre, wuldres hyrde!
"Þät wäs ungeâra, þät ic ænigra me
"weána ne wênde tô wîdan feore
935 "bôte gebîdan þonne blôde fâh
"hûsa sêlest heoro-dreórig stôd;
"weá wîd-scofen witena gehwylcne
"þâra þe ne wêndon, þät hie wîde-ferhð
"leóda land-geweorc lâðum beweredon
940 "scuccum and scinnum. Nu scealc hafað
"þurh drihtnes miht dæd gefremede,
"þe we ealle ær ne meahton
"snyttrum besyrwan. Hwät! þät secgan mäg
"efne swâ hwylc mägða, swâ þone magan cende
945 "äfter gum-cynnum, gyf heó gyt lyfað,
"þät hyre eald-metod êste wære
"bearn-gebyrdo. Nu ic Beówulf
"þec, secg betsta, me for sunu wylle
"freógan on ferhðe; heald forð tela
950 "niwe sibbe. Ne bið þe nænigra gâd
"worolde wilna, þe ic geweald häbbe.
"Ful-oft ic for lässan leán teohhode
"hord-weorðunge hnâhran rince,
"sæmran ät säcce. Þu þe self hafast
955 "dædum gefremed, þät þîn dôm lyfað
"âwâ tô aldre. Alwalda þec
"gôde forgylde, swâ he nu gyt dyde!"
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"We þät ellen-weorc êstum miclum,
960 "feohtan fremedon, frêcne genêðdon
"eafoð uncûðes; ûðe ic swîðor,
"þät þu hinc selfne geseón môste,
"feónd on frätewum fyl-wêrigne!
"Ic hine hrädlîce heardan clammum
965 "on wäl-bedde wrîðan þôhte,
"þät he for mund-gripe mînum scolde
"licgean lîf-bysig, bûtan his lîc swice;
"ic hine ne mihte, þâ metod nolde,
"ganges getwæman, nô ic him þäs georne ätfealh,
970 "feorh-genîðlan; wäs tô fore-mihtig
"feónd on fêðe. Hwäðere he his folme forlêt
"tô lîf-wraðe lâst weardian,
"earm and eaxle; nô þær ænige swâ þeáh
"feá-sceaft guma frôfre gebohte:
975 "nô þý leng leofað lâð-geteóna
"synnum geswenced, ac hyne sâr hafað
"in nýd-gripe nearwe befongen,
"balwon bendum: þær âbîdan sceal
"maga mâne fâh miclan dômes,
980 "hû him scîr metod scrîfan wille."
Þâ wäs swîgra secg, sunu Ecglâfes,
on gylp-spræce gûð-geweorca,
siððan äðelingas eorles cräfte
ofer heáhne hrôf hand sceáwedon,
985 feóndes fingras, foran æghwylc;
wäs stêde nägla gehwylc, stýle gelîcost,
hæðenes hand-sporu hilde-rinces
egle unheóru; æg-hwylc gecwäð,
þät him heardra nân hrînan wolde
990 îren ær-gôd, þät þäs ahlæcan
blôdge beadu-folme onberan wolde.
XVI. THE BANQUET AND THE GIFTS.
Þâ wäs hâten hreðe Heort innan-weard
folmum gefrätwod: fela þæra wäs
wera and wîfa, þe þät wîn-reced,
995 gest-sele gyredon. Gold-fâg scinon
web äfter wagum, wundor-sióna fela
secga gehwylcum þâra þe on swylc starað
Wäs þät beorhte bold tôbrocen swîðe
eal inne-weard îren-bendum fäst,
1000 heorras tôhlidene; hrôf âna genäs
ealles ansund, þâ se aglæca
fyren-dædum fâg on fleám gewand,
aldres or-wêna. Nô þät ýðe byð
tô befleónne (fremme se þe wille!)
1005 ac gesacan sceal sâwl-berendra
nýde genýdde niðða bearna
grund-bûendra gearwe stôwe,
þær his lîc-homa leger-bedde fäst
swefeð äfter symle. Þâ wäs sæl and mæl,
1010 þät tô healle gang Healfdenes sunu;
wolde self cyning symbel þicgan.
Ne gefrägen ic þâ mægðe mâran weorode
ymb hyra sinc-gyfan sêl gebæran.
Bugon þâ tô bence blæd-âgende,
1015 fylle gefægon. Fägere geþægon
medo-ful manig mâgas + þâra
swîð-hicgende on sele þam heán,
Hrôðgâr and Hrôðulf. Heorot innan wäs
freóndum âfylled; nalles fâcen-stafas
1020 Þeód-Scyldingas þenden fremedon.
Forgeaf þâ Beówulfe bearn Healfdenes
segen gyldenne sigores tô leáne,
hroden hilte-cumbor, helm and byrnan;
mære mâððum-sweord manige gesâwon
1025 beforan beorn beran. Beówulf geþah
ful on flette; nô he þære feoh-gyfte
for sceótendum scamigan þorfte,
ne gefrägn ic freóndlîcor feówer mâdmas
golde gegyrede gum-manna fela
1030 in ealo-bence ôðrum gesellan.
Ymb þäs helmes hrôf heáfod-beorge
wîrum bewunden walan ûtan heóld,
þät him fêla lâfe frêcne ne meahton
scûr-heard sceððan, þonne scyld-freca
1035 ongeán gramum gangan scolde.
Hêht þâ eorla hleó eahta mearas,
fäted-hleóre, on flet teón
in under eoderas; þâra ânum stôd
sadol searwum fâh since gewurðad,
1040 þät wäs hilde-setl heáh-cyninges,
þonne sweorda gelâc sunu Healfdenes
efnan wolde; næfre on ôre läg
wîd-cûðes wîg, þonne walu feóllon.
And þâ Beówulfe bega gehwäðres
1045 eodor Ingwina onweald geteáh,
wicga and wæpna; hêt hine wel brûcan.
Swâ manlîce mære þeóden,
hord-weard häleða heaðo-ræsas geald
mearum and mâdmum, swâ hý næfre man lyhð,
1050 se þe secgan wile sôð äfter rihte.
XVII. SONG OF HROTHGAR'S POET--THE LAY OF HNAEF AND HENGEST.
Þâ gyt æghwylcum eorla drihten
þâra þe mid Beówulfe brim-lâde teáh,
on þære medu-bence mâððum gesealde,
yrfe-lâfe, and þone ænne hêht
1055 golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ær
mâne âcwealde, swâ he hyra mâ wolde,
nefne him witig god wyrd forstôde
and þäs mannes môd: metod eallum weóld
gumena cynnes, swâ he nu git dêð;
1060 forþan bið andgit æghwær sêlest,
ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebîdan
leófes and lâðes, se þe longe her
on þyssum win-dagum worolde brûceð.
Þær wäs sang and swêg samod ätgädere
1065 fore Healfdenes hilde-wîsan,
gomen-wudu grêted, gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamen Hrôðgâres scôp
äfter medo-bence mænan scolde
Finnes eaferum, þâ hie se fær begeat:
1070 "Häleð Healfdenes, Hnäf Scyldinga,
"in Fr..es wäle feallan scolde.
"Ne hûru Hildeburh hêrian þorfte
"Eotena treówe: unsynnum wearð
"beloren leófum ät þam lind-plegan
1075 "bearnum and brôðrum; hie on gebyrd hruron
"gâre wunde; þät wäs geômuru ides.
"Nalles hôlinga Hôces dôhtor
"meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen com,
"þâ heó under swegle geseón meahte
1080 "morðor-bealo mâga, þær heó ær mæste heóld
"worolde wynne: wîg ealle fornam
"Finnes þegnas, nemne feáum ânum,
"þät he ne mehte on þäm meðel-stede
"wîg Hengeste wiht gefeohtan,
1085 "ne þâ weá-lâfe wîge forþringan
"þeódnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon,
"þät hie him ôðer flet eal gerýmdon,
"healle and heáh-setl, þät hie healfre geweald
"wið Eotena bearn âgan môston,
1090 "and ät feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu
"dôgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,
"Hengestes heáp hringum wenede,
"efne swâ swîðe sinc-gestreónum
"fättan goldes, swâ he Fresena cyn
1095 "on beór-sele byldan wolde.
"Þâ hie getrûwedon on twâ healfa
"fäste frioðu-wære; Fin Hengeste
"elne unflitme âðum benemde,
"þät he þâ weá-lâfe weotena dôme
1100 "ârum heolde, þät þær ænig mon
"wordum ne worcum wære ne bræce,
"ne þurh inwit-searo æfre gemænden,
"þeáh hie hira beág-gyfan banan folgedon
"þeóden-leáse, þâ him swâ geþearfod wäs:
1105 "gyf þonne Frysna hwylc frêcnan spræce
"þäs morðor-hetes myndgiend wære,
"þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.
"Âð wäs geäfned and icge gold
"âhäfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga
1110 "betst beado-rinca wäs on bæl gearu;
"ät þäm âde wäs êð-gesýne
"swât-fâh syrce, swýn eal-gylden,
"eofer îren-heard, äðeling manig
"wundum âwyrded; sume on wäle crungon.
1115 "Hêt þâ Hildeburh ät Hnäfes âde
"hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befästan,
"bân-fatu bärnan and on bæl dôn.
"Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
"geômrode giddum; gûð-rinc âstâh.
1120 "Wand tô wolcnum wäl-fýra mæst,
"hlynode for hlâwe; hafelan multon,
"ben-geato burston, þonne blôd ätspranc
"lâð-bite lîces. Lîg ealle forswealg,
"gæsta gîfrost, þâra þe þær gûð fornam
1125 "bega folces; wäs hira blæd scacen.
XVIII. THE GLEEMAN'S TALE IS ENDED.
"Gewiton him þâ wîgend wîca neósian,
"freóndum befeallen Frysland geseón,
"hâmas and heá-burh. Hengest þâ gyt
"wäl-fâgne winter wunode mid Finne
1130 "ealles unhlitme; eard gemunde,
"þeáh þe he ne meahte on mere drîfan
"hringed-stefnan; holm storme weól,
"won wið winde; winter ýðe beleác
"îs-gebinde ôð þät ôðer com
1135 "geâr in geardas, swâ nu gyt dêð,
"þâ þe syngales sêle bewitiað,
"wuldor-torhtan weder. Þâ wäs winter scacen,
"fäger foldan bearm; fundode wrecca,
"gist of geardum; he tô gyrn-wräce
1140 "swîðor þôhte, þonne tô sæ-lâde,
"gif he torn-gemôt þurhteón mihte,
"þät he Eotena bearn inne gemunde.
"Swâ he ne forwyrnde worold-rædenne,
"þonne him Hûnlâfing hilde-leóman,
1145 "billa sêlest, on bearm dyde:
"þäs wæron mid Eotenum ecge cûðe.
"Swylce ferhð-frecan Fin eft begeat
"sweord-bealo slîðen ät his selfes hâm,
"siððan grimne gripe Gûðlaf ond Ôslâf
1150 "äfter sæ-siðe sorge mændon,
"ätwiton weána dæl; ne meahte wäfre môd
"forhabban in hreðre. Þâ wäs heal hroden
"feónda feorum, swilce Fin slägen,
"cyning on corðre, and seó cwên numen.
1155 "Sceótend Scyldinga tô scypum feredon
"eal in-gesteald eorð-cyninges,
"swylce hie ät Finnes hâm findan meahton
"sigla searo-gimma. Hie on sæ-lâde
"drihtlîce wîf tô Denum feredon,
1160 "læddon tô leódum." Leóð wäs âsungen,
gleó-mannes gyd. Gamen eft âstâh,
beorhtode benc-swêg, byrelas sealdon
wîn of wunder-fatum. Þâ cwom Wealhþeó forð
gân under gyldnum beáge, þær þâ gôdan twegen
1165 sæton suhter-gefäderan; þâ gyt wäs hiera sib ätgädere
æghwylc ôðrum trýwe. Swylce þær Ûnferð þyle
ät fôtum sät freán Scyldinga: gehwylc hiora his ferhðe treówde,
þät he häfde môd micel, þeáh þe he his mâgum nære
ârfäst ät ecga gelâcum. Spräc þâ ides Scyldinga:
1170 "Onfôh þissum fulle, freó-drihten mîn,
"sinces brytta; þu on sælum wes,
"gold-wine gumena, and tô Geátum sprec
"mildum wordum! Swâ sceal man dôn.
"Beó wið Geátas gläd, geofena gemyndig;
1175 "neán and feorran þu nu friðu hafast.
"Me man sägde, þät þu þe for sunu wolde
"here-rinc habban. Heorot is gefælsod,
"beáh-sele beorhta; brûc þenden þu môte
"manigra mêda and þînum mâgum læf
1180 "folc and rîce, þonne þu forð scyle
"metod-sceaft seón. Ic mînne can
"glädne Hrôðulf, þät he þâ geogoðe wile
"ârum healdan, gyf þu ær þonne he,
"wine Scildinga, worold oflætest;
1185 "wêne ic, þät he mid gôde gyldan wille
"uncran eaferan, gif he þät eal gemon,
"hwät wit tô willan and tô worð-myndum
"umbor wesendum ær ârna gefremedon."
Hwearf þâ bî bence, þær hyre byre wæron,
1190 Hrêðrîc and Hrôðmund, and häleða bearn,
giogoð ätgädere; þær se gôda sät
Beówulf Geáta be þæm gebrôðrum twæm.
XIX. BEÓWULF'S JEWELLED COLLAR. THE HEROES REST.
Him wäs ful boren and freónd-laðu
wordum bewägned and wunden gold
1195 êstum geeáwed, earm-hreáde twâ,
hrägl and hringas, heals-beága mæst
þâra þe ic on foldan gefrägen häbbe.
Nænigne ic under swegle sêlran hýrde
hord-mâððum häleða, syððan Hâma ätwäg
1200 tô þære byrhtan byrig Brosinga mene,
sigle and sinc-fät, searo-nîðas fealh
Eormenrîces, geceás êcne ræd.
Þone hring häfde Higelâc Geáta,
nefa Swertinges, nýhstan sîðe,
1205 siððan he under segne sinc ealgode,
wäl-reáf werede; hyne Wyrd fornam,
syððan he for wlenco weán âhsode,
fæhðe tô Frysum; he þâ frätwe wäg,
eorclan-stânas ofer ýða ful,
1210 rîce þeóden, he under rande gecranc;
gehwearf þâ in Francna fäðm feorh cyninges,
breóst-gewædu and se beáh somod:
wyrsan wîg-frecan wäl reáfedon
äfter gûð-sceare, Geáta leóde
1215 hreâ-wîc heóldon. Heal swêge onfêng.
Wealhþeó maðelode, heó fore þäm werede spräc:
"Brûc þisses beáges, Beówulf, leófa
"hyse, mid hæle, and þisses hrägles neót
"þeód-gestreóna, and geþeóh tela,
1220 "cen þec mid cräfte and þyssum cnyhtum wes
"lâra lîðe! ic þe þäs leán geman.
"Hafast þu gefêred, þät þe feor and neáh
"ealne wîde-ferhð weras ehtigað,
"efne swâ sîde swâ sæ bebûgeð
1225 "windige weallas. Wes, þenden þu lifige,
"äðeling eádig! ic þe an tela
"sinc-gestreóna. Beó þu suna mînum
"dædum gedêfe dreám healdende!
"Her is æghwylc eorl ôðrum getrýwe,
1230 "môdes milde, man-drihtne hold,
"þegnas syndon geþwære, þeód eal gearo:
"druncne dryht-guman, dôð swâ ic bidde!"
Eode þâ tô setle. Þær wäs symbla cyst,
druncon wîn weras: wyrd ne cûðon,
1235 geó-sceaft grimme, swâ hit âgangen wearð
eorla manegum, syððan æfen cwom
and him Hrôðgâr gewât tô hofe sînum,
rîce tô räste. Reced weardode
unrîm eorla, swâ hie oft ær dydon:
1240 benc-þelu beredon, hit geond-bræded wearð
beddum and bolstrum. Beór-scealca sum
fûs and fæge flet-räste gebeág.
Setton him tô heáfdum hilde-randas,
bord-wudu beorhtan; þær on bence wäs
1245 ofer äðelinge ýð-gesêne
heaðo-steápa helm, hringed byrne,
þrec-wudu þrymlîc. Wäs þeáw hyra,
þät hie oft wæron an wîg gearwe,
ge ät hâm ge on herge, ge gehwäðer þâra
1250 efne swylce mæla, swylce hira man-dryhtne
þearf gesælde; wäs seó þeód tilu.
XX. GRENDEL'S MOTHER ATTACKS THE RING-DANES.
Sigon þâ tô slæpe. Sum sâre angeald
æfen-räste, swâ him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-sele Grendel warode,
1255 unriht äfnde, ôð þät ende becwom,
swylt äfter synnum. Þät gesýne wearð,
wîd-cûð werum, þätte wrecend þâ gyt
lifde äfter lâðum, lange þrage
äfter gûð-ceare; Grendles môdor,
1260 ides aglæc-wîf yrmðe gemunde,
se þe wäter-egesan wunian scolde,
cealde streámas, siððan Cain wearð
tô ecg-banan ângan brêðer,
fäderen-mæge; he þâ fâg gewât,
1265 morðre gemearcod man-dreám fleón,
wêsten warode. Þanon wôc fela
geósceaft-gâsta; wäs þæra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelîc, se ät Heorote fand
wäccendne wer wîges bîdan,
1270 þær him aglæca ät-græpe wearð;
hwäðre he gemunde mägenes strenge,
gim-fäste gife, þe him god sealde,
and him tô anwaldan âre gelýfde,
frôfre and fultum: þý he þone feónd ofercwom,
1275 gehnægde helle gâst: þâ he heán gewât,
dreáme bedæled deáð-wîc seón,
man-cynnes feónd. And his môdor þâ gyt
gîfre and galg-môd gegân wolde
sorh-fulne sîð, suna deáð wrecan.
1280 Com þâ tô Heorote, þær Hring-Dene
geond þät säld swæfun. Þâ þær sôna wearð
ed-hwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh
Grendles môdor; wäs se gryre lässa
efne swâ micle, swâ bið mägða cräft,
1285 wîg-gryre wîfes be wæpned-men,
þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,
sweord swâte fâh swîn ofer helme,
ecgum dyhtig andweard scireð.
Þâ wäs on healle heard-ecg togen,
1290 sweord ofer setlum, sîd-rand manig
hafen handa fäst; helm ne gemunde,
byrnan sîde, þe hine se brôga angeat.
Heó wäs on ôfste, wolde ût þanon
feore beorgan, þâ heó onfunden wäs;
1295 hraðe heó äðelinga ânne häfde
fäste befangen, þâ heó tô fenne gang;
se wäs Hrôðgâre häleða leófost
on gesîðes hâd be sæm tweonum,
rîce rand-wîga, þone þe heó on räste âbreát,
1300 blæd-fästne beorn. Näs Beówulf þær,
ac wäs ôðer in ær geteohhod
äfter mâððum-gife mærum Geáte.
Hreám wearð on Heorote. Heó under heolfre genam
cûðe folme; cearu wäs geniwod
1305 geworden in wîcum: ne wäs þät gewrixle til,
þät hie on bâ healfa bicgan scoldon
freónda feorum. Þâ wäs frôd cyning,
hâr hilde-rinc, on hreón môde,
syððan he aldor-þegn unlyfigendne,
1310 þone deórestan deádne wisse.
Hraðe wäs tô bûre Beówulf fetod,
sigor-eádig secg. Samod ær-däge
eode eorla sum, äðele cempa
self mid gesîðum, þær se snottra bâd,
1315 hwäðre him al-walda æfre wille
äfter weá-spelle wyrpe gefremman.
Gang þâ äfter flôre fyrd-wyrðe man
mid his hand-scale (heal-wudu dynede)
þät he þone wîsan wordum hnægde
1320 freán Ingwina; frägn gif him wære
äfter neód-laðu niht getæse.
XXI. SORROW AT HEOROT: ÆSCHERE'S DEATH.
Hrôðgâr maðelode, helm Scildinga:
"Ne frin þu äfter sælum! Sorh is geniwod
"Denigea leódum. Deád is Äsc-here,
1325 "Yrmenlâfes yldra brôðor,
"mîn rûn-wita and mîn ræd-bora,
"eaxl-gestealla, þonne we on orlege
"hafelan weredon, þonne hniton fêðan,
"eoferas cnysedan; swylc scolde eorl wesan
1330 "äðeling ær-gôd, swylc Äsc-here wäs.
"Wearð him on Heorote tô hand-banan
"wäl-gæst wäfre; ic ne wât hwäder
"atol æse wlanc eft-sîðas teáh,
"fylle gefrægnod. Heó þâ fæhðe wräc,
1335 "þe þu gystran niht Grendel cwealdest
"þurh hæstne hâd heardum clammum,
"forþan he tô lange leóde mîne
"wanode and wyrde. He ät wîge gecrang
"ealdres scyldig, and nu ôðer cwom
1340 "mihtig mân-scaða, wolde hyre mæg wrecan,
"ge feor hafað fæhðe gestæled,
"þäs þe þincean mäg þegne monegum,
"se þe äfter sinc-gyfan on sefan greóteð,
"hreðer-bealo hearde; nu seó hand ligeð,
1345 "se þe eów wel-hwylcra wilna dohte.
"Ic þät lond-bûend leóde mîne
"sele-rædende secgan hýrde,
"þät hie gesâwon swylce twegen
"micle mearc-stapan môras healdan,
1350 "ellor-gæstas: þæra ôðer wäs,
"þäs þe hie gewislîcost gewitan meahton,
"idese onlîcnes, ôðer earm-sceapen
"on weres wästmum wräc-lâstas träd,
"näfne he wäs mâra þonne ænig man ôðer,
1355 "þone on geâr-dagum Grendel nemdon
"fold-bûende: nô hie fäder cunnon,
"hwäðer him ænig wäs ær âcenned
"dyrnra gâsta. Hie dýgel lond
"warigeað, wulf-hleoðu, windige nässas,
1360 "frêcne fen-gelâd, þær fyrgen-streám
"under nässa genipu niðer gewîteð,
"flôd under foldan; nis þät feor heonon
"mîl-gemearces, þät se mere standeð,
"ofer þäm hongiað hrîmge bearwas,
1365 "wudu wyrtum fäst, wäter oferhelmað.
"Þær mäg nihta gehwæm nîð-wundor seón,
"fýr on flôde; nô þäs frôd leofað
"gumena bearna, þät þone grund wite;
"þeáh þe hæð-stapa hundum geswenced,
1370 "heorot hornum trum holt-wudu sêce,
"feorran geflýmed, ær he feorh seleð,
"aldor on ôfre, ær he in wille,
"hafelan hýdan. Nis þät heóru stôw:
"þonon ýð-geblond up âstîgeð
1375 "won tô wolcnum, þonne wind styreð
"lâð gewidru, ôð þät lyft drysmað,
"roderas reótað. Nu is ræd gelang
"eft ät þe ânum! Eard git ne const,
"frêcne stôwe, þær þu findan miht
1380 "sinnigne secg: sêc gif þu dyrre!
"Ic þe þâ fæhðe feó leánige,
"eald-gestreónum, swâ ic ær dyde,
"wundnum golde, gyf þu on weg cymest."
XXII. BEÓWULF SEEKS THE MONSTER IN THE HAUNTS OF THE NIXIES.
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
1385 "Ne sorga, snotor guma! sêlre bið æghwæm,
"þät he his freónd wrece, þonne he fela murne;
"ûre æghwylc sceal ende gebîdan
"worolde lîfes; wyrce se þe môte
"dômes ær deáðe! þät bið driht-guman
1390 "unlifgendum äfter sêlest.
"Ârîs, rîces weard; uton hraðe fêran,
"Grendles mâgan gang sceáwigan!
"Ic hit þe gehâte: nô he on helm losað,
"ne on foldan fäðm, ne on fyrgen-holt,
1395 "ne on gyfenes grund, gâ þær he wille.
"Þys dôgor þu geþyld hafa
"weána gehwylces, swâ ic þe wêne tô!"
Âhleóp þâ se gomela, gode þancode,
mihtigan drihtne, þäs se man gespräc.
1400 Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre hors gebæted,
wicg wunden-feax. Wîsa fengel
geatolîc gengde; gum-fêða stôp
lind-häbbendra. Lâstas wæron
äfter wald-swaðum wîde gesýne,
1405 gang ofer grundas; gegnum fôr þâ
ofer myrcan môr, mago-þegna bär
þone sêlestan sâwol-leásne,
þâra þe mid Hrôðgâre hâm eahtode.
Ofer-eode þâ äðelinga bearn
1410 steáp stân-hliðo, stîge nearwe,
enge ân-paðas, un-cûð gelâd,
neowle nässas, nicor-hûsa fela;
he feára sum beforan gengde
wîsra monna, wong sceáwian,
1415 ôð þät he færinga fyrgen-beámas
ofer hârne stân hleonian funde,
wyn-leásne wudu; wäter under stôd
dreórig and gedrêfed. Denum eallum wäs,
winum Scyldinga, weorce on môde,
1420 tô geþolianne þegne monegum,
oncýð eorla gehwæm, syððan Äsc-heres
on þam holm-clife hafelan mêtton.
Flôd blôde weól (folc tô sægon)
hâtan heolfre. Horn stundum song
1425 fûslîc fyrd-leóð. Fêða eal gesät;
gesâwon þâ äfter wätere wyrm-cynnes fela,
sellîce sæ-dracan sund cunnian,
swylce on näs-hleoðum nicras licgean,
þâ on undern-mæl oft bewitigað
1430 sorh-fulne sîð on segl-râde,
wyrmas and wil-deór; hie on weg hruron
bitere and gebolgne, bearhtm ongeâton,
gûð-horn galan. Sumne Geáta leód
of flân-bogan feores getwæfde,
1435 ýð-gewinnes, þät him on aldre stôd
here-stræl hearda; he on holme wäs
sundes þe sænra, þe hyne swylt fornam.
Hräðe wearð on ýðum mid eofer-spreótum
heoro-hôcyhtum hearde genearwod,
1440 nîða genæged and on näs togen
wundorlîc wæg-bora; weras sceáwedon
gryrelîcne gist. Gyrede hine Beówulf
eorl-gewædum, nalles for ealdre mearn:
scolde here-byrne hondum gebroden,
1445 sîd and searo-fâh, sund cunnian,
seó þe bân-côfan beorgan cûðe,
þät him hilde-grâp hreðre ne mihte,
eorres inwit-feng, aldre gesceððan;
ac se hwîta helm hafelan werede,
1450 se þe mere-grundas mengan scolde,
sêcan sund-gebland since geweorðad,
befongen freá-wrâsnum, swâ hine fyrn-dagum
worhte wæpna smið, wundrum teóde,
besette swîn-lîcum, þät hine syððan nô
1455 brond ne beado-mêcas bîtan ne meahton.
Näs þät þonne mætost mägen-fultuma,
þät him on þearfe lâh þyle Hrôðgâres;
wäs þäm häft-mêce Hrunting nama,
þät wäs ân foran eald-gestreóna;
1460 ecg wäs îren âter-teárum fâh,
âhyrded heaðo-swâte; næfre hit ät hilde ne swâc
manna ængum þâra þe hit mid mundum bewand,
se þe gryre-sîðas gegân dorste,
folc-stede fâra; näs þät forma sîð,
1465 þät hit ellen-weorc äfnan scolde.
Hûru ne gemunde mago Ecglâfes
eafoðes cräftig, þät he ær gespräc
wîne druncen, þâ he þäs wæpnes onlâh
sêlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste
1470 under ýða gewin aldre genêðan,
driht-scype dreógan; þær he dôme forleás,
ellen-mærðum. Ne wäs þäm ôðrum swâ,
syððan he hine tô gûðe gegyred häfde.
XXIII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER-DRAKE.
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
1475 "geþenc nu, se mæra maga Healfdenes,
"snottra fengel, nu ic eom sîðes fûs,
"gold-wine gumena, hwät wit geó spræcon,
"gif ic ät þearfe þînre scolde
"aldre linnan, þät þu me â wære
1480 "forð-gewitenum on fäder stäle;
"wes þu mund-bora mînum mago-þegnum,
"hond-gesellum, gif mec hild nime:
"swylce þu þâ mâdmas, þe þu me sealdest,
"Hrôðgâr leófa, Higelâce onsend.
1485 "Mäg þonne on þäm golde ongitan Geáta dryhten,
"geseón sunu Hrêðles, þonne he on þät sinc starað,
"þät ic gum-cystum gôdne funde
"beága bryttan, breác þonne môste.
"And þu Ûnferð læt ealde lâfe,
1490 "wrätlîc wæg-sweord wîd-cûðne man
"heard-ecg habban; ic me mid Hruntinge
"dôm gewyrce, oððe mec deáð nimeð."
Äfter þæm wordum Weder-Geáta leód
êfste mid elne, nalas andsware
1495 bîdan wolde; brim-wylm onfêng
hilde-rince. Þâ wäs hwîl däges,
ær he þone grund-wong ongytan mehte.
Sôna þät onfunde, se þe flôda begong
heoro-gîfre beheóld hund missera,
1500 grim and grædig, þät þær gumena sum
äl-wihta eard ufan cunnode.
Grâp þâ tôgeánes, gûð-rinc gefêng
atolan clommum; nô þý ær in gescôd
hâlan lîce: hring ûtan ymb-bearh,
1505 þät heó þone fyrd-hom þurh-fôn ne mihte,
locene leoðo-syrcan lâðan fingrum.
Bär þâ seó brim-wylf, þâ heó tô botme com,
hringa þengel tô hofe sînum,
swâ he ne mihte nô (he þäs môdig wäs)
1510 wæpna gewealdan, ac hine wundra þäs fela
swencte on sunde, sæ-deór monig
hilde-tuxum here-syrcan bräc,
êhton aglæcan. Þâ se eorl ongeat,
þät he in nið-sele nât-hwylcum wäs,
1515 þær him nænig wäter wihte ne sceðede,
ne him for hrôf-sele hrînan ne mehte
fær-gripe flôdes: fýr-leóht geseah,
blâcne leóman beorhte scînan.
Ongeat þâ se gôda grund-wyrgenne,
1520 mere-wîf mihtig; mägen-ræs forgeaf
hilde-bille, hond swenge ne ofteáh,
þät hire on hafelan hring-mæl âgôl
grædig gûð-leóð. Þâ se gist onfand,
þät se beado-leóma bîtan nolde,
1525 aldre sceððan, ac seó ecg geswâc
þeódne ät þearfe: þolode ær fela
hond-gemôta, helm oft gescär,
fæges fyrd-hrägl: þät wäs forma sîð
deórum mâðme, þät his dôm âläg.
1530 Eft wäs ân-ræd, nalas elnes lät,
mærða gemyndig mæg Hygelâces;
wearp þâ wunden-mæl wrättum gebunden
yrre oretta, þät hit on eorðan läg,
stîð and stýl-ecg; strenge getrûwode,
1535 mund-gripe mägenes. Swâ sceal man dôn,
þonne he ät gûðe gegân þenceð
longsumne lof, nâ ymb his lîf cearað.
Gefêng þâ be eaxle (nalas for fæhðe mearn)
Gûð-Geáta leód Grendles môdor;
1540 brägd þâ beadwe heard, þâ he gebolgen wäs,
feorh-genîðlan, þät heó on flet gebeáh.
Heó him eft hraðe and-leán forgeald
grimman grâpum and him tôgeánes fêng;
oferwearp þâ wêrig-môd wîgena strengest,
1545 fêðe-cempa, þät he on fylle wearð.
Ofsät þâ þone sele-gyst and hyre seaxe geteáh,
brâd and brûn-ecg wolde hire bearn wrecan,
ângan eaferan. Him on eaxle läg
breóst-net broden; þät gebearh feore,
1550 wið ord and wið ecge ingang forstôd.
Häfde þâ forsîðod sunu Ecgþeówes
under gynne grund, Geáta cempa,
nemne him heaðo-byrne helpe gefremede,
here-net hearde, and hâlig god
1555 geweóld wîg-sigor, witig drihten;
rodera rædend hit on ryht gescêd,
ýðelîce syððan he eft âstôd.
XXIV. BEÓWULF SLAYS THE SPRITE.
Geseah þâ on searwum sige-eádig bil,
eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þyhtig,
1560 wîgena weorð-mynd: þät wäs wæpna cyst,
bûton hit wäs mâre þonne ænig mon ôðer
tô beadu-lâce ätberan meahte
gôd and geatolîc giganta geweorc.
He gefêng þâ fetel-hilt, freca Scildinga,
1565 hreóh and heoro-grim hring-mæl gebrägd,
aldres orwêna, yrringa slôh,
þät hire wið halse heard grâpode,
bân-hringas bräc, bil eal þurh-wôd
fægne flæsc-homan, heó on flet gecrong;
1570 sweord wäs swâtig, secg weorce gefeh.
Lixte se leóma, leóht inne stôd,
efne swâ of hefene hâdre scîneð
rodores candel. He äfter recede wlât,
hwearf þâ be wealle, wæpen hafenade
1575 heard be hiltum Higelâces þegn,
yrre and ân-ræd. Näs seó ecg fracod
hilde-rince, ac he hraðe wolde
Grendle forgyldan gûð-ræsa fela
þâra þe he geworhte tô West-Denum
1580 oftor micle þonne on ænne sîð,
þonne he Hrôðgâres heorð-geneátas
slôh on sweofote, slæpende frät
folces Denigea fýf-tyne men
and ôðer swylc ût of-ferede,
1585 lâðlîcu lâc. He him þäs leán forgeald,
rêðe cempa, tô þäs þe he on räste geseah
gûð-wêrigne Grendel licgan,
aldor-leásne, swâ him ær gescôd
hild ät Heorote; hrâ wîde sprong,
1590 syððan he äfter deáðe drepe þrowade,
heoro-sweng heardne, and hine þâ heáfde becearf,
Sôna þät gesâwon snottre ceorlas,
þâ þe mid Hrôðgâre on holm wliton,
þät wäs ýð-geblond eal gemenged,
1595 brim blôde fâh: blonden-feaxe
gomele ymb gôdne ongeador spræcon,
þät hig þäs äðelinges eft ne wêndon,
þät he sige-hrêðig sêcean côme
mærne þeóden; þâ þäs monige gewearð,
1600 þät hine seó brim-wylf âbroten häfde.
Þâ com nôn däges. Näs ofgeâfon
hwate Scyldingas; gewât him hâm þonon
gold-wine gumena. Gistas sêtan,
môdes seóce, and on mere staredon,
1605 wiston and ne wêndon, þät hie heora wine-drihten
selfne gesâwon. Þâ þät sweord ongan
äfter heaðo-swâte hilde-gicelum
wîg-bil wanian; þät wäs wundra sum,
þät hit eal gemealt îse gelîcost,
1610 þonne forstes bend fäder onlæteð,
onwindeð wäl-râpas, se þe geweald hafað
sæla and mæla; þät is sôð metod.
Ne nom he in þæm wîcum, Weder-Geáta leód,
mâðm-æhta mâ, þêh he þær monige geseah,
1615 bûton þone hafelan and þâ hilt somod,
since fâge; sweord ær gemealt,
forbarn broden mæl: wäs þät blôd tô þäs hât,
ættren ellor-gæst, se þær inne swealt.
Sôna wäs on sunde, se þe ær ät säcce gebâd
1620 wîg-hryre wrâðra, wäter up þurh-deáf;
wæron ýð-gebland eal gefælsod,
eácne eardas, þâ se ellor-gâst
oflêt lîf-dagas and þâs lænan gesceaft.
Com þâ tô lande lid-manna helm
1625 swîð-môd swymman, sæ-lâce gefeah,
mägen-byrðenne þâra þe he him mid häfde.
Eodon him þâ tôgeánes, gode þancodon,
þryðlîc þegna heáp, þeódnes gefêgon,
þäs þe hi hyne gesundne geseón môston.
1630 Þâ wäs of þäm hrôran helm and byrne
lungre âlýsed: lagu drusade,
wäter under wolcnum, wäl-dreóre fâg.
Fêrdon forð þonon fêðe-lâstum
ferhðum fägne, fold-weg mæton,
1635 cûðe stræte; cyning-balde men
from þäm holm-clife hafelan bæron
earfoðlîce heora æghwäðrum
fela-môdigra: feówer scoldon
on ðäm wäl-stenge weorcum geferian
1640 tô þäm gold-sele Grendles heáfod,
ôð þät semninga tô sele cômon
frome fyrd-hwate feówer-tyne
Geáta gongan; gum-dryhten mid
môdig on gemonge meodo-wongas träd.
1645 Þâ com in gân ealdor þegna,
dæd-cêne mon dôme gewurðad,
häle hilde-deór. Hrôðgâr grêtan:
Þâ wäs be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles heáfod, þær guman druncon,
1650 egeslîc for eorlum and þære idese mid:
wlite-seón wrätlîc weras onsâwon.
XXV. HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE: HE DISCOURSES.
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"Hwät! we þe þâs sæ-lâc, sunu Healfdenes,
"leód Scyldinga, lustum brôhton,
1655 "tîres tô tâcne, þe þu her tô lôcast.
"Ic þät unsôfte ealdre gedîgde:
"wîge under wätere weorc genêðde
"earfoðlîce, ät-rihte wäs
"gûð getwæfed, nymðe mec god scylde.
1660 "Ne meahte ic ät hilde mid Hruntinge
"wiht gewyrcan, þeáh þät wæpen duge,
"ac me geûðe ylda waldend,
"þät ic on wage geseah wlitig hangian
"eald sweord eácen (oftost wîsode
1665 "winigea leásum) þät ic þý wæpne gebräd.
"Ofslôh þâ ät þære säcce (þâ me sæl âgeald)
"hûses hyrdas. Þâ þät hilde-bil
"forbarn, brogden mæl, swâ þät blôd gesprang,
"hâtost heaðo-swâta: ic þät hilt þanan
1670 "feóndum ätferede; fyren-dæda wräc,
"deáð-cwealm Denigea, swâ hit gedêfe wäs.
"Ic hit þe þonne gehâte, þät þu on Heorote môst
"sorh-leás swefan mid þînra secga gedryht,
"and þegna gehwylc þînra leóda,
1675 "duguðe and iogoðe, þät þu him ondrædan ne þearft,
"þeóden Scyldinga, on þâ healfe,
"aldor-bealu eorlum, swâ þu ær dydest."
Þâ wäs gylden hilt gamelum rince.
hârum hild-fruman, on hand gyfen,
1680 enta ær-geweorc, hit on æht gehwearf
äfter deófla hryre Denigea freán,
wundor-smiða geweorc, and þâ þâs worold ofgeaf
grom-heort guma, godes andsaca,
morðres scyldig, and his môdor eác;
1685 on geweald gehwearf worold-cyninga
þäm sêlestan be sæm tweónum
þâra þe on Sceden-igge sceattas dælde.
Hrôðgâr maðelode, hylt sceáwode,
ealde lâfe, on þäm wäs ôr writen
1690 fyrn-gewinnes: syððan flôd ofslôh,
gifen geótende, giganta cyn,
frêcne gefêrdon: þät wäs fremde þeód
êcean dryhtne, him þäs ende-leán
þurh wäteres wylm waldend sealde.
1695 Swâ wäs on þæm scennum scîran goldes
þurh rûn-stafas rihte gemearcod,
geseted and gesæd, hwâm þät sweord geworht,
îrena cyst ærest wære,
wreoðen-hilt and wyrm-fâh. Þâ se wîsa spräc
1700 sunu Healfdenes (swîgedon ealle):
"Þät lâ mäg secgan, se þe sôð and riht
"fremeð on folce, (feor eal gemon
"eald êðel-weard), þät þes eorl wære
"geboren betera! Blæd is âræred
1705 "geond wîd-wegas, wine mîn Beówulf,
"þîn ofer þeóda gehwylce. Eal þu hit geþyldum healdest,
"mägen mid môdes snyttrum. Ic þe sceal mîne gelæstan
"freóde, swâ wit furðum spræcon; þu scealt tô frôfre weorðan
"eal lang-twidig leódum þînum,
1710 "häleðum tô helpe. Ne wearð Heremôd swâ
"eaforum Ecgwelan, Âr-Scyldingum;
"ne geweôx he him tô willan, ac tô wäl-fealle
"and tô deáð-cwalum Deniga leódum;
"breát bolgen-môd beód-geneátas,
1715 "eaxl-gesteallan, ôð þät he âna hwearf,
"mære þeóden. mon-dreámum from:
"þeáh þe hine mihtig god mägenes wynnum,
"eafeðum stêpte, ofer ealle men
"forð gefremede, hwäðere him on ferhðe greów
1720 "breóst-hord blôd-reów: nallas beágas geaf
"Denum äfter dôme; dreám-leás gebâd,
"þät he þäs gewinnes weorc þrowade,
"leód-bealo longsum. Þu þe lær be þon,
"gum-cyste ongit! ic þis gid be þe
1725 "âwräc wintrum frôd. Wundor is tô secganne,
"hû mihtig god manna cynne
"þurh sîdne sefan snyttru bryttað,
"eard and eorl-scipe, he âh ealra geweald.
"Hwîlum he on lufan læteð hworfan
1730 "monnes môd-geþonc mæran cynnes,
"seleð him on êðle eorðan wynne,
"tô healdanne hleó-burh wera,
"gedêð him swâ gewealdene worolde dælas,
"sîde rîce, þät he his selfa ne mäg
1735 "for his un-snyttrum ende geþencean;
"wunað he on wiste, nô hine wiht dweleð,
"âdl ne yldo, ne him inwit-sorh
"on sefan sweorceð, ne gesacu ôhwær,
"ecg-hete eóweð, ac him eal worold
1740 "wendeð on willan; he þät wyrse ne con,
"ôð þät him on innan ofer-hygda dæl
"weaxeð and wridað, þonne se weard swefeð,
"sâwele hyrde: bið se slæp tô fäst,
"bisgum gebunden, bona swîðe neáh,
1745 "se þe of flân-bogan fyrenum sceóteð.
XXVI. THE DISCOURSE IS ENDED.--BEÓWULF PREPARES TO LEAVE.
"Þonne bið on hreðre under helm drepen
"biteran stræle: him bebeorgan ne con
"wom wundor-bebodum wergan gâstes;
"þinceð him tô lytel, þät he tô lange heóld,
1750 "gýtsað grom-hydig, nallas on gylp seleð
"fätte beágas and he þâ forð-gesceaft
"forgyteð and forgýmeð, þäs þe him ær god sealde
"wuldres waldend, weorð-mynda dæl.
"Hit on ende-stäf eft gelimpeð,
1755 "þät se lîc-homa læne gedreóseð,
"fæge gefealleð; fêhð ôðer tô,
"se þe unmurnlîce mâdmas dæleð,
"eorles ær-gestreón, egesan ne gýmeð.
"Bebeorh þe þone bealo-nîð, Beówulf leófa,
1760 "secg se betsta, and þe þät sêlre geceós,
"êce rædas; oferhyda ne gým,
"mære cempa! Nu is þînes mägnes blæd
"âne hwîle; eft sôna bið,
"þät þec âdl oððe ecg eafoðes getwæfeð,
1765 "oððe fýres feng oððe flôdes wylm,
"oððe gripe mêces oððe gâres fliht,
"oððe atol yldo, oððe eágena bearhtm
"forsiteð and forsworceð; semninga bið,
"þät þec, dryht-guma, deáð oferswýðeð.
1770 "Swâ ic Hring-Dena hund missera
"weóld under wolcnum, and hig wîge beleác
"manigum mægða geond þysne middan-geard,
"äscum and ecgum, þät ic me ænigne
"under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
1775 "Hwät! me þäs on êðle edwenden cwom,
"gyrn äfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
"eald-gewinna, in-genga mîn:
"ic þære sôcne singales wäg
"môd-ceare micle. Þäs sig metode þanc,
1780 "êcean drihtne, þäs þe ic on aldre gebâd,
"þät ic on þone hafelan heoro-dreórigne
"ofer eald gewin eágum starige!
"Gâ nu tô setle, symbel-wynne dreóh
"wîgge weorðad: unc sceal worn fela
1785 "mâðma gemænra, siððan morgen bið."
Geát wäs gläd-môd, geóng sôna tô,
setles neósan, swâ se snottra hêht.
Þâ wäs eft swâ ær ellen-rôfum,
flet-sittendum fägere gereorded
1790 niówan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc
deorc ofer dryht-gumum. Duguð eal ârâs;
wolde blonden-feax beddes neósan,
gamela Scylding. Geát ungemetes wel,
rôfne rand-wîgan restan lyste:
1795 sôna him sele-þegn sîðes wêrgum,
feorran-cundum forð wîsade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þý dôgore
heáðo-lîðende habban scoldon.
1800 Reste hine þâ rûm-heort; reced hlifade
geáp and gold-fâh, gäst inne swäf,
ôð þät hrefn blaca heofones wynne
blîð-heort bodode. Þâ com beorht sunne
scacan ofer grundas; scaðan onetton,
1805 wæron äðelingas eft tô leódum
fûse tô farenne, wolde feor þanon
cuma collen-ferhð ceóles neósan.
Hêht þâ se hearda Hrunting beran,
sunu Ecglâfes, hêht his sweord niman,
1810 leóflîc îren; sägde him þäs leánes þanc,
cwäð he þone gûð-wine gôdne tealde,
wîg-cräftigne, nales wordum lôg
mêces ecge: þät wäs môdig secg.
And þâ sîð-frome searwum gearwe
1815 wîgend wæron, eode weorð Denum
äðeling tô yppan, þær se ôðer wäs
häle hilde-deór, Hrôðgâr grêtte.
XXVII. THE PARTING WORDS.
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"Nu we sæ-lîðend secgan wyllað
1820 "feorran cumene, þät we fundiað
"Higelâc sêcan. Wæron her tela
"willum bewenede; þu ûs wel dohtest.
"Gif ic þonne on eorðan ôwihte mäg
"þînre môd-lufan mâran tilian,
1825 "gumena dryhten, þonne ic gyt dyde,
"gûð-geweorca ic beó gearo sôna.
"Gif ic þät gefricge ofer flôda begang,
"þät þec ymbe-sittend egesan þýwað,
"swâ þec hetende hwîlum dydon,
1830 "ic þe þûsenda þegna bringe,
"häleða tô helpe. Ic on Higelâce wât,
"Geáta dryhten, þeáh þe he geong sý,
"folces hyrde, þät he mec fremman wile
"wordum and worcum, þät ic þe wel herige,
1835 "and þe tô geóce gâr-holt bere
"mägenes fultum, þær þe bið manna þearf;
"gif him þonne Hrêðrîc tô hofum Geáta
"geþingeð, þeódnes bearn, he mäg þær fela
"freónda findan: feor-cýððe beóð
1840 "sêlran gesôhte þäm þe him selfa deáh."
Hrôðgâr maðelode him on andsware:
"Þe þâ word-cwydas wittig drihten
"on sefan sende! ne hýrde ic snotorlîcor
"on swâ geongum feore guman þingian:
1845 "þu eart mägenes strang and on môde frôd,
"wîs word-cwida. Wên ic talige,
"gif þät gegangeð, þät þe gâr nymeð,
"hild heoru-grimme Hrêðles eaferan,
"âdl oððe îren ealdor þînne,
1850 "folces hyrde, and þu þîn feorh hafast,
"þät þe Sæ-Geátas sêlran näbben
"tô geceósenne cyning ænigne,
"hord-weard häleða, gif þu healdan wylt
"mâga rîce. Me þîn môd-sefa
1855 "lîcað leng swâ wel, leófa Beówulf:
"hafast þu gefêred, þät þâm folcum sceal,
"Geáta leódum and Gâr-Denum
"sib gemænum and sacu restan,
"inwit-nîðas, þe hie ær drugon;
1860 "wesan, þenden ic wealde wîdan rîces,
"mâðmas gemæne, manig ôðerne
"gôdum gegrêtan ofer ganotes bäð;
"sceal hring-naca ofer heáðu bringan
"lâc and luf-tâcen. Ic þâ leóde wât
1865 "ge wið feónd ge wið freónd fäste geworhte
"æghwäs untæle ealde wîsan."
Þâ git him eorla hleó inne gesealde,
mago Healfdenes mâðmas twelfe,
hêt hine mid þæm lâcum leóde swæse
1870 sêcean on gesyntum, snûde eft cuman.
Gecyste þâ cyning äðelum gôd,
þeóden Scildinga, þegen betstan
and be healse genam; hruron him teáras,
blonden-feaxum: him wäs bega wên,
1875 ealdum infrôdum, ôðres swîðor,
þät hî seoððan geseón môston
môdige on meðle. Wäs him se man tô þon leóf,
þät he þone breóst-wylm forberan ne mehte,
ac him on hreðre hyge-bendum fäst
1880 äfter deórum men dyrne langað
beorn wið blôde. Him Beówulf þanan,
gûð-rinc gold-wlanc gräs-moldan träd,
since hrêmig: sæ-genga bâd
âgend-freán, se þe on ancre râd.
1885 Þâ wäs on gange gifu Hrôðgâres
oft geæhted: þät wäs ân cyning
æghwäs orleahtre, ôð þät hine yldo benam
mägenes wynnum, se þe oft manegum scôd.
XXVIII. BEÓWULF RETURNS TO GEATLAND.--THE QUEENS HYGD AND THRYTHO.
Cwom þâ tô flôde fela-môdigra
1890 häg-stealdra heáp; hring-net bæron,
locene leoðo-syrcan. Land-weard onfand
eft-sîð eorla, swâ he ær dyde;
nô he mid hearme of hliðes nosan
gästas grêtte, ac him tôgeánes râd;
1895 cwäð þät wilcuman Wedera leódum
scawan scîr-hame tô scipe fôron.
Þâ wäs on sande sæ-geáp naca
hladen here-wædum, hringed-stefna
mearum and mâðmum: mäst hlifade
1900 ofer Hrôðgâres hord-gestreónum.
He þäm bât-wearde bunden golde
swurd gesealde, þät he syððan wäs
on meodu-bence mâðme þý weorðra,
yrfe-lâfe. Gewât him on ýð-nacan,
1905 drêfan deóp wäter, Dena land ofgeaf.
Þâ wäs be mäste mere-hrägla sum,
segl sâle fäst. Sund-wudu þunede,
nô þær wêg-flotan wind ofer ýðum
sîðes getwæfde; sæ-genga fôr,
1910 fleát fâmig-heals forð ofer ýðe,
bunden-stefna ofer brim-streámas,
þät hie Geáta clifu ongitan meahton,
cûðe nässas. Ceól up geþrang,
lyft-geswenced on lande stôd.
1915 Hraðe wäs ät holme hýð-weard gearo,
se þe ær lange tîd, leófra manna
fûs, ät faroðe feor wlâtode;
sælde tô sande sîd-fäðme scip
oncer-bendum fäst, þý läs hym ýða þrym
1920 wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte.
Hêt þâ up beran äðelinga gestreón,
frätwe and fät-gold; näs him feor þanon
tô gesêcanne sinces bryttan:
Higelâc Hrêðling þær ät hâm wunað,
1925 selfa mid gesîðum sæ-wealle neáh;
bold wäs betlîc, brego-rôf cyning,
heá on healle, Hygd swîðe geong,
wîs, wel-þungen, þeáh þe wintra lyt
under burh-locan gebiden häbbe
1930 Häreðes dôhtor: näs hió hnâh swâ þeáh,
ne tô gneáð gifa Geáta leódum,
mâðm-gestreóna. Mod Þryðo wäg,
fremu folces cwên, firen ondrysne:
nænig þät dorste deór genêðan
1935 swæsra gesîða, nefne sin-freá,
þät hire an däges eágum starede;
ac him wäl-bende weotode tealde,
hand-gewriðene: hraðe seoððan wäs
äfter mund-gripe mêce geþinged,
1940 þät hit sceaðen-mæl scyran môste,
cwealm-bealu cýðan. Ne bið swylc cwênlîc þeáw
idese tô efnanne, þeáh þe hió ænlîcu sý,
þätte freoðu-webbe feores onsäce
äfter lîge-torne leófne mannan.
1945 Hûru þät onhôhsnode Heminges mæg;
ealo drincende ôðer sædan,
þät hió leód-bealewa läs gefremede,
inwit-nîða, syððan ærest wearð
gyfen gold-hroden geongum cempan,
1950 äðelum dióre, syððan hió Offan flet
ofer fealone flôd be fäder lâre
sîðe gesôhte, þær hió syððan wel
in gum-stôle, gôde mære,
lîf-gesceafta lifigende breác,
1955 hióld heáh-lufan wið häleða brego,
ealles mon-cynnes mîne gefræge
þone sêlestan bî sæm tweónum
eormen-cynnes; forþam Offa wäs
geofum and gûðum gâr-cêne man,
1960 wîde geweorðod; wîsdôme heóld
êðel sînne, þonon Eómær wôc
häleðum tô helpe, Heminges mæg,
nefa Gârmundes, nîða cräftig.
XXIX. HIS ARRIVAL. HYGELAC'S RECEPTION.
Gewât him þâ se hearda mid his hond-scole
1965 sylf äfter sande sæ-wong tredan,
wîde waroðas. Woruld-candel scân,
sigel sûðan fûs: hî sîð drugon,
elne geeodon, tô þäs þe eorla hleó,
bonan Ongenþeówes burgum on innan,
1970 geongne gûð-cyning gôdne gefrunon
hringas dælan. Higelâce wäs
sîð Beówulfes snûde gecýðed,
þät þær on worðig wîgendra hleó,
lind-gestealla lifigende cwom,
1975 heaðo-lâces hâl tô hofe gongan.
Hraðe wäs gerýmed, swâ se rîca bebeád,
fêðe-gestum flet innan-weard.
Gesät þâ wið sylfne, se þâ säcce genäs,
mæg wið mæge, syððan man-dryhten
1980 þurh hleóðor-cwyde holdne gegrêtte
meaglum wordum. Meodu-scencum
hwearf geond þät reced Häreðes dôhtor:
lufode þâ leóde, lîð-wæge bär
hælum tô handa. Higelâc ongan
1985 sînne geseldan in sele þam heán
fägre fricgean, hyne fyrwet bräc,
hwylce Sæ-Geáta sîðas wæron:
"Hû lomp eów on lâde, leófa Biówulf,
"þâ þu færinga feorr gehogodest,
1990 "säcce sêcean ofer sealt wäter,
"hilde tô Hiorote? Ac þu Hrôðgâre
"wîd-cûðne weán wihte gebêttest,
"mærum þeódne? Ic þäs môd-ceare
"sorh-wylmum seáð, sîðe ne trûwode
1995 "leófes mannes; ic þe lange bäd,
"þät þu þone wäl-gæst wihte ne grêtte,
"lête Sûð-Dene sylfe geweorðan
"gûðe wið Grendel. Gode ic þanc secge,
"þäs þe ic þe gesundne geseón môste."
2000 Biówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþiówes:
"Þät is undyrne, dryhten Higelâc,
"mære gemêting monegum fira,
"hwylc orleg-hwîl uncer Grendles
"wearð on þam wange, þær he worna fela
2005 "Sige-Scildingum sorge gefremede,
"yrmðe tô aldre; ic þät eal gewräc,
"swâ ne gylpan þearf Grendeles mâga
"ænig ofer eorðan uht-hlem þone,
"se þe lengest leofað lâðan cynnes,
2010 "fenne bifongen. Ic þær furðum cwom,
"tô þam hring-sele Hrôðgâr grêtan:
"sôna me se mæra mago Healfdenes,
"syððan he môd-sefan mînne cûðe,
"wið his sylfes sunu setl getæhte.
2015 "Weorod wäs on wynne; ne seah ic wîdan feorh
"under heofenes hwealf heal-sittendra
"medu-dreám mâran. Hwîlum mæru cwên,
"friðu-sibb folca flet eall geond-hwearf,
"bædde byre geonge; oft hió beáh-wriðan
2020 "secge sealde, ær hió tô setle geóng.
"Hwîlum for duguðe dôhtor Hrôðgâres
"eorlum on ende ealu-wæge bär,
"þâ ic Freáware flet-sittende
"nemnan hýrde, þær hió nägled sinc
2025 "häleðum sealde: sió gehâten wäs,
"geong gold-hroden, gladum suna Frôdan;
"hafað þäs geworden wine Scyldinga
"rîces hyrde and þät ræd talað,
"þät he mid þý wîfe wäl-fæhða dæl,
2030 "säcca gesette. Oft nô seldan hwær
"äfter leód-hryre lytle hwîle
"bon-gâr bûgeð, þeáh seó brýd duge!
XXX. BEÓWULF'S STORY OF THE SLAYINGS.
"Mäg þäs þonne ofþyncan þeóden Heaðobeardna
"and þegna gehwâm þâra leóda,
2035 "þonne he mid fæmnan on flett gæð,
"dryht-bearn Dena duguða biwenede:
"on him gladiað gomelra lâfe
"heard and hring-mæl, Heaðobeardna gestreón,
"þenden hie þâm wæpnum wealdan môston,
2040 "ôð þät hie forlæddan tô þam lind-plegan
"swæse gesîðas ond hyra sylfra feorh.
"Þonne cwið ät beóre, se þe beáh gesyhð,
"eald äsc-wîga, se þe eall geman
"gâr-cwealm gumena (him bið grim sefa),
2045 "onginneð geômor-môd geongne cempan
"þurh hreðra gehygd higes cunnian,
"wîg-bealu weccean and þät word âcwyð:
"'Meaht þu, mîn wine, mêce gecnâwan,
"'þone þin fäder tô gefeohte bär
2050 "'under here-grîman hindeman sîðe,
"'dýre îren, þær hyne Dene slôgon,
"'weóldon wäl-stôwe, syððan wiðer-gyld läg,
"'äfter häleða hryre, hwate Scyldungas?
"'Nu her þâra banena byre nât-hwylces,
2055 "'frätwum hrêmig on flet gæð,
"'morðres gylpeð and þone mâððum byreð,
"'þone þe þu mid rihte rædan sceoldest!'"
"Manað swâ and myndgað mæla gehwylce
"sârum wordum, ôð þät sæl cymeð,
2060 "þät se fæmnan þegn fore fäder dædum
"äfter billes bite blôd-fâg swefeð,
"ealdres scyldig; him se ôðer þonan
"losað lifigende, con him land geare.
"Þonne bióð brocene on bâ healfe
2065 "âð-sweord eorla; syððan Ingelde
"weallað wäl-nîðas and him wîf-lufan
"äfter cear-wälmum côlran weorðað.
"Þý ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telge,
"dryht-sibbe dæl Denum unfæcne,
2070 "freónd-scipe fästne. Ic sceal forð sprecan
"gen ymbe Grendel, þät þu geare cunne,
"sinces brytta, tô hwan syððan wearð
"hond-ræs häleða. Syððan heofones gim
"glâd ofer grundas, gäst yrre cwom,
2075 "eatol æfen-grom, ûser neósan,
"þær we gesunde säl weardodon;
"þær wäs Hondsció hild onsæge,
"feorh-bealu fægum, he fyrmest läg,
"gyrded cempa; him Grendel wearð,
2080 "mærum magu-þegne tô mûð-bonan,
"leófes mannes lîc eall forswealg.
"Nô þý ær ût þâ gen îdel-hende
"bona blôdig-tôð bealewa gemyndig,
"of þam gold-sele gongan wolde,
2085 "ac he mägnes rôf mîn costode,
"grâpode gearo-folm. Glôf hangode
"sîd and syllîc searo-bendum fäst,
"sió wäs orþoncum eall gegyrwed
"deófles cräftum and dracan fellum:
2090 "he mec þær on innan unsynnigne,
"diór dæd-fruma, gedôn wolde,
"manigra sumne: hyt ne mihte swâ,
"syððan ic on yrre upp-riht âstôd.
"Tô lang ys tô reccenne, hû ic þam leód-sceaðan
2095 "yfla gehwylces ond-leán forgeald;
"þær ic, þeóden mîn, þîne leóde
"weorðode weorcum. He on weg losade,
"lytle hwîle lîf-wynna breác;
"hwäðre him sió swîðre swaðe weardade
2100 "hand on Hiorte and he heán þonan,
"môdes geômor mere-grund gefeóll.
"Me þone wäl-ræs wine Scildunga
"fättan golde fela leánode,
"manegum mâðmum, syððan mergen com
2105 "and we tô symble geseten häfdon.
"Þær wäs gidd and gleó; gomela Scilding
"fela fricgende feorran rehte;
"hwîlum hilde-deór hearpan wynne,
"gomen-wudu grêtte; hwîlum gyd âwräc
2110 "sôð and sârlîc; hwîlum syllîc spell
"rehte äfter rihte rûm-heort cyning.
"Hwîlum eft ongan eldo gebunden,
"gomel gûð-wîga gioguðe cwîðan
"hilde-strengo; hreðer inne weóll,
2115 "þonne he wintrum frôd worn gemunde.
"Swâ we þær inne andlangne däg
"nióde nâman, ôð þät niht becwom
"ôðer tô yldum. Þâ wäs eft hraðe
"gearo gyrn-wräce Grendeles môdor,
2120 "sîðode sorh-full; sunu deáð fornam,
"wîg-hete Wedra. Wîf unhýre
"hyre bearn gewräc, beorn âcwealde
"ellenlîce; þær wäs Äsc-here,
"frôdan fyrn-witan, feorh ûðgenge;
2125 "nôðer hy hine ne môston, syððan mergen cwom,
"deáð-wêrigne Denia leóde
"bronde forbärnan, ne on bæl hladan
"leófne mannan: hió þät lîc ätbär
"feóndes fäðmum under firgen-streám.
2130 "Þät wäs Hrôðgâre hreówa tornost
"þâra þe leód-fruman lange begeâte;
"þâ se þeóden mec þîne lîfe
"healsode hreóh-môd, þät ic on holma geþring
"eorl-scipe efnde, ealdre genêðde,
2135 "mærðo fremede: he me mêde gehêt.
"Ic þâ þäs wälmes, þe is wîde cûð,
"grimne gryrelîcne grund-hyrde fond.
"Þær unc hwîle wäs hand gemæne;
"holm heolfre weóll and ic heáfde becearf
2140 "in þam grund-sele Grendeles môdor
"eácnum ecgum, unsôfte þonan
"feorh ôðferede; näs ic fæge þâ gyt,
"ac me eorla hleó eft gesealde
"mâðma menigeo, maga Healfdenes.
XXXI. HE GIVES PRESENTS TO HYGELAC. HYGELAC REWARDS HIM. HYGELAC'S DEATH.
BEÓWULF REIGNS.
2145 "Swâ se þeód-kyning þeáwum lyfde;
"nealles ic þâm leánum forloren häfde,
"mägnes mêde, ac he me mâðmas geaf,
"sunu Healfdenes, on sînne sylfes dôm;
"þâ ic þe, beorn-cyning, bringan wylle,
2150 "êstum geýwan. Gen is eall ät þe
"lissa gelong: ic lyt hafo
"heáfod-mâga, nefne Hygelâc þec!"
Hêt þâ in beran eafor, heáfod-segn,
heaðo-steápne helm, hâre byrnan,
2155 gûð-sweord geatolîc, gyd äfter wräc:
"Me þis hilde-sceorp Hrôðgâr sealde,
"snotra fengel, sume worde hêt,
"þät ic his ærest þe eft gesägde,
"cwäð þät hyt häfde Hiorogâr cyning,
2160 "leód Scyldunga lange hwîle:
"nô þý ær suna sînum syllan wolde,
"hwatum Heorowearde, þeáh he him hold wære,
"breóst-gewædu. Brûc ealles well!"
Hýrde ic þät þâm frätwum feówer mearas
2165 lungre gelîce lâst weardode,
äppel-fealuwe; he him êst geteáh
meara and mâðma. Swâ sceal mæg dôn,
nealles inwit-net ôðrum bregdan,
dyrnum cräfte deáð rênian
2170 hond-gesteallan. Hygelâce wäs,
nîða heardum, nefa swýðe hold
and gehwäðer ôðrum hrôðra gemyndig.
Hýrde ic þät he þone heals-beáh Hygde gesealde,
wrätlîcne wundur-mâððum, þone þe him Wealhþeó geaf,
2175 þeódnes dôhtor, þrió wicg somod
swancor and sadol-beorht; hyre syððan wäs
äfter beáh-þege breóst geweorðod.
Swâ bealdode bearn Ecgþeówes,
guma gûðum cûð, gôdum dædum,
2180 dreáh äfter dôme, nealles druncne slôg
heorð-geneátas; näs him hreóh sefa,
ac he man-cynnes mæste cräfte
gin-fästan gife, þe him god sealde,
heóld hilde-deór. Heán wäs lange,
2185 swâ hyne Geáta bearn gôdne ne tealdon,
ne hyne on medo-bence micles wyrðne
drihten wereda gedôn wolde;
swýðe oft sägdon, þät he sleac wære,
äðeling unfrom: edwenden cwom
2190 tîr-eádigum menn torna gehwylces.
Hêt þâ eorla hleó in gefetian,
heaðo-rôf cyning, Hrêðles lâfe,
golde gegyrede; näs mid Geátum þâ
sinc-mâððum sêlra on sweordes hâd;
2195 þät he on Biówulfes bearm âlegde,
and him gesealde seofan þûsendo,
bold and brego-stôl. Him wäs bâm samod
on þam leód-scipe lond gecynde,
eard êðel-riht, ôðrum swîðor
2200 sîde rîce, þam þær sêlra wäs.
Eft þät geiode ufaran dôgrum
hilde-hlämmum, syððan Hygelâc läg
and Heardrêde hilde-mêceas
under bord-hreóðan tô bonan wurdon,
2205 þâ hyne gesôhtan on sige-þeóde
hearde hilde-frecan, Heaðo-Scilfingas,
nîða genægdan nefan Hererîces.
Syððan Beówulfe brâde rîce
on hand gehwearf: he geheóld tela
2210 fîftig wintru (wäs þâ frôd cyning,
eald êðel-weard), ôð þät ân ongan
deorcum nihtum draca rîcsian,
se þe on heáre hæðe hord beweotode,
stân-beorh steápne: stîg under läg,
2215 eldum uncûð. Þær on innan gióng
niða nât-hwylces neóde gefêng
hæðnum horde hond . d . . geþ . . hwylc
since fâhne, he þät syððan . . . . .
. . . þ . . . lð . þ . . l . g
2220 slæpende be fýre, fyrena hyrde
þeófes cräfte, þät sie . . . . ðioð . . . . .
. idh . folc-beorn, þät he gebolgen wäs.
XXXII. THE FIRE-DRAKE. THE HOARD.
Nealles mid geweoldum wyrm-horda . . . cräft
sôhte sylfes willum, se þe him sâre gesceôd,
2225 ac for þreá-nêdlan þeów nât-hwylces
häleða bearna hete-swengeas fleáh,
for ofer-þearfe and þær inne fealh
secg syn-bysig. Sôna in þâ tîde
þät . . . . . þam gyste . . . . br . g . stôd,
2230 hwäðre earm-sceapen . . . . . . .
. . ð . . . sceapen o . . . . i r . . e se fæs begeat,
sinc-fät geseah: þær wäs swylcra fela
in þam eorð-scräfe ær-gestreóna,
swâ hy on geâr-dagum gumena nât-hwylc
2235 eormen-lâfe äðelan cynnes
þanc-hycgende þær gehýdde,
deóre mâðmas. Ealle hie deáð fornam
ærran mælum, and se ân þâ gen
leóda duguðe, se þær lengest hwearf,
2240 weard wine-geômor wîscte þäs yldan,
þät he lytel fäc long-gestreóna
brûcan môste. Beorh eal gearo
wunode on wonge wäter-ýðum neáh,
niwe be nässe nearo-cräftum fäst:
2245 þær on innan bär eorl-gestreóna
hringa hyrde hard-fyrdne dæl
fättan goldes, feá worda cwäð:
"Heald þu nu, hruse, nu häleð ne môston,
"eorla æhte. Hwät! hit ær on þe
2250 "gôde begeâton; gûð-deáð fornam,
"feorh-bealo frêcne fyra gehwylcne,
"leóda mînra, þâra þe þis lîf ofgeaf,
"gesâwon sele-dreám. Nâh hwâ sweord wege
"oððe fetige fäted wæge,
2255 "drync-fät deóre: duguð ellor scôc.
"Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde
"fätum befeallen: feormiend swefað,
"þâ þe beado-grîman býwan sceoldon,
"ge swylce seó here-pâd, sió ät hilde gebâd
2260 "ofer borda gebräc bite îrena,
"brosnað äfter beorne. Ne mäg byrnan hring
"äfter wîg-fruman wîde fêran
"häleðum be healfe; näs hearpan wyn,
"gomen gleó-beámes, ne gôd hafoc
2265 "geond säl swingeð, ne se swifta mearh
"burh-stede beáteð. Bealo-cwealm hafað
"fela feorh-cynna feorr onsended!"
Swâ giômor-môd giohðo mænde,
ân äfter eallum unblîðe hweóp,
2270 däges and nihtes, ôð þät deáðes wylm
hrân ät heortan. Hord-wynne fond
eald uht-sceaða opene standan,
se þe byrnende biorgas sêceð
nacod nîð-draca, nihtes fleógeð
2275 fýre befangen; hyne fold-bûend
wîde gesâwon. He gewunian sceall
hlâw under hrusan, þær he hæðen gold
warað wintrum frôd; ne byð him wihte þê sêl.
Swâ se þeód-sceaða þreó hund wintra
2280 heóld on hrusan hord-ärna sum
eácen-cräftig, ôð þät hyne ân âbealh
mon on môde: man-dryhtne bär
fäted wæge, frioðo-wære bäd
hlâford sînne. Þâ wäs hord râsod,
2285 onboren beága hord, bêne getîðad
feá-sceaftum men. Freá sceáwode
fira fyrn-geweorc forman sîðe.
Þâ se wyrm onwôc, wrôht wäs geniwad;
stonc þâ äfter stâne, stearc-heort onfand
2290 feóndes fôt-lâst; he tô forð gestôp,
dyrnan cräfte, dracan heáfde neáh.
Swâ mäg unfæge eáðe gedîgan
weán and wräc-sîð, se þe waldendes
hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sôhte
2295 georne äfter grunde, wolde guman findan,
þone þe him on sweofote sâre geteóde:
hât and hreóh-môd hlæw oft ymbe hwearf,
ealne ûtan-weardne; ne þær ænig mon
wäs on þære wêstenne. Hwäðre hilde gefeh,
2300 beado-weorces: hwîlum on beorh äthwearf,
sinc-fät sôhte; he þät sôna onfand,
þät häfde gumena sum goldes gefandod
heáh-gestreóna. Hord-weard onbâd
earfoðlîce, ôð þät æfen cwom;
2305 wäs þâ gebolgen beorges hyrde,
wolde se lâða lîge forgyldan
drinc-fät dýre. Þâ wäs däg sceacen
wyrme on willan, nô on wealle leng
bîdan wolde, ac mid bæle fôr,
2310 fýre gefýsed. Wäs se fruma egeslîc
leódum on lande, swâ hyt lungre wearð
on hyra sinc-gifan sâre geendod.
XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.
Þâ se gäst ongan glêdum spîwan,
beorht hofu bärnan; bryne-leóma stôd
2315 eldum on andan; nô þær âht cwices
lâð lyft-floga læfan wolde.
Wäs þäs wyrmes wîg wîde gesýne,
nearo-fâges nîð neán and feorran,
hû se gûð-sceaða Geáta leóde
2320 hatode and hýnde: hord eft gesceát,
dryht-sele dyrnne ær däges hwîle.
Häfde land-wara lîge befangen,
bæle and bronde; beorges getrûwode,
wîges and wealles: him seó wên geleáh.
2325 Þâ wäs Biówulfe brôga gecýðed
snûde tô sôðe, þät his sylfes him
bolda sêlest bryne-wylmum mealt,
gif-stôl Geáta. Þät þam gôdan wäs
hreów on hreðre, hyge-sorga mæst:
2330 wênde se wîsa, þät he wealdende,
ofer ealde riht, êcean dryhtne
bitre gebulge: breóst innan weóll
þeóstrum geþoncum, swâ him geþýwe ne wäs.
Häfde lîg-draca leóda fästen,
2335 eá-lond ûtan, eorð-weard þone
glêdum forgrunden. Him þäs gûð-cyning,
Wedera þióden, wräce leornode.
Hêht him þâ gewyrcean wîgendra hleó
eall-îrenne, eorla dryhten
2340 wîg-bord wrätlîc; wisse he gearwe,
þät him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte,
lind wið lîge. Sceolde læn-daga
äðeling ær-gôd ende gebîdan
worulde lîfes and se wyrm somod;
2345 þeáh þe hord-welan heólde lange.
Oferhogode þâ hringa fengel,
þät he þone wîd-flogan weorode gesôhte,
sîdan herge; nô he him þâ säcce ondrêd,
ne him þäs wyrmes wîg for wiht dyde,
2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon he ær fela
nearo nêðende nîða gedîgde,
hilde-hlemma, syððan he Hrôðgâres,
sigor-eádig secg, sele fælsode
and ät gûðe forgrâp Grendeles mægum,
2355 lâðan cynnes. Nô þät läsest wäs
hond-gemota, þær mon Hygelâc slôh,
syððan Geáta cyning gûðe ræsum,
freá-wine folces Freslondum on,
Hrêðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt,
2360 bille gebeáten; þonan Biówulf com
sylfes cräfte, sund-nytte dreáh;
+ häfde him on earme ... XXX
hilde-geatwa, þâ he tô holme stâg.
Nealles Hetware hrêmge þorfton
2365 fêðe-wîges, þe him foran ongeán
linde bæron: lyt eft becwom
fram þam hild-frecan hâmes niósan.
Oferswam þâ sióleða bigong sunu Ecgþeówes,
earm ân-haga eft tô leódum,
2370 þær him Hygd gebeád hord and rîce,
beágas and brego-stôl: bearne ne trûwode,
þät he wið äl-fylcum êðel-stôlas
healdan cûðe, þâ wäs Hygelâc deád.
Nô þý ær feá-sceafte findan meahton
2375 ät þam äðelinge ænige þinga,
þät he Heardrêde hlâford wære,
oððe þone cyne-dôm ciósan wolde;
hwäðre he him on folce freónd-lârum heóld,
êstum mid âre, ôð þät he yldra wearð,
2380 Weder-Geátum weóld. Hyne wräc-mäcgas
ofer sæ sôhtan, suna Ôhteres:
häfdon hy forhealden helm Scylfinga,
þone sêlestan sæ-cyninga,
þâra þe in Swió-rîce sinc brytnade,
2385 mærne þeóden. Him þät tô mearce wearð;
he þær orfeorme feorh-wunde hleát
sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelâces;
and him eft gewât Ongenþiówes bearn
hâmes niósan, syððan Heardrêd läg;
2390 lêt þone brego-stôl Biówulf healdan,
Geátum wealdan: þät wäs gôd cyning.
XXXIV. RETROSPECT OF BEÓWULF.--STRIFE BETWEEN SWEONAS AND GEATAS.
Se þäs leód-hryres leán gemunde
uferan dôgrum, Eádgilse wearð
feá-sceaftum feónd. Folce gestepte
2395 ofer sæ sîde sunu Ôhteres
wîgum and wæpnum: he gewräc syððan
cealdum cear-sîðum, cyning ealdre bineát.
Swâ he nîða gehwane genesen häfde,
slîðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgþiówes,
2400 ellen-weorca, ôð þone ânne däg,
þe he wið þam wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewât þâ twelfa sum torne gebolgen
dryhten Geáta dracan sceáwian;
häfde þâ gefrunen, hwanan sió fæhð ârâs,
2405 bealo-nîð biorna; him tô bearme cwom
mâððum-fät mære þurh þäs meldan hond,
Se wäs on þam þreáte þreotteoða secg,
se þäs orleges ôr onstealde,
häft hyge-giômor, sceolde heán þonon
2410 wong wîsian: he ofer willan gióng
tô þäs þe he eorð-sele ânne wisse,
hlæw under hrusan holm-wylme nêh,
ýð-gewinne, se wäs innan full
wrätta and wîra: weard unhióre,
2415 gearo gûð-freca, gold-mâðmas heóld,
eald under eorðan; näs þät ýðe ceáp,
tô gegangenne gumena ænigum.
Gesät þâ on nässe nîð-heard cyning,
þenden hælo âbeád heorð-geneátum
2420 gold-wine Geáta: him wäs geômor sefa,
wäfre and wäl-fûs, Wyrd ungemete neáh,
se þone gomelan grêtan sceolde,
sêcean sâwle hord, sundur gedælan
lîf wið lîce: nô þon lange wäs
2425 feorh äðelinges flæsce bewunden.
Biówulf maðelade, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"Fela ic on giogoðe guð-ræsa genäs,
"orleg-hwîla: ic þät eall gemon.
"Ic wäs syfan-wintre, þâ mec sinca baldor,
2430 "freá-wine folca ät mînum fäder genam,
"heóld mec and häfde Hrêðel cyning,
"geaf me sinc and symbel, sibbe gemunde;
"näs ic him tô lîfe lâðra ôwihte
"beorn in burgum, þonne his bearna hwylc,
2435 "Herebeald and Hæðcyn, oððe Hygelâc mîn.
"Wäs þam yldestan ungedêfelîce
"mæges dædum morðor-bed strêd,
"syððan hyne Hæðcyn of horn-bogan,
"his freá-wine flâne geswencte,
2440 "miste mercelses and his mæg ofscêt,
"brôðor ôðerne, blôdigan gâre:
"þät wäs feoh-leás gefeoht, fyrenum gesyngad
"hreðre hyge-mêðe; sceolde hwäðre swâ þeáh
"äðeling unwrecen ealdres linnan.
2445 "Swâ bið geômorlîc gomelum ceorle
"tô gebîdanne, þät his byre rîde
"giong on galgan, þonne he gyd wrece,
"sârigne sang, þonne his sunu hangað
"hrefne tô hrôðre and he him helpe ne mäg,
2450 "eald and in-frôd, ænige gefremman.
"Symble bið gemyndgad morna gehwylce
"eaforan ellor-sîð; ôðres ne gýmeð
"tô gebîdanne burgum on innan
"yrfe-weardes, þonne se ân hafað
2455 "þurh deáðes nýd dæda gefondad.
"Gesyhð sorh-cearig on his suna bûre
"wîn-sele wêstne, wind-gereste,
"reóte berofene; rîdend swefað
"häleð in hoðman; nis þær hearpan swêg,
2460 "gomen in geardum, swylce þær iú wæron.
XXXV. MEMORIES OF PAST TIME.--THE FEUD WITH THE FIRE-DRAKE.
"Gewîteð þonne on sealman, sorh-leóð gäleð
"ân äfter ânum: þûhte him eall tô rûm,
"wongas and wîc-stede. Swâ Wedra helm
"äfter Herebealde heortan sorge
2465 "weallende wäg, wihte ne meahte
"on þam feorh-bonan fæhðe gebêtan:
"nô þý ær he þone heaðo-rinc hatian ne meahte
"lâðum dædum, þeáh him leóf ne wäs.
"He þâ mid þære sorge, þe him sió sâr belamp,
2470 "gum-dreám ofgeaf, godes leóht geceás;
"eaferum læfde, swâ dêð eádig mon,
"lond and leód-byrig, þâ he of lîfe gewât.
"Þâ wäs synn and sacu Sweona and Geáta,
"ofer wîd wäter wrôht gemæne,
2175 "here-nîð hearda, syððan Hrêðel swealt,
"oððe him Ongenþeówes eaferan wæran
"frome fyrd-hwate, freóde ne woldon
"ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hreosna-beorh
"eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon.
2480 "Þät mæg-wine mîne gewræcan,
"fæhðe and fyrene, swâ hyt gefræge wäs,
"þeáh þe ôðer hit ealdre gebohte,
"heardan ceápe: Hæðcynne wearð,
"Geáta dryhtne, gûð onsæge.
2485 "Þâ ic on morgne gefrägn mæg ôðerne
"billes ecgum on bonan stælan,
"þær Ongenþeów Eofores niósade:
"gûð-helm tôglâd, gomela Scylfing
"hreás heoro-blâc; hond gemunde
2490 "fæhðo genôge, feorh-sweng ne ofteáh.
"Ic him þâ mâðmas, þe he me sealde,
"geald ät gûðe, swâ me gifeðe wäs,
"leóhtan sweorde: he me lond forgeaf,
"eard êðel-wyn. Näs him ænig þearf,
2495 "þät he tô Gifðum oððe tô Gâr-Denum
"oððe in Swió-rîce sêcean þurfe
"wyrsan wîg-frecan, weorðe gecýpan;
"symle ic him on fêðan beforan wolde,
"âna on orde, and swâ tô aldre sceall
2500 "säcce fremman, þenden þis sweord þolað,
"þät mec ær and sîð oft gelæste,
"syððan ic for dugeðum Däghrefne wearð
"tô hand-bonan, Hûga cempan:
"nalles he þâ frätwe Fres-cyninge,
2505 "breóst-weorðunge bringan môste,
"ac in campe gecrong cumbles hyrde,
"äðeling on elne. Ne wäs ecg bona,
"ac him hilde-grâp heortan wylmas,
"bân-hûs gebräc. Nu sceall billes ecg,
2510 "hond and heard sweord ymb hord wîgan."
Beówulf maðelode, beót-wordum spräc
niéhstan sîðe: "Ic genêðde fela
"gûða on geogoðe; gyt ic wylle,
"frôd folces weard, fæhðe sêcan,
2515 "mærðum fremman, gif mec se mân-sceaða
"of eorð-sele ût gesêceð!"
Gegrêtte þâ gumena gehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend hindeman sîðe,
swæse gesîðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,
2520 "wæpen tô wyrme, gif ic wiste hû
"wið þam aglæcean elles meahte
"gylpe wiðgrîpan, swâ ic gió wið Grendle dyde;
"ac ic þær heaðu-fýres hâtes wêne,
"rêðes and-hâttres: forþon ic me on hafu
2525 "bord and byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard
"oferfleón fôtes trem, feónd unhýre,
"ac unc sceal weorðan ät wealle, swâ unc Wyrd geteóð,
"metod manna gehwäs. Ic eom on môde from,
"þät ic wið þone gûð-flogan gylp ofersitte.
2530 "Gebîde ge on beorge byrnum werede,
"secgas on searwum, hwäðer sêl mæge
"äfter wäl-ræse wunde gedýgan
"uncer twega. Nis þät eówer sîð,
"ne gemet mannes, nefne mîn ânes,
2535 "þät he wið aglæcean eofoðo dæle,
"eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall
"gold gegangan oððe gûð nimeð,
"feorh-bealu frêcne, freán eówerne!"
Ârâs þâ bî ronde rôf oretta,
2540 heard under helm, hioro-sercean bär
under stân-cleofu, strengo getrûwode
ânes mannes: ne bið swylc earges sîð.
Geseah þâ be wealle, se þe worna fela,
gum-cystum gôd, gûða gedîgde,
2545 hilde-hlemma, þonne hnitan fêðan,
(stôd on stân-bogan) streám ût þonan
brecan of beorge; wäs þære burnan wälm
heaðo-fýrum hât: ne meahte horde neáh
unbyrnende ænige hwîle
2550 deóp gedýgan for dracan lêge.
Lêt þâ of breóstum, þâ he gebolgen wäs,
Weder-Geáta leód word ût faran,
stearc-heort styrmde; stefn in becom
heaðo-torht hlynnan under hârne stân.
2555 Hete wäs onhrêred, hord-weard oncniów
mannes reorde; näs þær mâra fyrst,
freóde tô friclan. From ærest cwom
oruð aglæcean ût of stâne,
hât hilde-swât; hruse dynede.
2560 Biorn under beorge bord-rand onswâf
wið þam gryre-gieste, Geáta dryhten:
þâ wäs hring-bogan heorte gefýsed
säcce tô sêceanne. Sweord ær gebräd
gôd gûð-cyning gomele lâfe,
2565 ecgum ungleáw, æghwäðrum wäs
bealo-hycgendra brôga fram ôðrum.
Stîð-môd gestôd wið steápne rond
winia bealdor, þâ se wyrm gebeáh
snûde tôsomne: he on searwum bâd.
2570 Gewât þâ byrnende gebogen scrîðan tô,
gescîfe scyndan. Scyld wel gebearg
lîfe and lîce lässan hwîle
mærum þeódne, þonne his myne sôhte,
þær he þý fyrste forman dôgore
2575 wealdan môste, swâ him Wyrd ne gescrâf
hrêð ät hilde. Hond up âbräd
Geáta dryhten, gryre-fâhne slôh
incge lâfe, þät sió ecg gewâc
brûn on bâne, bât unswîðor,
2580 þonne his þiód-cyning þearfe häfde,
bysigum gebæded. Þâ wäs beorges weard
äfter heaðu-swenge on hreóum môde,
wearp wäl-fýre, wîde sprungon
hilde-leóman: hrêð-sigora ne gealp
2585 gold-wine Geáta, gûð-bill geswâc
nacod ät nîðe, swâ hyt nô sceolde,
îren ær-gôd. Ne wäs þät êðe sîð,
þät se mæra maga Ecgþeówes
grund-wong þone ofgyfan wolde;
2590 sceolde wyrmes willan wîc eardian
elles hwergen, swâ sceal æghwylc mon
âlætan læn-dagas. Näs þâ long tô þon,
þät þâ aglæcean hy eft gemêtton.
Hyrte hyne hord-weard, hreðer æðme weóll,
2595 niwan stefne: nearo þrowode
fýre befongen se þe ær folce weóld.
Nealles him on heápe hand-gesteallan,
äðelinga bearn ymbe gestôdon
hilde-cystum, ac hy on holt bugon,
2600 ealdre burgan. Hiora in ânum weóll
sefa wið sorgum: sibb æfre ne mäg
wiht onwendan, þam þe wel þenceð.
XXXVI. WIGLAF HELPS BEÓWULF IN THE FEUD.
Wîglâf wäs hâten Weoxstânes sunu,
leóflîc lind-wiga, leód Scylfinga,
2605 mæg Älfheres: geseah his mon-dryhten
under here-grîman hât þrowian.
Gemunde þâ þâ âre, þe he him ær forgeaf
wîc-stede weligne Wægmundinga,
folc-rihta gehwylc, swâ his fäder âhte;
2610 ne mihte þâ forhabban, hond rond gefêng,
geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteáh,
þät wäs mid eldum Eánmundes lâf,
suna Ôhteres, þam ät säcce wearð
wracu wine-leásum Weohstânes bana
2615 mêces ecgum, and his mâgum ätbär
brûn-fâgne helm, hringde byrnan,
eald sweord eotonisc, þät him Onela forgeaf,
his gädelinges gûð-gewædu,
fyrd-searo fûslîc: nô ymbe þâ fæhðe spräc,
2620 þeáh þe he his brôðor bearn âbredwade.
He frätwe geheóld fela missera,
bill and byrnan, ôð þät his byre mihte
eorl-scipe efnan, swâ his ær-fäder;
geaf him þâ mid Geátum gûð-gewæda
2625 æghwäs unrîm; þâ he of ealdre gewât,
frôd on forð-weg. Þâ wäs forma sîð
geongan cempan, þät he gûðe ræs
mid his freó-dryhtne fremman sceolde;
ne gemealt him se môd-sefa, ne his mæges lâf
2630 gewâc ät wîge: þät se wyrm onfand,
syððan hie tôgädre gegân häfdon.
Wîglâf maðelode word-rihta fela,
sägde gesîðum, him wäs sefa geômor:
"Ic þät mæl geman, þær we medu þêgun,
2635 "þonne we gehêton ûssum hlâforde
"in biór-sele, þe ûs þâs beágas geaf,
"þät we him þâ gûð-geatwa gyldan woldon,
"gif him þyslîcu þearf gelumpe,
"helmas and heard sweord: þê he ûsic on herge geceás
2640 "tô þyssum sîð-fate sylfes willum,
"onmunde ûsic mærða and me þâs mâðmas geaf,
"þê he ûsic gâr-wîgend gôde tealde,
"hwate helm-berend, þeáh þe hlâford ûs
"þis ellen-weorc âna âþôhte
2645 "tô gefremmanne, folces hyrde,
"forþam he manna mæst mærða gefremede,
"dæda dollîcra. Nu is se däg cumen,
"þät ûre man-dryhten mägenes behôfað
"gôdra gûð-rinca: wutun gangan tô,
2650 "helpan hild-fruman, þenden hyt sý,
"glêd-egesa grim! God wât on mec,
"þät me is micle leófre, þät mînne lîc-haman
"mid mînne gold-gyfan glêd fäðmie.
"Ne þynceð me gerysne, þät we rondas beren
2655 "eft tô earde, nemne we æror mægen
"fâne gefyllan, feorh ealgian
"Wedra þiódnes. Ic wât geare,
"þät næron eald-gewyrht, þät he âna scyle
"Geáta duguðe gnorn þrowian,
2660 "gesîgan ät säcce: sceal ûrum þät sweord and helm,
"byrne and byrdu-scrûd bâm gemæne."
Wôd þâ þurh þone wäl-rêc, wîg-heafolan bär
freán on fultum, feá worda cwäð:
"Leófa Biówulf, læst eall tela,
2665 "swâ þu on geoguð-feore geâra gecwæde,
"þät þu ne âlæte be þe lifigendum
"dôm gedreósan: scealt nu dædum rôf,
"äðeling ân-hydig, ealle mägene
"feorh ealgian; ic þe fullæstu!"
2670 Äfter þâm wordum wyrm yrre cwom,
atol inwit-gäst ôðre sîðe,
fýr-wylmum fâh fiónda niósan,
lâðra manna; lîg-ýðum forborn
bord wið ronde: byrne ne meahte
2675 geongum gâr-wigan geóce gefremman:
ac se maga geonga under his mæges scyld
elne geeode, þâ his âgen wäs
glêdum forgrunden. Þâ gen gûð-cyning
mærða gemunde, mägen-strengo,
2680 slôh hilde-bille, þät hyt on heafolan stôd
nîðe genýded: Nägling forbärst,
geswâc ät säcce sweord Biówulfes
gomol and græg-mæl. Him þät gifeðe ne wäs,
þät him îrenna ecge mihton
2685 helpan ät hilde; wäs sió hond tô strong,
se þe mêca gehwane mîne gefræge
swenge ofersôhte, þonne he tô säcce bär
wæpen wundrum heard, näs him wihte þê sêl.
Þâ wäs þeód-sceaða þriddan sîðe,
2690 frêcne fýr-draca fæhða gemyndig,
ræsde on þone rôfan, þâ him rûm âgeald,
hât and heaðo-grim, heals ealne ymbefêng
biteran bânum; he geblôdegod wearð
sâwul-drióre; swât ýðum weóll.
XXXVII. BEÓWULF WOUNDED TO DEATH.
2695 Þâ ic ät þearfe gefrägn þeód-cyninges
and-longne eorl ellen cýðan,
cräft and cênðu, swâ him gecynde wäs;
ne hêdde he þäs heafolan, ac sió hand gebarn
môdiges mannes, þær he his mæges healp,
2700 þät he þone nîð-gäst nioðor hwêne slôh,
secg on searwum, þät þät sweord gedeáf
fâh and fäted, þät þät fýr ongon
sweðrian syððan. Þâ gen sylf cyning
geweóld his gewitte, wäll-seaxe gebräd,
2705 biter and beadu-scearp, þät he on byrnan wäg:
forwrât Wedra helm wyrm on middan.
Feónd gefyldan (ferh ellen wräc),
and hi hyne þâ begen âbroten häfdon,
sib-äðelingas: swylc sceolde secg wesan,
2710 þegn ät þearfe. Þät þam þeódne wäs
sîðast sîge-hwîle sylfes dædum,
worlde geweorces. Þâ sió wund ongon,
þe him se eorð-draca ær geworhte,
swêlan and swellan. He þät sôna onfand,
2715 þät him on breóstum bealo-nîð weóll,
âttor on innan. Þâ se äðeling gióng,
þät he bî wealle, wîs-hycgende,
gesät on sesse; seah on enta geweorc,
hû þâ stân-bogan stapulum fäste
2720 êce eorð-reced innan heóldon.
Hyne þâ mid handa heoro-dreórigne
þeóden mærne þegn ungemete till,
wine-dryhten his wätere gelafede,
hilde-sädne and his helm onspeón.
2725 Biówulf maðelode, he ofer benne spräc,
wunde wäl-bleáte (wisse he gearwe,
þät he däg-hwîla gedrogen häfde
eorðan wynne; þâ wäs eall sceacen
dôgor-gerîmes, deáð ungemete neáh):
2730 "Nu ic suna mînum syllan wolde
"gûð-gewædu, þær me gifeðe swâ
"ænig yrfe-weard äfter wurde,
"lîce gelenge. Ic þâs leóde heóld
"fîftig wintra: näs se folc-cyning
2735 "ymbe-sittendra ænig þâra,
"þe mec gûð-winum grêtan dorste,
"egesan þeón. Ic on earde bâd
"mæl-gesceafta, heóld mîn tela,
"ne sôhte searo-nîðas, ne me swôr fela
2740 "âða on unriht. Ic þäs ealles mäg,
"feorh-bennum seóc, gefeán habban:
"forþam me wîtan ne þearf waldend fira
"morðor-bealo mâga, þonne mîn sceaceð
"lîf of lîce. Nu þu lungre
2745 "geong, hord sceáwian under hârne stân,
"Wîglâf leófa, nu se wyrm ligeð,
"swefeð sâre wund, since bereáfod.
"Bió nu on ôfoste, þät ic ær-welan,
"gold-æht ongite, gearo sceáwige
2750 "swegle searo-gimmas, þät ic þý sêft mæge
"äfter mâððum-welan mîn âlætan
"lîf and leód-scipe, þone ic longe heóld."
XXXVIII. THE JEWEL-HOARD. THE PASSING OF BEOWULF.
Þâ ic snûde gefrägn sunu Wihstânes
äfter word-cwydum wundum dryhtne
2755 hýran heaðo-siócum, hring-net beran,
brogdne beadu-sercean under beorges hrôf.
Geseah þâ sige-hrêðig, þâ he bî sesse geóng,
mago-þegn môdig mâððum-sigla fela,
gold glitinian grunde getenge,
2760 wundur on wealle and þäs wyrmes denn,
ealdes uht-flogan, orcas stondan,
fyrn-manna fatu feormend-leáse,
hyrstum behrorene: þær wäs helm monig,
eald and ômig, earm-beága fela,
2765 searwum gesæled. Sinc eáðe mäg,
gold on grunde, gumena cynnes
gehwone ofer-higian, hýde se þe wylle!
Swylce he siomian geseah segn eall-gylden
heáh ofer horde, hond-wundra mæst,
2770 gelocen leoðo-cräftum: of þam leóma stôd,
þät he þone grund-wong ongitan meahte,
wräte giond-wlîtan. Näs þäs wyrmes þær
onsýn ænig, ac hyne ecg fornam.
Þâ ic on hlæwe gefrägn hord reáfian,
2775 eald enta geweorc ânne mannan,
him on bearm hladan bunan and discas
sylfes dôme, segn eác genom,
beácna beorhtost; bill ær-gescôd
(ecg wäs îren) eald-hlâfordes
2780 þam þâra mâðma mund-bora wäs
longe hwîle, lîg-egesan wäg
hâtne for horde, hioro-weallende,
middel-nihtum, ôð þät he morðre swealt.
Âr wäs on ôfoste eft-sîðes georn,
2785 frätwum gefyrðred: hyne fyrwet bräc,
hwäðer collen-ferð cwicne gemêtte
in þam wong-stede Wedra þeóden,
ellen-siócne, þær he hine ær forlêt.
He þâ mid þâm mâðmum mærne þióden,
2790 dryhten sînne driórigne fand
ealdres ät ende: he hine eft ongon
wäteres weorpan, ôð þät wordes ord
breóst-hord þurhbräc. Beówulf maðelode,
gomel on giohðe (gold sceáwode):
2795 "Ic þâra frätwa freán ealles þanc
"wuldur-cyninge wordum secge,
"êcum dryhtne, þe ic her on starie,
"þäs þe ic môste mînum leódum
"ær swylt-däge swylc gestrýnan.
2800 "Nu ic on mâðma hord mîne bebohte
"frôde feorh-lege, fremmað ge nu
"leóda þearfe; ne mäg ic her leng wesan.
"Hâtað heaðo-mære hlæw gewyrcean,
"beorhtne äfter bæle ät brimes nosan;
2805 "se scel tô gemyndum mînum leódum
"heáh hlifian on Hrones nässe,
"þät hit sæ-lîðend syððan hâtan
"Biówulfes biorh, þâ þe brentingas
"ofer flôda genipu feorran drîfað."
2810 Dyde him of healse hring gyldenne
þióden þrîst-hydig, þegne gesealde,
geongum gâr-wigan, gold-fâhne helm,
beáh and byrnan, hêt hyne brûcan well:
"Þu eart ende-lâf ûsses cynnes,
2815 "Wægmundinga; ealle Wyrd forsweóf,
"mîne mâgas tô metod-sceafte,
"eorlas on elne: ic him äfter sceal."
Þät wäs þam gomelan gingeste word
breóst-gehygdum, ær he bæl cure,
2820 hâte heaðo-wylmas: him of hreðre gewât
sâwol sêcean sôð-fästra dôm.
XXXIX. THE COWARD-THANES.
Þâ wäs gegongen guman unfrôdum
earfoðlîce, þät he on eorðan geseah
þone leófestan lîfes ät ende
2825 bleáte gebæran. Bona swylce läg,
egeslîc eorð-draca, ealdre bereáfod,
bealwe gebæded: beáh-hordum leng
wyrm woh-bogen wealdan ne môste,
ac him îrenna ecga fornâmon,
2830 hearde heaðo-scearpe homera lâfe,
þät se wîd-floga wundum stille
hreás on hrusan hord-ärne neáh,
nalles äfter lyfte lâcende hwearf
middel-nihtum, mâðm-æhta wlonc
2835 ansýn ýwde: ac he eorðan gefeóll
for þäs hild-fruman hond-geweorce.
Hûru þät on lande lyt manna þâh
mägen-âgendra mîne gefræge,
þeáh þe he dæda gehwäs dyrstig wære,
2840 þät he wið âttor-sceaðan oreðe geræsde,
oððe hring-sele hondum styrede,
gif he wäccende weard onfunde
bûan on beorge. Biówulfe wearð
dryht-mâðma dæl deáðe forgolden;
2845 häfde æghwäðer ende gefêred
lænan lîfes. Näs þâ lang tô þon,
þät þâ hild-latan holt ofgêfan,
tydre treów-logan tyne ätsomne,
þâ ne dorston ær dareðum lâcan
2850 on hyra man-dryhtnes miclan þearfe;
ac hy scamiende scyldas bæran,
gûð-gewædu, þær se gomela läg:
wlitan on Wîglâf. He gewêrgad sät,
fêðe-cempa freán eaxlum neáh,
2855 wehte hyne wätre; him wiht ne speów;
ne meahte he on eorðan, þeáh he ûðe wel,
on þam frum-gâre feorh gehealdan,
ne þäs wealdendes willan wiht oncirran;
wolde dôm godes dædum rædan
2860 gumena gehwylcum, swâ he nu gen dêð.
Þâ wäs ät þam geongan grim andswaru
êð-begête þâm þe ær his elne forleás.
Wîglâf maðelode, Weohstânes sunu,
secg sârig-ferð seah on unleófe:
2865 "Þät lâ mäg secgan, se þe wyle sôð sprecan,
"þät se mon-dryhten, se eów þâ mâðmas geaf,
"eóred-geatwe, þe ge þær on standað,
"þonne he on ealu-bence oft gesealde
"heal-sittendum helm and byrnan,
2870 "þeóden his þegnum, swylce he þryðlîcost
"ôhwær feor oððe neáh findan meahte,
"þät he genunga gûð-gewædu
"wrâðe forwurpe. Þâ hyne wîg beget,
"nealles folc-cyning fyrd-gesteallum
2875 "gylpan þorfte; hwäðre him god ûðe,
"sigora waldend, þät he hyne sylfne gewräc
"âna mid ecge, þâ him wäs elnes þearf,
"Ic him lîf-wraðe lytle meahte
"ätgifan ät gûðe and ongan swâ þeáh
2880 "ofer mîn gemet mæges helpan:
"symle wäs þý sæmra, þonne ic sweorde drep
"ferhð-genîðlan, fýr unswîðor
"weóll of gewitte. Wergendra tô lyt
"þrong ymbe þeóden, þâ hyne sió þrag becwom.
2885 "Nu sceal sinc-þego and swyrd-gifu
"eall êðel-wyn eówrum cynne,
"lufen âlicgean: lond-rihtes môt
"þære mæg-burge monna æghwylc
"îdel hweorfan, syððan äðelingas
2890 "feorran gefricgean fleám eówerne,
"dôm-leásan dæd. Deáð bið sêlla
"eorla gehwylcum þonne edwît-lîf!"
XL. THE SOLDIER'S DIRGE AND PROPHECY.
Hêht þâ þät heaðo-weorc tô hagan biódan
up ofer êg-clif, þær þät eorl-weorod
2895 morgen-longne däg môd-giômor sät,
bord-häbbende, bega on wênum
ende-dôgores and eft-cymes
leófes monnes. Lyt swîgode
niwra spella, se þe näs gerâd,
2900 ac he sôðlîce sägde ofer ealle;
"Nu is wil-geofa Wedra leóda,
"dryhten Geáta deáð-bedde fäst,
"wunað wäl-reste wyrmes dædum;
"him on efn ligeð ealdor-gewinna,
2905 "siex-bennum seóc: sweorde ne meahte
"on þam aglæcean ænige þinga
"wunde gewyrcean. Wîglâf siteð
"ofer Biówulfe, byre Wihstânes,
"eorl ofer ôðrum unlifigendum,
2910 "healdeð hige-mêðum heáfod-wearde
"leófes and lâðes. Nu ys leódum wên
"orleg-hwîle, syððan underne
"Froncum and Frysum fyll cyninges
"wîde weorðeð. Wäs sió wrôht scepen
2915 "heard wið Hûgas, syððan Higelâc cwom
"faran flot-herge on Fresna land,
"þær hyne Hetware hilde gehnægdon,
"elne geeodon mid ofer-mägene,
"þät se byrn-wîga bûgan sceolde,
2920 "feóll on fêðan: nalles frätwe geaf
"ealdor dugoðe; ûs wäs â syððan
"Merewioinga milts ungyfeðe.
"Ne ic tô Sweó-þeóde sibbe oððe treówe
"wihte ne wêne; ac wäs wîde cûð,
2925 "þätte Ongenþió ealdre besnyðede
"Hæðcyn Hrêðling wið Hrefna-wudu,
"þâ for on-mêdlan ærest gesôhton
"Geáta leóde Gûð-scilfingas.
"Sôna him se frôda fäder Ôhtheres,
2930 "eald and eges-full ond-slyht âgeaf,
"âbreót brim-wîsan, brýd âheórde,
"gomela ió-meowlan golde berofene,
"Onelan môdor and Ôhtheres,
"and þâ folgode feorh-genîðlan
2935 "ôð þät hî ôðeodon earfoðlîce
"in Hrefnes-holt hlâford-leáse.
"Besät þâ sin-herge sweorda lâfe
"wundum wêrge, weán oft gehêt
"earmre teohhe andlonge niht:
2940 "cwäð he on mergenne mêces ecgum
"getan wolde, sume on galg-treówum
"fuglum tô gamene. Frôfor eft gelamp
"sârig-môdum somod ær-däge,
"syððan hie Hygelâces horn and býman
2945 "gealdor ongeâton. Þâ se gôda com
"leóda dugoðe on lâst faran.
XLI. HE TELLS OF THE SWEDES AND THE GEATAS.
"Wäs sió swât-swaðu Sweona and Geáta,
"wäl-ræs wera wîde gesýne,
"hû þâ folc mid him fæhðe tôwehton.
2950 "Gewât him þâ se gôda mid his gädelingum,
"frôd fela geômor fästen sêcean,
"eorl Ongenþió ufor oncirde;
"häfde Higelâces hilde gefrunen,
"wlonces wîg-cräft, wiðres ne trûwode,
2955 "þät he sæ-mannum onsacan mihte,
"heáðo-lîðendum hord forstandan,
"bearn and brýde; beáh eft þonan
"eald under eorð-weall. Þâ wäs æht boden
"Sweona leódum, segn Higelâce.
2960 "Freoðo-wong þone forð ofereodon,
"syððan Hrêðlingas tô hagan þrungon.
"Þær wearð Ongenþió ecgum sweorda,
"blonden-fexa on bîd wrecen,
"þät se þeód-cyning þafian sceolde
2965 "Eofores ânne dôm: hyne yrringa
"Wulf Wonrêding wæpne geræhte,
"þät him for swenge swât ædrum sprong
"forð under fexe. Näs he forht swâ þêh,
"gomela Scilfing, ac forgeald hraðe
2970 "wyrsan wrixle wäl-hlem þone,
"syððan þeód-cyning þyder oncirde:
"ne meahte se snella sunu Wonrêdes
"ealdum ceorle ond-slyht giofan,
"ac he him on heáfde helm ær gescer,
2975 "þät he blôde fâh bûgan sceolde,
"feóll on foldan; näs he fæge þâ git,
"ac he hyne gewyrpte, þeáh þe him wund hrîne,
"Lêt se hearda Higelâces þegn
"brâdne mêce, þâ his brôðor läg,
2980 "eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm,
"brecan ofer bord-weal: þâ gebeáh cyning,
"folces hyrde, wäs in feorh dropen.
"Þâ wæron monige, þe his mæg wriðon,
"ricone ârærdon, þâ him gerýmed wearð,
2985 "þät hie wäl-stôwe wealdan môston.
"Þenden reáfode rinc ôðerne,
"nam on Ongenþió îren-byrnan,
"heard swyrd hilted and his helm somod;
"hâres hyrste Higelâce bär.
2990 "He þâm frätwum fêng and him fägre gehêt
"leána fore leódum and gelæste swâ:
"geald þone gûð-ræs Geáta dryhten,
"Hrêðles eafora, þâ he tô hâm becom,
"Jofore and Wulfe mid ofer-mâðmum,
2995 "sealde hiora gehwäðrum hund þûsenda
"landes and locenra beága; ne þorfte him þâ leán ôðwîtan
"mon on middan-gearde, syððan hie þâ mærða geslôgon;
"and þâ Jofore forgeaf ângan dôhtor,
"hâm-weorðunge, hyldo tô wedde.
3000 "Þät ys sió fæhðo and se feónd-scipe,
"wäl-nîð wera, þäs þe ic wên hafo,
"þe ûs sêceað tô Sweona leóde,
"syððan hie gefricgeað freán ûserne
"ealdor-leásne, þone þe ær geheóld
3005 "wið hettendum hord and rîce,
"äfter häleða hryre hwate Scylfingas,
"folc-ræd fremede oððe furður gen
"eorl-scipe efnde. Nu is ôfost betost,
"þät we þeód-cyning þær sceáwian
3010 "and þone gebringan, þe ûs beágas geaf,
"on âd-färe. Ne scel ânes hwät
"meltan mid þam môdigan, ac þær is mâðma hord.
"gold unrîme grimme geceápod
"and nu ät sîðestan sylfes feore
3015 "beágas gebohte; þâ sceal brond fretan,
"äled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan
"mâððum tô gemyndum, ne mägð scýne
"habban on healse hring-weorðunge,
"ac sceall geômor-môd golde bereáfod
3020 "oft nalles æne el-land tredan,
"nu se here-wîsa hleahtor âlegde,
"gamen and gleó-dreám. Forþon sceall gâr wesan
"monig morgen-ceald mundum bewunden,
"häfen on handa, nalles hearpan swêg
3025 "wîgend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
"fûs ofer fægum, fela reordian,
"earne secgan, hû him ät æte speów,
"þenden he wið wulf wäl reáfode."
Swâ se secg hwata secgende wäs
3030 lâðra spella; he ne leág fela
wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall ârâs,
eodon unblîðe under Earna näs
wollen-teáre wundur sceáwian.
Fundon þâ on sande sâwul-leásne
3035 hlim-bed healdan, þone þe him hringas geaf
ærran mælum: þâ wäs ende-däg
gôdum gegongen, þät se gûð-cyning,
Wedra þeóden, wundor-deáðe swealt.
Ær hî gesêgan syllîcran wiht,
3040 wyrm on wonge wiðer-rähtes þær
lâðne licgean: wäs se lêg-draca,
grimlîc gryre-gäst, glêdum beswæled,
se wäs fîftiges fôt-gemearces.
lang on legere, lyft-wynne heóld
3045 nihtes hwîlum, nyðer eft gewât
dennes niósian; wäs þâ deáðe fäst,
häfde eorð-scrafa ende genyttod.
Him big stôdan bunan and orcas,
discas lâgon and dýre swyrd,
3050 ômige þurh-etone, swâ hie wið eorðan fäðm
þûsend wintra þær eardodon:
þonne wäs þät yrfe eácen-cräftig,
iú-monna gold galdre bewunden,
þät þam hring-sele hrînan ne môste
3055 gumena ænig, nefne god sylfa,
sigora sôð-cyning, sealde þam þe he wolde
(he is manna gehyld) hord openian,
efne swâ hwylcum manna, swâ him gemet þûhte.
XLII. WÎGLAF SPEAKS. THE BUILDING OF THE BALE-FIRE.
Þâ wäs gesýne, þät se sîð ne þâh
3060 þam þe unrihte inne gehýdde
wräte under wealle. Weard ær ofslôh
feára sumne; þâ sió fæhð gewearð
gewrecen wrâðlîce. Wundur hwâr, þonne
eorl ellen-rôf ende gefêre
3065 lîf-gesceafta, þonne leng ne mäg
mon mid his mâgum medu-seld bûan.
Swâ wäs Biówulfe, þâ he biorges weard
sôhte, searo-nîðas: seolfa ne cûðe,
þurh hwät his worulde gedâl weorðan sceolde;
3070 swâ hit ôð dômes däg diópe benemdon
þeódnas mære, þâ þät þær dydon,
þät se secg wære synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod, hell-bendum fäst,
wommum gewitnad, se þone wong strâde.
3075 Näs he gold-hwät: gearwor häfde
âgendes êst ær gesceáwod.
Wîglâf maðelode, Wihstânes sunu:
"Oft sceall eorl monig ânes willan
"wræc âdreógan, swâ ûs geworden is.
3080 "Ne meahton we gelæran leófne þeóden,
"rîces hyrde ræd ænigne,
"þät he ne grêtte gold-weard þone,
"lête hyne licgean, þær he longe wäs,
"wîcum wunian ôð woruld-ende.
3085 "Heóldon heáh gesceap: hord ys gesceáwod,
"grimme gegongen; wäs þät gifeðe tô swîð,
"þe þone þeóden þyder ontyhte.
"Ic wäs þær inne and þät eall geond-seh,
"recedes geatwa, þâ me gerýmed wäs,
3090 "nealles swæslîce sîð âlýfed
"inn under eorð-weall. Ic on ôfoste gefêng
"micle mid mundum mägen-byrðenne
"hord-gestreóna, hider ût ätbär
"cyninge mînum: cwico wäs þâ gena,
3095 "wîs and gewittig; worn eall gespräc
"gomol on gehðo and eówic grêtan hêt,
"bäd þät ge geworhton äfter wines dædum
"in bæl-stede beorh þone heán
"micelne and mærne, swâ he manna wäs
3100 "wîgend weorð-fullost wîde geond eorðan,
"þenden he burh-welan brûcan môste.
"Uton nu êfstan ôðre sîðe
"seón and sêcean searo-geþräc,
"wundur under wealle! ic eów wîsige,
3105 "þät ge genôge neán sceáwiað
"beágas and brâd gold. Sîe sió bær gearo
"ädre geäfned, þonne we ût cymen,
"and þonne geferian freán ûserne,
"leófne mannan, þær he longe sceal
3110 "on þäs waldendes wære geþolian."
Hêt þâ gebeódan byre Wihstânes,
häle hilde-diór, häleða monegum
bold-âgendra, þät hie bæl-wudu
feorran feredon, folc-âgende
3115 gôdum tôgênes: "Nu sceal glêd fretan
"(weaxan wonna lêg) wîgena strengel,
"þone þe oft gebâd îsern-scûre,
"þonne stræla storm, strengum gebæded,
"scôc ofer scild-weall, sceft nytte heóld,
3120 "feðer-gearwum fûs flâne full-eode."
Hûru se snotra sunu Wihstânes
âcîgde of corðre cyninges þegnas
syfone tôsomne þâ sêlestan,
eode eahta sum under inwit-hrôf;
3125 hilde-rinc sum on handa bär
äled-leóman, se þe on orde geóng.
Näs þâ on hlytme, hwâ þät hord strude,
syððan or-wearde ænigne dæl
secgas gesêgon on sele wunian,
3130 læne licgan: lyt ænig mearn,
þät hi ôfostlice ût geferedon
dýre mâðmas; dracan êc scufun,
wyrm ofer weall-clif, lêton wæg niman,
flôd fäðmian frätwa hyrde.
3135 Þær wäs wunden gold on wæn hladen,
æghwäs unrîm, äðeling boren,
hâr hilde-rinc tô Hrones nässe.
XLIII. BEÓWULF'S FUNERAL PYRE.
Him þâ gegiredan Geáta leóde
âd on eorðan un-wâclîcne,
3140 helmum behongen, hilde-bordum,
beorhtum byrnum, swâ he bêna wäs;
âlegdon þâ tô-middes mærne þeóden
häleð hiófende, hlâford leófne.
Ongunnon þâ on beorge bæl-fýra mæst
3145 wîgend weccan: wudu-rêc âstâh
sweart ofer swioðole, swôgende lêg,
wôpe bewunden (wind-blond geläg)
ôð þät he þâ bân-hûs gebrocen häfde,
hât on hreðre. Higum unrôte
3150 môd-ceare mændon mon-dryhtnes cwealm;
swylce giômor-gyd + lat . con meowle
. . . . . wunden heorde . . .
serg (?) cearig sælde geneahhe
þät hio hyre . . . . gas hearde
3155 . . . . . ede wälfylla wonn . .
hildes egesan hyðo
haf mid heofon rêce swealh (?)
Geworhton þâ Wedra leóde
hlæw on hliðe, se wäs heáh and brâd,
3160 wæg-lîðendum wîde gesýne,
and betimbredon on tyn dagum
beadu-rôfes bêcn: bronda betost
wealle beworhton, swâ hyt weorðlîcost
fore-snotre men findan mihton.
3165 Hî on beorg dydon bêg and siglu,
eall swylce hyrsta, swylce on horde ær
nîð-hydige men genumen häfdon;
forlêton eorla gestreón eorðan healdan,
gold on greóte, þær hit nu gen lifað
3170 eldum swâ unnyt, swâ hit æror wäs.
Þâ ymbe hlæw riodan hilde-deóre,
äðelinga bearn ealra twelfa,
woldon ceare cwîðan, kyning mænan,
word-gyd wrecan and ymb wer sprecan,
3175 eahtodan eorl-scipe and his ellen-weorc
duguðum dêmdon, swâ hit ge-dêfe bið,
þät mon his wine-dryhten wordum hêrge,
ferhðum freóge, þonne he forð scile
of lîc-haman læne weorðan.
3180 Swâ begnornodon Geáta leóde
hlâfordes hryre, heorð-geneátas,
cwædon þät he wære woruld-cyning
mannum mildust and mon-þwærust,
leódum lîðost and lof-geornost.
APPENDIX
THE ATTACK IN FINNSBURG. [Footnote: See v. 1069 _seqq._]
". . . . . . . . . . . näs byrnað næfre."
Hleoðrode þâ heaðo-geong cyning:
"Ne þis ne dagað eástan, ne her draca ne fleógeð,
"ne her þisse healle hornas ne byrnað,
5 "ac fêr forð berað fugelas singað,
"gylleð græg-hama, gûð-wudu hlynneð,
"scyld scefte oncwyð. Nu scýneð þes môna
"waðol under wolcnum; nu ârîsað weá-dæda,
"þe þisne folces nîð fremman willað.
10 "Ac onwacnigeað nu, wîgend mîne,
"hebbað eówre handa, hicgeað on ellen,
"winnað on orde, wesað on môde!"
Þâ ârâs monig gold-hladen þegn, gyrde hine his swurde;
þâ tô dura eodon drihtlîce cempan,
15 Sigeferð and Eaha, hyra sweord getugon,
and ät ôðrum durum Ordlâf and Gûðlâf,
and Hengest sylf; hwearf him on lâste.
Þâ git Gârulf Gûðere styrode,
þät hie swâ freólîc feorh forman sîðe
20 tô þære healle durum hyrsta ne bæran,
nu hyt nîða heard ânyman wolde:
ac he frägn ofer eal undearninga,
deór-môd häleð, hwâ þâ duru heólde.
"Sigeferð is mîn nama (cwäð he), ic eom Secgena leód,
25 "wrecca wîde cûð. Fela ic weána gebâd,
"heardra hilda; þe is gyt her witod,
"swäðer þu sylf tô me sêcean wylle."
Þâ wäs on wealle wäl-slihta gehlyn,
sceolde cêlod bord cênum on handa
30 bân-helm berstan. Buruh-þelu dynede,
ôð þät ät þære gûðe Gârulf gecrang,
ealra ærest eorð-bûendra,
Gûðlâfes sunu; ymbe hine gôdra fela.
Hwearf flacra hræw hräfn, wandrode
35 sweart and sealo-brûn; swurd-leóma stôd
swylce eal Finns-buruh fýrenu wære.
Ne gefrägn ic næfre wurðlîcor ät wera hilde
sixtig sige-beorna sêl gebæran,
ne næfre swânas swêtne medo sêl forgyldan,
40 þonne Hnäfe guldon his häg-stealdas.
Hig fuhton fîf dagas, swâ hyra nân ne feól
driht-gesîða, ac hig þâ duru heóldon.
Þâ gewât him wund häleð on wäg gangan,
sæde þät his byrne âbrocen wære,
45 here-sceorpum hrôr, and eác wäs his helm þyrl.
Þâ hine sôna frägn folces hyrde,
hû þâ wîgend hyra wunda genæson
oððe hwäðer þæra hyssa . . . . . . .
LIST OF NAMES; NOTES; AND GLOSSARY.
ABBREVIATIONS
m.: masculine.
f.: feminine.
n.: neuter.
nom., gen.: nominative, genitive, etc.
w.: weak.
w. v.: weak verb.
st.: strong.
st. v.: strong verb.
I., II., III.: first, second, third person.
comp.: compound.
imper.: imperative.
w.: with.
instr.: instrumental.
G. and Goth.: Gothic.
O.N.: Old Norse.
O.S.: Old Saxon.
O.H.G.: Old High German.
M.H.G.: Middle High German.
The vowel ä = _a_ in _glad_ }
The diphthong æ = _a_ in _hair_ } approximately.
The names Leo, Bugge, Rieger, etc., refer to authors of emendations.
Words beginning with ge- will be found under their root-word.
Obvious abbreviations, like subj., etc., are not included in this list.
LIST OF NAMES.
Abel, Cain's brother, 108.
Älf-here (gen. Älf-heres, 2605), a kinsman of Wîglâf's, 2605.
Äsc-here, confidential adviser of King Hrôðgâr (1326), older brother of
Yrmenlâf (1325), killed by Grendel's mother, 1295, 1324, 2123.
Bân-stân, father of Breca, 524.
Beó-wulf, son of Scyld, king of the Danes, 18, 19. After the death of his
father, he succeeds to the throne of the Scyldings, 53. His son is
Healfdene, 57.
Beó-wulf (Biówulf, 1988, 2390; gen. Beówulfes, 857, etc., Biówulfes, 2195,
2808, etc.; dat. Beówulfe, 610, etc., Biówulfe, 2325, 2843), of the race of
the Geátas. His father is the Wægmunding Ecgþeów (263, etc.); his mother a
daughter of Hrêðel, king of the Geátas (374), at whose court he is brought
up after his seventh year with Hrêðel's sons, Herebeald, Hæðcyn, and
Hygelâc, 2429 ff. In his youth lazy and unapt (2184 f., 2188 f.); as man he
attains in the gripe of his hand the strength of thirty men, 379. Hence his
victories in his combats with bare hands (711 ff., 2502 ff.), while fate
denies him the victory in the battle with swords, 2683 f. His
swimming-match with Breca in his youth, 506 ff. Goes with fourteen Geátas
to the assistance of the Danish king, Hrôðgâr, against Grendel, 198 ff. His
combat with Grendel, and his victory, 711 ff., 819 ff. He is, in
consequence, presented with rich gifts by Hrôðgâr, 1021 ff. His combat with
Grendel's mother, 1442 ff. Having again received gifts, he leaves Hrôðgâr
(1818-1888), and returns to Hygelâc, 1964 ff.--After Hygelâc's last battle
and death, he flees alone across the sea, 2360 f. In this battle he crushes
Däghrefn, one of the Hûgas, to death, 2502 f. He rejects at the same time
Hygelâc's kingdom and the hand of his widow (2370 ff.), but carries on the
government as guardian of the young Heardrêd, son of Hygelâc, 2378 ff.
After Heardrêd's death, the kingdom falls to Beówulf, 2208,
2390.--Afterwards, on an expedition to avenge the murdered Heardrêd, he
kills the Scylfing, Eádgils (2397), and probably conquers his country.
--His fight with the drake, 2539 ff. His death, 2818. His burial, 3135 ff.
Breca (acc. Brecan, 506, 531), son of Beánstân, 524. Chief of the
Brondings, 521. His swimming-match with Beówulf, 506 ff.
Brondingas (gen. Brondinga, 521), Breca, their chief, 521.
Brosinga mene, corrupted from, or according to Müllenhoff, written by
mistake for, Breosinga mene (O.N., Brisinga men, cf. Haupts Zeitschr. XII.
304), collar, which the Brisingas once possessed.
Cain (gen. Caines, 107): descended from him are Grendel and his kin, 107,
1262 ff.
Däg-hrefn (dat. Däghrefne, 2502), a warrior of the Hûgas, who, according to
2504-5, compared with 1203, and with 1208, seems to have been the slayer of
King Hygelâc, in his battle against the allied Franks, Frisians, and Hûgas.
Is crushed to death by Beówulf in a hand-to-hand combat, 2502 ff.
Dene (gen. Dena, 242, etc., Denia, 2126, Deniga, 271, etc.; dat. Denum,
768, etc.), as subjects of Scyld and his descendants, they are also called
Scyldings; and after the first king of the East Danes, Ing (Runenlied, 22),
Ing-wine, 1045, 1320. They are also once called Hrêðmen, 445. On account of
their renowned warlike character, they bore the names Gâr-Dene, 1, 1857,
Hring-Dene (Armor-Danes), 116, 1280, Beorht-Dene, 427, 610. The great
extent of this people is indicated by their names from the four quarters of
the heavens: Eást-Dene, 392, 617, etc., West-Dene, 383, 1579, Sûð-Dene,
463, Norð-Dene, 784.--Their dwelling-place "in Scedelandum," 19, "on
Scedenigge," 1687, "be sæm tweónum," 1686.
Ecg-lâf (gen. Ecglâfes, 499), Hûnferð's father, 499.
Ecg-þeów (nom. Ecgþeów, 263, Ecgþeó, 373; gen. Ecgþeówes, 529, etc.,
Ecgþiówes, 2000), a far-famed hero of the Geátas, of the house of the
Wægmundings. Beówulf is the son of Ecgþeów, by the only daughter of Hrêðel,
king of the Geátas, 262, etc. Among the Wylfings, he has slain Heaðolâf
(460), and in consequence he goes over the sea to the Danes (463), whose
king, Hrôðgâr, by means of gold, finishes the strife for him, 470.
Ecg-wela (gen. Ecg-welan, 1711). The Scyldings are called his descendants,
1711. Grein considers him the founder of the older dynasty of Danish kings,
which closes with Heremôd. See Heremôd.
Elan, daughter of Healfdene, king of the Danes, (?) 62. According to the
restored text, she is the wife of Ongenþeów, the Scylfing, 62, 63.
Earna-näs, the Eagle Cape in the land of the Geátas, where occurred
Beówulf's fight with the drake, 3032.
Eádgils (dat. Eádgilse, 2393), son of Ôhthere, and grandson of Ongenþeów,
the Scylfing, 2393. His older brother is
Eánmund (gen. Eánmundes, 2612). What is said about both in our poem
(2201-2207, 2380-2397, 2612-2620) is obscure, but the following may be
conjectured:--
The sons of Ôhthere, Eánmund and Eádgils, have rebelled against their
father (2382), and must, in consequence, depart with their followers from
Swiórîce, 2205-6, 2380. They come into the country of the Geátas to
Heardrêd (2380), but whether with friendly or hostile intent is not stated;
but, according to 2203 f., we are to presume that they came against
Heardrêd with designs of conquest. At a banquet (on feorme; or feorme, MS.)
Heardrêd falls, probably through treachery, by the hand of one of the
brothers, 2386, 2207. The murderer must have been Eánmund, to whom,
according to 2613, "in battle the revenge of Weohstân brings death."
Weohstân takes revenge for his murdered king, and exercises upon Eánmund's
body the booty-right, and robs it of helm, breastplate, and sword
(2616-17), which the slain man had received as gifts from his uncle, Onela,
2617-18. But Weohstân does not speak willingly of this fight, although he
has slain Onela's brother's son, 2619-20.--After Heardrêd's and Eánmund's
death, the descendant of Ongenþeów, Eádgils, returns to his home, 2388. He
must give way before Beówulf, who has, since Heardrêd's death, ascended the
throne of the Geátas, 2390. But Beówulf remembers it against him in after
days, and the old feud breaks out anew, 2392-94. Eádgils makes an invasion
into the land of the Geátas (2394-95), during which he falls at the hands
of Beówulf, 2397. The latter must have then obtained the sovereignty over
the Sweonas (3005-6, where only the version, Scylfingas, can give a
satisfactory sense).
Eofor (gen. Eofores, 2487, 2965; dat. Jofore, 2994, 2998), one of the
Geátas, son of Wonrêd and brother of Wulf (2965, 2979), kills the Swedish
king, Ongenþeów (2487 ff., 2978-82), for which he receives from King
Hygelâc, along with other gifts, his only daughter in marriage, 2994-99.
Eormen-rîc (gen. Eormenrîces, 1202), king of the Goths (cf. about him, W.
Grimm, Deutsche Heldensage, p. 2, ff.). Hâma has wrested the Brosinga mene
from him, 1202.
Eomær, son of Offa and Þryðo (cf. Þryðo), 1961.
Finn (gen. Finnes, 1069, etc.; dat. Finne, 1129), son of Folcwalda (1090),
king of the North Frisians, i.e. of the Eotenas, husband of Hildeburg, a
daughter of Hôc, 1072, 1077. He is the hero of the inserted poem on the
Attack in Finnsburg, the obscure incidents of which are, perhaps, as
follows: In Finn's castle, Finnsburg, situated in Jutland (1126-28), the
Hôcing, Hnäf, a relative--perhaps a brother--of Hildeburg is spending some
time as guest. Hnäf, who is a liegeman of the Danish king, Healfdene, has
sixty men with him (Finnsburg, 38). These are treacherously attacked one
night by Finn's men, 1073. For five days they hold the doors of their
lodging-place without losing one of their number (Finnsburg, 41, 42). Then,
however, Hnäf is slain (1071), and the Dane, Hengest, who was among Hnäf's
followers, assumes the command of the beleaguered band. But on the
attacking side the fight has brought terrible losses to Finn's men. Their
numbers are diminished (1081 f.), and Hildeburg bemoans a son and a brother
among the fallen (1074 f., cf. 1116, 1119). Therefore the Frisians offer
the Danes peace (1086) under the conditions mentioned (1087-1095), and it
is confirmed with oaths (1097), and money is given by Finn in propitiation
(1108). Now all who have survived the battle go together to Friesland, the
homo proper of Finn, and here Hengest remains during the winter, prevented
by ice and storms from returning home (Grein). But in spring the feud
breaks out anew. Gûðlâf and Oslâf avenge Hnäf's fall, probably after they
have brought help from home (1150). In the battle, the hall is filled with
the corpses of the enemy. Finn himself is killed, and the queen is captured
and carried away, along with the booty, to the land of the Danes,
1147-1160.
Finna land. Beówulf reaches it in his swimming-race with Breca, 580.
Fitela, the son and nephew of the Wälsing, Sigemund, and his companion in
arms, 876-890. (Sigemund had begotten Fitela by his sister, Signý. Cf. more
at length Leo on Beówulf, p. 38 ff., where an extract from the legend of
the Walsungs is given.)
Folc-walda (gen. Folc-waldan, 1090), Finn's father, 1090.
Francan (gen. Francna, 1211; dat. Froncum, 2913). King Hygelâc fell on an
expedition against the allied Franks, Frisians, and Hûgas, 1211, 2917.
Fresan, Frisan, Frysan (gen. Fresena, 1094, Frysna, 1105, Fresna, 2916:
dat. Frysum, 1208, 2913). To be distinguished, are: 1) North Frisians,
whose king is Finn, 1069 ff.; 2) West Frisians, in alliance with the Franks
and Hûgas, in the war against whom Hygelâc falls, 1208, 2916. The country
of the former is called Frysland, 1127; that of the latter, Fresna land,
2916.
Fr..es wäl (in Fr..es wäle, 1071), mutilated proper name.
Freáwaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrôðgâr; given in marriage to
Ingeld, the son of the Heaðobeard king, Frôda, in order to end a war
between the Danes and the Heaðobeardnas, 2023 ff., 2065.
Frôda (gen. Frôdan), father of Ingeld, the husband of Freáware, 2026.
Gârmund (gen. Gârmundes, 1963) father of Offa. His grandson is Eómær,
1961-63.
Geátas (gen. Geáta, 205, etc.; dat. Geátum, 195, etc.), a tribe in Southern
Scandinavia, to which the hero of this poem belongs; also called
Wedergeátas, 1493, 2552; or, Wederas, 225, 423, etc.; Gûðgeátas, 1539;
Sægeátas, 1851, 1987. Their kings named in this poem are: Hrêðel; Hæðcyn,
second son of Hrêðel; Hygelâc, the brother of Hæðcyn; Heardrêd, son of
Hygelâc; then Beówulf.
Gifðas (dat. Gifðum, 2495), Gepidæ, mentioned in connection with Danes and
Swedes, 2495.
Grendel, a fen-spirit (102-3) of Cain's race, 107, 111, 1262, 1267. He
breaks every night into Hrôðgâr's hall and carries off thirty warriors, 115
ff., 1583ff. He continues this for twelve years, till Beówulf fights with
him (147, 711 ff.), and gives him a mortal wound, in that he tears out one
of his arms (817), which is hung up as a trophy in the roof of Heorot, 837.
Grendel's mother wishes to avenge her son, and the following night breaks
into the hall and carries off Äschere, 1295. Beówulf seeks for and finds
her home in the fen-lake (1493 ff.), fights with her (1498 ff.), and kills
her (1567); and cuts off the head of Grendel, who lay there dead (1589),
and brings it to Hrôðgâr, 1648.
Gûð-lâf and Oslâf, Danish warriors under Hnäf, whose death they avenge on
Finn, 1149.
Hâlga, with the surname, _til_, the younger brother of the Danish king,
Hrôðgâr, 61. His son is Hrôðulf, 1018, 1165, 1182.
Hâma wrests the _Brosinga mene_ from Eormenrîc, 1199.
Häreð (gen. Häreðes, 1982), father of Hygd, the wife of Hygelâc, 1930,
1982.
Hæðcyn (dat. Hæðcynne, 2483), second son of Hrêðel, king of the Geátas,
2435. Kills his oldest brother, Herebeald, accidentally, with an arrow,
2438 ff. After Hrêðel's death, he obtains the kingdom, 2475, 2483. He falls
at Ravenswood, in the battle against the Swedish king, Ongenþeów, 2925. His
successor is his younger brother, Hygelâc, 2944 ff., 2992.
Helmingas (gen. Helminga, 621). From them comes Wealhþeów, Hrôðgâr's wife,
621.
Heming (gen. Heminges, 1945, 1962). Offa is called Heminges mæg, 1945;
Eómær, 1962. According to Bachlechner (Pfeiffer's Germania, I., p. 458),
Heming is the son of the sister of Gârmund, Offa's father.
Hengest (gen. Hengestes, 1092; dat. Hengeste, 1084): about him and his
relations to Hnäf and Finn, see Finn.
Here-beald (dat. Herebealde, 2464), the oldest son of Hrêðel, king of the
Geátas (2435), accidentally killed with an arrow by his younger brother,
Hæðcyn, 2440.
Here-môd (gen. Heremôdes, 902), king of the Danes, not belonging to the
Scylding dynasty, but, according to Grein, immediately preceding it; is, on
account of his unprecedented cruelty, driven out, 902 ff., 1710.
Here-rîc (gen. Hererîces, 2207) Heardrêd is called Hererîces nefa, 2207.
Nothing further is known of him.
Het-ware or Franks, in alliance with the Frisians and the Hûgas, conquer
Hygelâc, king of the Geátas, 2355, 2364 ff., 2917.
Healf-dene (gen. Healfdenes, 189, etc.), son of Beówulf, the Scylding (57);
rules the Danes long and gloriously (57 f.); has three sons, Heorogâr,
Hrôðgâr, and Hâlga (61), and a daughter, Elan, who, according to the
renewed text of the passage, wäs married to the Scylfing, Ongenþeów, 62,
63.
Heard-rêd (dat. Heardrêde, 2203, 2376), son of Hygelâc, king of the Geátas,
and Hygd. After his father's death, while still under age, he obtains the
throne (2371, 2376, 2379); wherefore Beówulf, as nephew of Heardrêd's
father, acts as guardian to the youth till he becomes older, 2378. He is
slain by Ôhthere's sons, 2386. This murder Beówulf avenges on Eádgils,
2396-97.
Heaðo-beardnas (gen. -beardna, 2033, 2038, 2068), the tribe of the
Lombards. Their king, Frôda, has fallen in a war with the Danes, 2029,
2051. In order to end the feud, King Hrôðgâr has given his daughter,
Freáwaru, as wife to the young Ingeld, the son of Frôda, a marriage that
does not result happily; for Ingeld, though he long defers it on account of
his love for his wife, nevertheless takes revenge for his father, 2021-2070
(Wîdsîð, 45-49).
Heaðo-lâf (dat. Heaðo-lâfe, 460), a Wylfingish warrior. Ecgþeów, Beówulf's
father, kills him, 460.
Heaðo-ræmas reached by B. in the swimming-race with Beówulf, 519.
Heoro-gâr (nom. 61; Heregâr, 467; Hiorogâr, 2159), son of Healfdene, and
older brother of Hrôðgâr, 61. His death is mentioned, 467. He has a son,
Heoroweard, 2162. His coat of mail Beówulf has received from Hrôðgâr
(2156), and presents it to Hygelâc, 2158.
Heoro-weard (dat. Heorowearde, 2162), Heorogâr's son, 2161-62.
Heort, 78. Heorot, 166 (gen. Heorotes, 403; dat. Heorote, 475, Heorute,
767, Hiorte, 2100). Hrôðgâr's throne-room and banqueting hall and
assembly-room for his liegemen, built by him with unusual splendor, 69, 78.
In it occurs Beówulf's fight with Grendel, 720 ff. The hall receives its
name from the stag's antlers, of which the one-half crowns the eastern
gable, the other half the western.
Hildeburh, daughter of Hôc, relative of the Danish leader, Hnäf, consort of
the Frisian king, Finn. After the fall of the latter, she becomes a captive
of the Danes, 1072, 1077, 1159. See also under Finn.
Hnäf (gen. Hnäfes, 1115), a Hôcing (Wîdsîð, 29), the Danish King
Healfdene's general, 1070 ff. For his fight with Finn, his death and
burial, see under Finn.
Hond-sció, warrior of the Geátas: dat. 2077.
Hôc (gen. Hôces, 1077), father of Hildeburh, 1077; probably also of Hnäf
(Wîdsîð, 29).
Hrêðel (gen. Hrêðles, 1486), son of Swerting, 1204. King of the Geátas,
374. He has, besides, a daughter, who is married to Ecgþeów, and has borne
him Beówulf, (374), three sons, Herebeald, Hæðcyn, and Hygelâc, 2435. The
eldest of these is accidentally killed by the second, 2440. On account of
this inexpiable deed, Hrêðel becomes melancholy (2443), and dies, 2475.
Hrêðla (gen. Hrêðlan, MS. Hrædlan, 454), the same as Hrêðel (cf. Müllenhoff
in Haupts Zeitschrift, 12, 260), the former owner of Beówulf's coat of
mail, 454.
Hrêð-men (gen. Hrêð-manna, 445), the Danes are so called, 445.
Hrêð-rîc, son of Hrôðgâr, 1190, 1837.
Hrefna-wudu, 2926, or Hrefnes-holt, 2936, the thicket near which the
Swedish king, Ongenþeów, slew Hæðcyn, king of the Geátas, in battle.
Hreosna-beorh, promontory in the land of the Geátas, near which Ongenþeów's
sons, Ôhthere and Onela, had made repeated robbing incursions into the
country after Hrêðel's death. These were the immediate cause of the war in
which Hrêðel's son, King Hæðcyn, fell, 2478 ff.
Hrôð-gâr (gen. Hrôðgâres, 235, etc.; dat. Hrôðgâre, 64, etc.), of the
dynasty of the Scyldings; the second of the three sons of King Healfdene,
61. After the death of his elder brother, Heorogâr, he assumes the
government of the Danes, 465, 467 (yet it is not certain whether Heorogâr
was king of the Danes before Hrôðgâr, or whether his death occurred while
his father, Healfdene, was still alive). His consort is Wealhþeów (613), of
the stock of the Helmings (621), who has borne him two sons, Hrêðrîc and
Hrôðmund (1190), and a daughter, Freáware (2023), who has been given in
marriage to the king of the Heaðobeardnas, Ingeld. His throne-room (78
ff.), which has been built at great cost (74 ff.), is visited every night
by Grendel (102, 115), who, along with his mother, is slain by Beówulf (711
ff., 1493 ff). Hrôðgâr's rich gifts to Beówulf, in consequence, 1021, 1818;
he is praised as being generous, 71 ff., 80, 1028 ff., 1868 ff.; as being
brave, 1041 ff., 1771 ff.; and wise, 1699, 1725.--Other information about
Hrôðgâr's reign for the most part only suggested: his expiation of the
murder which Ecgþeów, Beówulf's father, committed upon Heaðolâf, 460, 470;
his war with the Heaðobeardnas; his adjustment of it by giving his
daughter, Freáware, in marriage to their king, Ingeld; evil results of this
marriage, 2021-2070.--Treachery of his brother's son, Hrôðulf, intimated,
1165-1166.
Hrôð-mund, Hrôðgâr's son, 1190.
Hrôð-ulf, probably a son of Hâlga, the younger brother of King Hrôðgâr,
1018, 1182. Wealhþeów expresses the hope (1182) that, in case of the early
death of Hrôðgâr, Hrôð-ulf would prove a good guardian to Hrôðgâr's young
son, who would succeed to the government; a hope which seems not to have
been accomplished, since it appears from 1165, 1166 that Hrôð-ulf has
abused his trust towards Hrôðgâr.
Hrones-näs (dat. -nässe, 2806, 3137), a promontory on the coast of the
country of the Geátas, visible from afar. Here is Beówulf's grave-mound,
2806, 3137.
Hrunting (dat. Hruntinge, 1660), Hûnferð's sword, is so called, 1458, 1660.
Hûgas (gen. Hûga, 2503), Hygelâc wars against them allied with the Franks
and Frisians, and falls, 2195 ff. One of their heroes is called Däghrefn,
whom Beówulf slays, 2503.
[H]ûn-ferð, the son of Ecglâf, þyle of King Hrôðgâr. As such, he has his
place near the throne of the king, 499, 500, 1167. He lends his sword,
Hrunting, to Beówulf for his battle with Grendel's mother, 1456 f.
According to 588, 1168, he slew his brothers. Since his name is always
alliterated with vowels, it is probable that the original form was, as
Rieger (Zachers Ztschr., 3, 414) conjectures, Unferð.
Hûn-lâfing, name of a costly sword, which Finn presents to Hengest, 1144.
See Note.
Hygd (dat. Hygde, 2173), daughter of Häreð, 1930; consort of Hygelâc, king
of the Geátas, 1927; her son, Heardrêd, 2203, etc.--Her noble, womanly
character is emphasized, 1927 ff.
Hyge-lâc (gen. Hige-lâces, 194, etc., Hygelâces, 2387; dat. Higelâce, 452,
Hygelâce, 2170), king of the Geátas, 1203, etc. His grandfather is
Swerting, 1204; his father, Hrêðel, 1486, 1848; his older brothers,
Herebeald and Hæðcyn, 2435; his sister's son, Beówulf, 374, 375. After his
brother, Hæðcyn, is killed by Ongenþeów, he undertakes the government (2992
in connection with the preceding from 2937 on). To Eofor he gives, as
reward for slaying Ongenþeów, his only daughter in marriage, 2998. But much
later, at the time of the return of Beówulf from his expedition to Hrôðgâr,
we see him married to the very young Hygd, the daughter of Häreð, 1930. The
latter seems, then, to have been his second wife. Their son is Heardrêd,
2203, 2376, 2387.--Hygelâc falls during an expedition against the Franks,
Frisians, and Hûgas, 1206, 1211, 2356-59, 2916-17.
Ingeld (dat. Ingelde, 2065), son of Frôda, the Heaðobeard chief, who fell
in a battle with the Danes, 2051 ff. in order to end the war, Ingeld is
married to Freáwaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrôðgâr, 2025-30. Yet his
love for his young wife can make him forget only for a short while his
desire to avenge his father. He finally carries it out, excited thereto by
the repeated admonitions of an old warrior, 2042-70 (Wîdsîð, 45-59).
Ing-wine (gen. Ingwina, 1045, 1320), friends of Ing, the first king of the
East Danes. The Danes are so called, 1045, 1320.
Mere-wioingas (gen. Mere-wioinga, 2922), as name of the Franks, 2922.
Nägling, the name of Beówulf's sword, 2681.
Offa (gen. Offan, 1950), king of the Angles (Wîdsîð, 35), the son of
Gârmund, 1963; married (1950) to Þryðo (1932), a beautiful but cruel woman,
of unfeminine spirit (1932 ff.), by whom he has a son, Eómær, 1961.
Ôht-here (gen. Ôhtheres, 2929, 2933; Ôhteres, 2381, 2393, 2395, 2613), son
of Ongenþeów, king of the Swedes, 2929. His sons are Eánmund (2612) and
Eádgils, 2393.
Onela (gen. Onelan, 2933), Ôhthere's brother, 2617, 2933.
Ongen-þeów (nom. -þeów, 2487, -þió, 2952; gen. -þeówes, 2476, -þiówes,
2388; dat. -þió, 2987), of the dynasty of the Scylfings; king of the
Swedes, 2384. His wife is, perhaps, Elan, daughter of the Danish king,
Healfdene (62), and mother of two sons, Onela and Ôhthere, 2933. She is
taken prisoner by Hæðcyn, king of the Geátas, on an expedition into Sweden,
which he undertakes on account of her sons' plundering raids into his
country, 2480 ff. She is set free by Ongenþeów (2931), who kills Hæðcyn,
2925, and encloses the Geátas, now deprived of their leader, in the
Ravenswood (2937 ff.), till they are freed by Hygelâc, 2944. A battle then
follows, which is unfavorable to Ongenþeów's army. Ongenþeów himself,
attacked by the brothers, Wulf and Eofor, is slain by the latter, 2487 ff.,
2962 ff.
Ôs-lâf, a warrior of Hnäf's, who avenges on Finn his leader's death, 1149
f.
Scede-land, 19. Sceden-îg (dat. Sceden-îgge, 1687), O.N., Scân-ey, the most
southern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, belonging to the Danish
kingdom, and, in the above-mentioned passages of our poem, a designation of
the whole Danish kingdom.
Scêf or Sceáf. See Note.
Scyld (gen. Scyldes, 19), a Scêfing. 4. His son is Beówulf, 18, 53: his
grandson, Healfdene, 57; his great-grandson, Hrôðgâr, who had two brothers
and a sister, 59 ff.--Scyld dies, 26; his body, upon a decorated ship, is
given over to the sea (32 ff.), just as he, when a child, drifted alone,
upon a ship, to the land of the Danes, 43 ff. After him his descendants
bear his name.
Scyldingas (Scyldungas, 2053; gen. Scyldinga, 53, etc., Scyldunga, 2102,
2160; dat. Scyldingum, 274, etc.), a name which is extended also to the
Danes, who are ruled by the Scyldings, 53, etc. They are also called
Âr-Scyldingas, 464; Sige-Scyldingas, 598, 2005; Þeód-Scyldingas, 1020;
Here-Scyldingas, 1109.
Scylfingas, a Swedish royal family, whose relationship seems to extend to
the Geátas, since Wîglâf, the son of Wihstân, who in another place, as a
kinsman of Beówulf, is called a Wægmunding (2815), is also called leód
Scylfinga, 2604. The family connections are perhaps as follows:--
Scylf.
|
------------------------
Wægmund. .......
| |
------------------ ----------
Ecgþeów. Weohstân. Ongenþeów.
| | |
-------- -------- ---------------
Beówulf. Wîglâf. Onela. Ôhthere.
|
-----------------
Eáumund. Eádgils.
The Scylfings are also called Heaðo-Scilfingas, 63, Gûð-Scylfingas, 2928.
Sige-mund (dat. -munde, 876, 885), the son of Wäls, 878, 898. His (son and)
nephew is Fitela, 880, 882. His fight with the drake, 887 ff.
Swerting (gen. Swertinges, 1204), Hygelâc's grandfather, and Hrêðel's
father, 1204.
Sweon (gen. Sweona, 2473, 2947, 3002), also Sweó-þeód, 2923. The dynasty of
the Scylfings rules over them, 2382, 2925. Their realm is called Swiórice,
2384, 2496.
Þryðo, consort of the Angle king, Offa, 1932, 1950. Mother of Eómær, 1961,
notorious on account of her cruel, unfeminine character, 1932 ff. She is
mentioned as the opposite to the mild, dignified Hygd, the queen of the
Geátas.
Wäls (gen. Wälses, 898), father of Sigemund, 878, 898.
Wæg-mundingas (gen. Wægmundinga, 2608, 2815). The Wægmundings are on one
side, Wihstân and his son Wîglâf; on the other side, Ecgþeów and his son
Beówulf (2608, 2815). See under Scylfingas.
Wederas (gen. Wedera, 225, 423, 498, etc.), or Weder-geátas. See Geátas.
Wêland (gen. Wêlandes, 455), the maker of Beówulf's coat of mail, 455.
Wendlas (gen. Wendla, 348): their chief is Wulfgâr. See Wulfgâr. The
Wendlas are, according to Grundtvig and Bugge, the inhabitants of Vendill,
the most northern part of Jutland, between Limfjord and the sea.
Wealh-þeów (613, Wealh-þeó, 665, 1163), the consort of King Hrôðgâr, of the
stock of the Helmings, 621. Her sons are Hrêðrîc and Hrôðmund, 1190; her
daughter, Freáwaru, 2023.
Weoh-stân (gen. Weox-stânes, 2603, Weoh-stânes, 2863, Wih-stânes, 2753,
2908, etc.), a Wægmunding (2608), father of Wîglâf, 2603. In what
relationship to him Älfhere, mentioned 2605, stands, is not
clear.--Weohstân is the slayer of Eánmund (2612), in that, as it seems, he
takes revenge for his murdered king, Heardrêd. See Eánmund.
Wîg-lâf, Weohstân's son, 2603, etc., a Wægmunding, 2815, and so also a
Scylfing, 2604; a kinsman of Älfhere, 2605. For his relationship to
Beówulf, see the genealogical table under Scylfingas.--He supports Beówulf
in his fight with the drake, 2605 ff., 2662 ff. The hero gives him, before
his death, his ring, his helm, and his coat of mail, 2810 ff.
Won-rêd (gen. Wonrêdes, 2972), father of Wulf and Eofor, 2966, 2979.
Wulf (dat. Wulfe, 2994), one of the Geátas, Wonrêd's son. He fights in the
battle between the armies of Hygelâc and Ongenþeów with Ongenþeów himself,
and gives him a wound (2966), whereupon Ongenþeów, by a stroke of his
sword, disables him, 2975. Eofor avenges his brother's fall by dealing
Ongenþeów a mortal blow, 2978 ff.
Wulf-gâr, chief of the Wendlas, 348, lives at Hrôðgâr's court, and is his
"âr and ombiht," 335.
Wylfingas (dat. Wylfingum, 461). Ecgþeów has slain Heoðolâf, a warrior of
this tribe, 460.
Yrmen-lâf, younger brother of Äschere, 1325.
ADDITIONAL.
Eotenas (gen. pl. Eotena, 1073, 1089, 1142; dat. Eotenum, 1146), the
subjects of Finn, the North Frisians: distinguished from eoton, _giant_.
Vid eoton. Cf. Bugge, Beit., xii. 37; Earle, Beowulf in Prose, pp. 146,
198.
Hrêðling, son of Hrêðel, Hygelâc: nom. sg. 1924; nom. pl., the subjects of
Hygelâc, the Geats, 2961.
Scêfing, the son (?) of Scêf, or Sceáf, reputed father of Scyld, 4. See
Note.
ABBREVIATIONS.
B.: Bugge.
Br.: S.A. Brooke, Hist. of Early Eng. Lit.
C.: Cosijn.
E.: Earle, Deeds of Beowulf in Prose.
G.: Garnett, Translation of Beowulf
Gr.: Grein.
H.: Heyne.
Ha.: Hall, Translation of Beowulf.
H.-So.: Heyne-Socin, 5th ed.
Ho.: Holder.
K.: Kemble.
Kl.: Kluge.
Müllenh.: Müllenhoff.
R.: Rieger.
S.: Sievers.
Sw.: Sweet, Anglo-Saxon Reader, 6th ed.
Ten Br.: Ten Brink.
Th.: Thorpe.
Z.: Zupitza.
PERIODICALS.
Ang.: Anglia.
Beit.: Paul und Branne's Beiträge.
Eng. Stud.: Englische Studien.
Germ.: Germania.
Haupts Zeitschr.: Haupts Zeitschrift, etc.
Mod. Lang. Notes: Modern Language Notes.
Tidskr.: Tidskrift for Philologi.
Zachers Zeitschr.: Zachers Zeitschrift, etc.
NOTES.
l. 1. hwät: for this interjectional formula opening a poem, cf. _Andreas,
Daniel, Juliana, Exodus, Fata Apost., Dream of the Rood_, and the
"Listenith lordinges!" of mediaeval lays.--E. Cf. Chaucer, Prologue, ed.
Morris, l. 853:
"Sin I shal beginne the game,
_What_, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!"
we ... gefrunon is a variant on the usual epic formulæ ic gefrägn (l. 74)
and mîne gefræge (l. 777). _Exodus, Daniel, Phoenix_, etc., open with the
same formula.
l. 1. "Gâr was the javelin, armed with two of which the warrior went into
battle, and which he threw over the 'shield-wall.' It was barbed."--Br.
124. Cf. _Maldon_, l. 296; _Judith_, l. 224; _Gnom. Verses_, l. 22; etc.
l. 4. "Scild of the Sheaf, not 'Scyld the son of Scaf'; for it is too
inconsistent, even in myth, to give a patronymic to a foundling. According
to the original form of the story, Sceáf was the foundling; he had come
ashore with a sheaf of corn, and from that was named. This form of the
story is preserved in Ethelwerd and in William of Malmesbury. But here the
foundling is Scyld, and we must suppose he was picked up with the sheaf,
and hence his cognomen."--E., p. 105. Cf. the accounts of Romulus and
Remus, of Moses, of Cyrus, etc.
l. 6. egsian is also used in an active sense (not in the Gloss.), = _to
terrify_.
l. 15. S. suggests þâ (_which_) for þät, as object of dreógan; and for
aldor-leáse, Gr. suggested aldor-ceare.--_Beit._ ix. 136.
S. translates: "For God had seen the dire need which the rulerless ones
before endured."
l. 18. "Beowulf (that is, Beaw of the Anglo-Saxon genealogists, not our
Beowulf, who was a Geat, not a Dane), 'the son of Scyld in Scedeland.' This
is our ancestral myth,--the story of the first culture-hero of the North;
'the patriarch,' as Rydberg calls him, 'of the royal families of Sweden,
Denmark, Angeln, Saxland, and England.'"--Br., p. 78. Cf. _A.-S. Chron._
an. 855.
H.-So. omits parenthetic marks, and reads (after S., _Beit._ ix. 135)
eaferan; cf. _Fata Apost._: lof wîde sprang þeódnes þegna.
"The name _Beowulf_ means literally 'Bee-wolf,' wolf or ravager of
the bees, = bear. Cf. _beorn_, 'hero,' originally 'bear,' and
_beohata_, 'warrior,' in Cædmon, literally 'bee-hater' or
'persecutor,' and hence identical in meaning with _beowulf_."--Sw.
Cf. "Arcite and Palamon,
That foughten _breme_, as it were bores two."
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 841, ed. Morris.
Cf. M. Müller, _Science of Lang._, Sec. Series, pp. 217, 218; and Hunt's
_Daniel_, 104.
l. 19. Cf. l. 1866, where Scedenig is used, = _Scania_, in Sweden(?).
l. 21. wine is pl.; cf. its apposition wil-gesîðas below. H.-So. compares
_Héliand_, 1017, for language almost identical with ll. 20, 21.
l. 22. on ylde: cf.
"_In elde_ is bothe wisdom and usage."
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 1590, ed. Morris.
l. 26. Reflexive objects often pleonastically accompany verbs of motion;
cf. ll. 234, 301, 1964, etc.
l. 28. faroð = _shore, strand, edge._ Add these to the meanings in the
Gloss.
l. 31. The object of âhte is probably geweald, to be supplied from wordum
weóld of l. 30.--H.-So.
R., Kl., and B. all hold conflicting views of this passage: _Beit._ xii.
80, ix. 188; _Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 382, etc. Kl. suggests lændagas for
lange.
l. 32. "hringed-stefna is sometimes translated 'with curved prow,' but it
means, I think, that in the prow were fastened rings through which the
cables were passed that tied it to the shore."--Br., p. 26. Cf. ll. 1132,
1898. Hring-horni was the mythic ship of the Edda. See Toller-Bosworth for
three different views; and cf. wunden-stefna (l. 220), hring-naca (l.
1863).
ll. 34-52. Cf. the burial of Haki on a funeral-pyre ship, _Inglinga Saga;_
the burial of Balder, Sinfiötli, Arthur, etc.
l. 35. "And this [their joy in the sea] is all the plainer from the number
of names given to the ship-names which speak their pride and affection. It
is the Ætheling's vessel, the Floater, the Wave-swimmer, the Ring-sterned,
the Keel, the Well-bound wood, the Sea-wood, the Sea-ganger, the Sea-broad
ship, the Wide-bosomed, the Prow-curved, the Wood of the curved neck, the
Foam-throated floater that flew like a bird."--Br., p. 168.
l. 49. "We know from Scandinavian graves ... that the illustrious dead were
buried ... in ships, with their bows to sea-ward; that they were however
not sent to sea, but were either burnt in that position, or mounded over
with earth."--E. See Du Chaillu, _The Viking Age_, xix.
l. 51. (1) sele-rædende (K., S., C.); (2) sêle-rædenne (H.); (3)
sele-rædende (H.-So.). Cf. l. 1347; and see Ha.
l. 51. E. compares with this canto Tennyson's "Passing of Arthur" and the
legendary burial-journey of St. James of Campostella, an. 800.
l. 53. The poem proper begins with this, "There was once upon a time," the
first 52 lines being a prelude. Eleven of the "fitts," or cantos, begin
with the monosyllable þâ, four with the verb gewîtan, nine with the formula
Hrôðgâr (Beówulf, Unferð) maðelode, twenty-four with monosyllables in
general (him, swâ, sê, hwät, þâ, hêht, wäs, mäg, cwôm, stræt).
l. 58. gamel. "The ... characteristics of the poetry are the use of archaic
forms and words, such as mec for mé, the possessive sín, gamol, dógor, swát
for eald, dæg, blód, etc., after they had become obsolete in the prose
language, and the use of special compounds and phrases, such as hildenædre
(_war-adder_) for 'arrow,' gold-gifa (_gold-giver_) for 'king,' ...
goldwine gumena (_goldfriend of men, distributor of gold to men_) for
'king,'" etc.--Sw. Other poetic words are ides, ielde (_men_), etc.
l. 60. H.-So. reads ræswa (referring to Heorogâr alone), and places a point
(with the Ms.) after Heorogâr instead of after ræswa. Cf. l. 469; see B.,
_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 193.
l. 62. Elan here (OHG. _Elana, Ellena, Elena, Elina, Alyan_) is thought by
B. (_Tidskr_. viii. 43) to be a remnant of the masc. name Onela, and he
reads: [On-]elan ewên, Heaðoscilfingas(=es) healsgebedda.
l. 68. For hê, omitted here, cf. l. 300. Pronouns are occasionally thus
omitted insubord. clauses.--Sw.
l. 70. þone, here = þonne, _than_, and micel = mâre? The passage, by a
slight change, might be made to read, medo-ärn micle mâ gewyrcean,--þone =
_by much larger than_,--in which þone (þonne) would come in naturally.
l. 73. folc-scare. Add _folk-share_ to the meanings in the Gloss.; and cf.
gûð-scearu.
l. 74. ic wide gefrägn: an epic formula very frequent in poetry, = _men
said._ Cf. _Judith_, ll. 7, 246; _Phoenix_, l. 1; and the parallel (noun)
formula, mîne gefræge, ll. 777, 838, 1956, etc.
ll. 78-83. "The hall was a rectangular, high-roofed, wooden building, its
long sides facing north and south. The two gables, at either end, had
stag-horns on their points, curving forwards, and these, as well as the
ridge of the roof, were probably covered with shining metal, and glittered
bravely in the sun."--Br., p. 32.
l. 84. _Son-in-law and father-in-law;_ B., a so-called _dvanda_ compound.
Cf. l. 1164, where a similar compound means _uncle and nephew;_ and
Wîdsîð's suhtorfædran, used of the same persons.
l. 88. "The word dreám conveys the buzz and hum of social happiness, and
more particularly the sound of music and singing."--E. Cf. l. 3021; and
_Judith_, l. 350; _Wanderer_, l. 79, etc.
ll. 90-99. There is a suspicious similarity between this passage and the
lines attributed by Bede to Cædmon:
Nû wê sculan herian heofonrices Weard, etc.
--Sw., p. 47.
ll. 90-98 are probably the interpolation of a Christian scribe.
ll. 92-97. "The first of these Christian elements [in _Beówulf_] is the
sense of a fairer, softer world than that in which the Northern warriors
lived.... Another Christian passage (ll. 107, 1262) derives all the demons,
eotens, elves, and dreadful sea-beasts from the race of Cain. The folly of
sacrificing to the heathen gods is spoken of (l. 175).... The other point
is the belief in immortality (ll. 1202, 1761)."--Br. 71.
l. 100. Cf. l. 2211, where the third dragon of the poem is introduced in
the same words. Beowulf is the forerunner of that other national
dragon-slayer, St. George.
l. 100. onginnan in _Beówulf_ is treated like verbs of motion and modal
auxiliaries, and takes the object inf. without tô; cf. ll. 872, 1606, 1984,
244. Cf. _gan_ (= _did_) in Mid. Eng.: _gan_ espye (Chaucer, _Knightes
Tale_, l. 254, ed. Morris).
l. 101. B. and H.-So. read, feónd on healle; cf. l. 142.--_Beit._ xii.
ll. 101-151. "Grimm connects [Grendel] with the Anglo-Saxon grindel (_a
bolt_ or _bar_).... It carries with it the notion of the bolts and bars of
hell, and hence _a fiend._ ... Ettmüller was the first ... to connect the
name with grindan, _to grind, to crush to pieces, to utterly destroy._
Grendel is then _the tearer, the destroyer_."--Br., p. 83.
l. 102. gäst = _stranger_ (Ha.); cf. ll. 1139, 1442, 2313, etc.
l. 103. See Ha., p. 4.
l. 106. "The perfect and pluperfect are often expressed, as in Modern
English, by hæfð and hæfde with the past participle."--Sw. Cf. ll. 433,
408, 940, 205 (p. p. inflected in the last two cases), etc.
l. 106. S. destroys period here, reads in Caines, etc., and puts þone ...
drihten in parenthesis.
l. 108. þäs þe = _because_, especially after verbs of thanking (cf. ll.
228, 627, 1780, 2798); _according as_ (l. 1351).
l. 108. The def. article is omitted with Drihten (_Lord_) and Deofol
(_devil_; cf. l. 2089), as it is, generally, sparingly employed in poetry;
cf. tô sæ (l. 318), ofer sæ (l. 2381), on lande (l. 2311), tô räste (l.
1238), on wicge (l. 286), etc., etc.
l. 119. weras (S., H.-So.); wera (K., Th.).--_Beit._ ix. 137.
l. 120. unfælo = _uncanny_ (R.).
l. 131. E. translates, _majestic rage;_ adopting Gr.'s view that swyð is =
Icel. sviði, _a burn_ or _burning_. Cf. l. 737.
l. 142. B. supposes heal-þegnes to be corrupted from helþegnes; cf. l.
101.--_Beit._ xii. 80. See Gûðlâc, l. 1042.
l. 144. See Ha., p. 6, for S.'s rearrangement.
l. 146. S. destroys period after sêlest, puts wäs ... micel in parenthesis,
and inserts a colon after tîd.
l. 149. B. reads sârcwidum for syððan.
l. 154. B. takes sibbe for accus. obj. of wolde, and places a comma after
Deniga.--_Beit._ xii. 82.
l. 159. R. suggests ac se for atol.
l. 168. H.-So. plausibly conjectures this parenthesis to be a late
insertion, as, at ll. 180-181, the Danes also are said to be heathen.
Another commentator considers the throne under a "spell of enchantment,"
and therefore it could not be touched.
l. 169. ne ... wisse: _nor had he desire to do so_ (W.). See Ha., p. 7, for
other suggestions.
l. 169. myne wisse occurs in _Wanderer_, l. 27.
l. 174. The gerundial inf. with tô expresses purpose, defines a noun or
adjective, or, with the verb be, expresses duty or necessity passively; cf.
ll. 257, 473, 1004, 1420, 1806, etc. Cf. tô + inf. at ll. 316, 2557.
ll. 175-188. E. regards this passage as dating the time and place of the
poem relatively to the times of heathenism. Cf. the opening lines, _In days
of yore_, etc., as if the story, even then, were very old.
l. 177. gâst-bona is regarded by Ettmüller and G. Stephens (_Thunor_, p.
54) as an epithet of Thor (= _giant-killer_), a kenning for Thunor or Thor,
meaning both _man_ and _monster_.--E.
l. 189. Cf. l. 1993, where similar language is used. H.-So. takes both
môd-ceare and mæl-ceare as accus., others as instr.
ll. 190, 1994. seáð: for this use of seóðan cf. Bede, _Eccles. Hist._, ed.
Miller, p. 128, where p. p. soden is thus used.
l. 194. fram hâm = _in his home_ (S., H.-So.); but fram hâm may be for fram
him (_from them_, i.e. _his people_, or _from Hrothgar's_). Cf. Ha., p. 8.
l. 197. Cf. ll. 791, 807, for this fixed phrase.
l. 200. See _Andreas, Elene_, and _Juliana_ for swan-râd (_= sea_). "The
swan is said to breed wild now no further away than the North of Sweden."
--E. Cf. ganotes bäð, l. 1862.
l. 203. Concessive clauses with þeáh, þeáh þe, þeáh ... eal, vary with
subj. and ind., according as fact or contingency is dominant in the mind;
cf. ll. 526, 1168, 2032, etc. (subj.), 1103, 1614 (ind.). Cf. gif, nefne.
l. 204. hæl, an OE. word found in Wülker's Glossaries in various forms, =
_augury, omen, divination_, etc. Cf. hælsere, _augur_; hæl, _omen;_
hælsung, _augurium_, hælsian, etc. Cf. Tac., _Germania_, 10.
l. 207. C. adds "= _impetrare_" to the other meanings of findan given in
the Gloss.
l. 217. Cf. l. 1910; and _Andreas_, l. 993.--E. E. compares Byron's
"And fast and falcon-like the vessel flew,"
--_Corsair_, i.17.
and Scott's
"Merrily, merrily bounds the bark."
--_Lord of the Isles_, iv. 7.
l. 218. Cf.
"The fomy stedes on the golden brydel
Gnawinge."
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 1648, ed. Morris.
l. 219. Does ân-tîd mean _hour_ (Th.), or _corresponding hour_ = ând-tîd
(H.-So.), or _in due time_ (E.), or _after a time_, when ôþres, etc., would
be adv. gen.? See C., _Beit._ viii. 568.
l. 224. eoletes may = (1) _voyage_; (2) _toil, labor_; (3) _hurried
journey;_ but _sea_ or _fjord_ appears preferable.
ll. 229-257. "The scenery ... is laid on the coast of the North Sea and the
Kattegat, the first act of the poem among the Danes in Seeland, the second
among the Geats in South Sweden."--Br., p. 15.
l. 239. "A shoal of simple terms express in _Beówulf_ the earliest
sea-thoughts of the English.... The simplest term is Sæ.... To this they
added Wæter, Flod, Stream, Lagu, Mere, Holm, Grund, Heathu, Sund, Brim,
Garsecg, Eagor, Geofon, Fifel, Hron-rad, Swan-rad, Segl-rad,
Ganotes-bæð."--Br., p. 163-166.
l. 239. "The infinitive is often used in poetry after a verb of motion
where we should use the present participle."--Sw. Cf. ll. 711, 721, 1163
1803, 268, etc. Cf. German _spazieren fahren reiten_, etc., and similar
constructions in French, etc.
l. 240, W. reads hringed-stefnan for helmas bæron. B. inserts (?) after
holmas and begins a new line at the middle of the verse. S. omits B.'s "on
the wall."
l. 245. Double and triple negatives strengthen each other and do not
produce an affirmative in A.-S. or M. E. The neg. is often prefixed to
several emphatic words in the sentence, and readily contracts with vowels,
and h or w; cf. ll. 863, 182, 2125, 1509, 575, 583, 3016, etc.
l. 249. seld-guma = _man-at-arms in another's house_ (Wood); = _low-ranking
fellow_ (Ha.); stubenhocker, _stay-at-home_ (Gr.), Scott's "carpet knight,"
_Marmion_, i. 5.
l. 250. näfne (nefne, nemne) usually takes the subj., = _unless_; cf. ll.
1057, 3055, 1553. For ind., = _except_, see l. 1354. Cf. bûtan, gif, þeáh.
l. 250. For a remarkable account of armor and weapons in _Beówulf_, see S.
A. Brooke, _Hist. of Early Eng. Lit_. For general "Old Teutonic Life in
Beówulf," see J. A. Harrison, _Overland Monthly_.
l. 252. ær as a conj. generally has subj., as here; cf. ll. 264, 677, 2819,
732. For ind., cf. l. 2020.
l. 253. leás = _loose_, _roving_. Ettmüller corrected to leáse.
l. 256. This proverb (ôfest, etc.) occurs in _Exod_. (Hunt), l. 293.
l. 258. An "elder" may be a very young man; hence yldesta, = _eminent_, may
be used of Beowulf. Cf. _Laws of Ælfred_, C. 17: Nâ þät ælc eald sý, ac þät
he eald sý on wîsdôme.
l. 273. Verbs of hearing and seeing are often followed by acc. with inf.;
cf. ll. 229, 1024, 729, 1517, etc. Cf. German construction with _sehen,
horen_, etc., French construction with _voir, entendre_, etc., and the
classical constructions.
l. 275. dæd-hata = _instigator_. Kl. reads dæd-hwata.
l. 280. ed-wendan, n. (B.; cf. 1775), = edwenden, limited by bisigu. So ten
Br. = _Tidskr_. viii. 291.
l. 287. "Each is denoted ... also by the strengthened forms 'æghwæðer
('ægðer), éghwæðer, etc. This prefixed 'æ, óe corresponds to the Goth,
_aiw_, OHG. _eo_, _io_, and is umlauted from á, ó by the i of the gi which
originally followed."--Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 190.
l. 292. "All through the middle ages suits of armour are called
'weeds.'"--E.
l. 303. "An English warrior went into battle with a boar-crested helmet,
and a round linden shield, with a byrnie of ringmail ... with two javelins
or a single ashen spear some eight or ten feet long, with a long two-edged
sword naked or held in an ornamental scabbard.... In his belt was a short,
heavy, one-edged sword, or rather a long knife, called the seax ... used
for close quarters."--Br., p. 121.
l. 303. For other references to the boar-crest, cf. ll. 1112, 1287, 1454;
Grimm, _Myth._ 195; Tacitus, _Germania_, 45. "It was the symbol of their
[the Baltic Æstii's] goddess, and they had great faith in it as a
preservative from hard knocks."--E. See the print in the illus. ed. of
Green's _Short History_, Harper & Bros.
l. 303. "See Kemble, _Saxons in England_, chapter on heathendom, and
Grimm's _Teutonic Mythology_, chapter on Freyr, for the connection these
and other writers establish between the Boar-sign and the golden boar which
Freyr rode, and his worship."--Br., p. 128. Cf. _Elene_, l. 50.
l. 304. Gering proposes hleór-bergan = _cheek-protectors_; cf. _Beit._ xii.
26. "A bronze disk found at Öland in Sweden represents two warriors in
helmets with boars as their crests, and cheek-guards under; these are the
hleór-bergan."--E. Cf. hauberk, with its diminutive habergeon, < A.-S.
heals, _neck_ + beorgan, _to cover_ or _protect_; and harbor, < A.-S. here,
_army_ + beorgan, id.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ xii. 123. Cf. cinberge, Hunt's
_Exod._ l. 175.
l. 305. For ferh wearde and gûðmôde grummon, B. and ten Br. read
ferh-wearde (l. 305) and gûðmôdgum men (l. 306), = _the boar-images ...
guarded the lives of the warlike men_.
l. 311. leóma: cf. Chaucer, _Nonne Preestes Tale_, l. 110, ed. Morris:
"To dremen in here dremes
Of armes, and of fyr with rede _lemes_."
l. 318. On the double gender of sæ, cf. Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 147; and
note the omitted article at ll. 2381, 318, 544, with the peculiar tmesis of
_between_ at ll. 859, 1298, 1686, 1957. So _Cædmon_, l. 163 (Thorpe),
_Exod._ l. 562 (Hunt), etc.
l. 320. Cf. l. 924; and _Andreas_, l. 987, where almost the same words
occur. "Here we have manifestly before our eye one of those ancient
causeways, which are among the oldest visible institutions of
civilization." --E.
l. 322. S. inserts comma after scîr, and makes hring-îren (= _ring-mail_)
parallel with gûð-byrne.
l. 325. Cf. l. 397. "The deposit of weapons outside before entering a house
was the rule at all periods.... In provincial Swedish almost everywhere a
church porch is called våkenhus,... i.e. _weapon-house_, because the
worshippers deposited their arms there before they entered the house."--E.,
after G. Stephens.
l. 333. Cf. Dryden's "mingled metal _damask'd_ o'er with gold."--E.
l. 336. "æl-, el-, kindred with Goth. _aljis_, other, e.g. in ælþéodig,
elþéodig, foreign."--Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 47.
l. 336. Cf. l. 673 for the functions of an ombiht-þegn.
l. 343. Cf. l. 1714 for the same beód-geneátas,--"the predecessor title to
that of the Knights of the Table Round."--E. Cf. _Andreas_ (K.), l. 2177.
l. 344. The future is sometimes expressed by willan + inf., generally with
some idea of volition involved; cf. ll. 351, 427, etc. Cf. the use of
willan as principal vb. (with omitted inf.) at ll. 318, 1372, 543, 1056;
and sculan, ll. 1784, 2817.
l. 353. sîð here, and at l. 501, probably means _arrival_. E. translates
the former by _visit_, the latter by _adventure_.
l. 357. unhâr = _hairless, bald_ (Gr., etc.).
l. 358. eode is only one of four or five preterits of gân (gongan, gangan,
gengan), viz. geóng (gióng: ll. 926, 2410, etc.), gang (l. 1296, etc.),
gengde (ll. 1402, 1413). Sievers, p. 217, apparently remarks that eode is
"probably used only in prose." (?!). Cf. geng, _Gen._ ll. 626, 834; _Exod._
(Hunt) l. 102.
l. 367. The MS. and H.-So. read with Gr. and B. glädman Hrôðgâr, abandoning
Thorkelin's glädnian. There is a glass. hilaris glädman.--_Beit._ xii. 84;
same as gläd.
l. 369. dugan is a "preterit-present" verb, with new wk. preterit, like
sculan, durran, magan, etc. For various inflections, see ll. 573, 590,
1822, 526. Cf. _do_ in "that will _do_"; _doughty_, etc.
l. 372. Cf. l. 535 for a similar use; and l. 1220. Bede, _Eccles. Hist._,
ed. Miller, uses the same expression several times. "Here, and in all other
places where cniht occurs in this poem, it seems to carry that technical
sense which it bore in the military hierarchy [of a noble youth placed out
and learning the elements of the art of war in the service of a qualified
warrior, to whom he is, in a military sense, a servant], before it bloomed
out in the full sense of _knight_."--E.
l. 373. E. remarks of the hyphened eald-fäder, "hyphens are risky toys to
play with in fixing texts of pre-hyphenial antiquity"; eald-fäder could
only = _grandfather_. eald here can only mean _honored_, and the hyphen is
unnecessary. Cf. "old fellow," "my old man," etc.; and Ger. _alt-vater_.
l. 378. Th. and B. propose Geátum, as presents from the Danish to the
Geatish king.--_Beit._ xii.
l. 380. häbbe. The subj. is used in indirect narration and question, wish
and command, purpose, result, and hypothetical comparison with swelce = _as
if_.
ll. 386, 387. Ten Br. emends to read: "Hurry, bid the kinsman-throng go
into the hall together."
l. 387. sibbe-gedriht, for Beowulf's friends, occurs also at l. 730. It is
subject-acc. to seón. Cf. ll. 347, 365, and Hunt's _Exod_. l. 214.
l. 404. "Here, as in the later Icelandic halls, Beowulf saw Hrothgar
enthroned on a high seat at the east end of the hall. The seat is sacred.
It has a supernatural quality. Grendel, the fiend, cannot approach
it."--Br., p. 34. Cf. l. 168.
l. 405. "At Benty Grange, in Derbyshire, an Anglo-Saxon barrow, opened in
1848, contained a coat of mail. 'The iron chain work consists of a large
number of links of two kinds attached to each other by small rings half an
inch in diameter; one kind flat and lozenge-shaped ... the others all of
one kind, but of different lengths.'"--Br., p. 126.
l. 407. Wes ... hâl: this ancient Teutonic greeting afterwards grew into
wassail. Cf. Skeat's _Luke_, i. 28; _Andreas_ (K.), 1827; Layamon, l.
14309, etc.
l. 414. "The distinction between wesan and weorðan [in passive relations]
is not very clearly defined, but wesan appears to indicate a state, weorðan
generally an action."--Sw. Cf. Mod. German _werden_ and _sein_ in similar
relations.
l. 414. Gr. translates hâdor by _receptaculum_; cf. Gering, _Zachers
Zeitschr._ xii. 124. Toller-Bosw. ignores Gr.'s suggestion.
ll. 420, 421. B. reads: þær ic (_on_) fîfelgeban (= _ocean_) ýðde eotena
cyn. Ten Br. reads: þær ic fîfelgeban ýðde, eotena hâm. Ha. suggests
fîfelgeband = _monster-band_, without further changes.
l. 420. R. reads þæra = _of them_, for þær.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 399;
_Beit._ xii. 367.
l. 420. "niht has a gen., nihtes, used for the most part only adverbially,
and almost certainly to be regarded as masculine."--Cook's Sievers' Gram.,
p. 158.
l. 425. Cf. also ll. 435, 635, 2345, for other examples of Beowulf's
determination to fight single-handed.
l. 441. þe hine = _whom_, as at l. 1292, etc. The indeclinable þe is often
thus combined with personal pronouns, = relative, and is sometimes
separated from them by a considerable interval.--Sw.
l. 443. The MS. has Geotena. B. and Fahlbeck, says H.-So., do not consider
the Geátas, but the Jutes, as the inhabitants of Swedish West-Gothland.
Alfred translates Juti by Geátas, but _Jutland_ by _Gotland_. In the laws
they are called Guti.--_Beit._ xii. 1, etc.
l. 444. B., Gr., and Ha. make unforhte an adv. = _fearlessly_, modifying
etan. Kl. reads anforhte = _timid_.
l. 446. Cf. l. 2910. Th. translates: _thou wilt not need my head to hide_
(i.e. _bury_). Simrock supposes a dead-watch or lyke-wake to be meant.
Wood, _thou wilt not have to bury so much as my head!_ H.-So. supposes
heáfod-weard, _a guard of honor_, such as sovereigns or presumptive rulers
had, to be meant by hafalan hýdan; hence, _you need not give me any guard_,
etc. Cf. Schmid, _Gesetze der A._, 370-372.
l. 447. S. places a colon after nimeð.
l. 451. H.-So., Ha., and B. (_Beit._ xii. 87) agree essentially in
translating feorme, _food_. R. translates _consumption of my corpse.
Maintenance, support_, seems preferable to either.
l. 452. Rönning (after Grimm) personifies Hild.--_Beovulfs Kvadet_, l. 59.
Hildr is the name of one of the Scandinavian Walkyries, or battle-maidens,
who transport the spirits of the slain to Walhalla. Cf. Kent's _Elene_, l.
18, etc.
l. 455. "The war-smiths, especially as forgers of the sword, were garmented
with legend, and made into divine personages. Of these Weland is the type,
husband of a swan maiden, and afterwards almost a god."-- Br., p. 120. Cf.
A. J. C. Hare's account of "Wayland Smith's sword with which Henry II. was
knighted," and which hung in Westminster Abbey to a late date.--_Walks in
London_, ii. 228.
l. 455. This is the ælces mannes wyrd of Boethius (Sw., p. 44) and the wyrd
bið swîðost of Gnomic Verses, 5. There are about a dozen references to it
in _Beówulf_.
l. 455. E. compares the fatalism of this concluding hemistich with the
Christian tone of l. 685 _seq._
ll. 457, 458. B. reads wære-ryhtum ( = _from the obligations of
clientage_).
l. 480. Cf. l. 1231, where the same sense, "flown with wine," occurs.
l. 488. "The duguð, the mature and ripe warriors, the aristocracy of the
nation, are the support of the throne."--E. The M. E. form of the word,
_douth_, occurs often. Associated with geogoð, ll. 160 and 622.
l. 489. Kl. omits comma after meoto and reads (with B.) sige-hrêð-secgum, =
_disclose thy thought to the victor-heroes_. Others, as Körner, convert
meoto into an imperative and divide on sæl = _think upon happiness_. But
cf. onband beadu-rûne, l. 501. B. supposes onsæl meoto =_speak courteous
words_. _Tidskr_. viii. 292; _Haupts Zeitschr._ xi. 411; _Eng. Stud_. ii.
251.
l. 489. Cf. the invitation at l. 1783.
l. 494. Cf. Grimm's _Andreas_, l. 1097, for deal, =_proud, elated,
exulting; Phoenix_ (Bright), l. 266.
l. 499. MS. has Hunferð, but the alliteration requires Ûnferð, as at ll.
499, 1166, 1489; and cf. ll. 1542, 2095, 2930. See _List of Names_.
l. 501. sîð = _arrival_ (?); cf. l. 353.
l. 504. þon mâ = _the more_ (?), may be added to the references under þon.
l. 506. E. compares the taunt of Eliab to David, I Sam. xvii. 28.
l. 509. dol-gilp = _idle boasting_. The second definition in the Gloss. is
wrong.
l. 513. "Eagor-stream might possibly be translated the stream of Eagor, the
awful terror-striking stormy sea in which the terrible [Scandinavian] giant
dwelt, and through which he acted."--Br., p. 164. He remarks, "The English
term _eagre_ still survives in provincial dialect for the tide-wave or bore
on rivers. Dryden uses it in his _Threnod. Angust._ 'But like an _eagre_
rode in triumph o'er the tide.' Yet we must be cautious," etc. Cf. Fox's
_Boethius_, ll. 20, 236; Thorpe's _Cædmon_, 69, etc.
l. 524. Krüger and B. read Bânstânes.--_Beit._ ix. 573.
l. 525. R. reads wyrsan (= wyrses: cf. Mod. Gr. _guten Muthes_) geþinges;
but H.-So. shows that the MS. wyrsan ... þingea = wyrsena þinga, _can
stand_; cf. gen. pl. banan, _Christ_, l. 66, etc.
l. 534. Insert, under eard-lufa (in Gloss.), earfoð, st. n., _trouble,
difficulty, struggle_; acc. pl. earfeðo, 534.
l. 545 _seq._ "Five nights Beowulf and Breca kept together, not swimming,
but sailing in open boats (to swim the seas is to sail the seas), then
storm drove them asunder ... Breca is afterwards chief of the Brondings, a
tribe mentioned in _Wîdsíth_. The story seems legendary, not
mythical."--Br., pp. 60, 61.
ll. 574-578. B. suggests swâ þær for hwäðere, = _so there it befell me_.
But the word at l. 574 seems = _however_, and at l. 578 = _yet_; cf. l.
891; see S.; _Beit._ ix. 138; _Tidskr_. viii. 48; _Zacher_, iii. 387, etc.
l. 586. Gr. and Grundt. read fâgum sweordum (no ic þäs fela gylpe!),
supplying fela and blending the broken half-lines into one. Ho. and Kl.
supply geflites.
l. 599. E. translates nýd-bâde by _blackmail_; adding "nêd bâd, _toll_; nêd
bâdere, _tolltaker_."--Land Charters, Gloss, v.
l. 601. MS. has ond = _and_ in three places only (601, 1149, 2041);
elsewhere it uses the symbol 7 = _and_.
l. 612. _seq._ Cf. the drinking ceremony at l. 1025. "The royal lady offers
the cup to Beowulf, not in his turn where he sate among the rest, but after
it has gone the round; her approach to Beowulf is an act apart."--E.
l. 620. "The [loving] cup which went the round of the company and was
tasted by all," like the Oriel and other college anniversary cups.--E.
l. 622. Cf. ll. 160, 1191, for the respective places of young and old.
l. 623. Cf. the circlet of gold worn by Wealhþeów at l. 1164.
l. 631. gyddode. Cf. Chaucer, _Prol._ l. 237 (ed. Morris):
"Of _yeddynges_ he bar utterly the prys."
Cf. _giddy_.
l. 648. Kl. suggests a period after geþinged, especially as B. (_Tidskr_.
viii. 57) has shown that oþþe is sometimes = ond. Th. supplies ne.
l. 650. oþþe here and at ll. 2476, 3007, probably = _and_.
l. 651. Cf. 704, where sceadu-genga (the _night-ganger_ of _Leechdoms_, ii.
344) is applied to the demon.--E.
l. 659. Cf. l. 2431 for same formula, "to have and to hold" of the Marriage
Service.--E.
l. 681. B. considers þeáh ... eal a precursor of Mod. Eng. _although_.
l. 682. gôdra = _advantages in battle_ (Gr.), _battle-skill_ (Ha.), _skill
in war_ (H.-So.). Might not nât be changed to nah = ne + âh (cf. l. 2253),
thus justifying the translation _ability_ (?) --_he has not the ability
to_, etc.
l. 695. Kl. reads hiera.--_Beit._ ix. 189. B. omits hîe as occurring in the
previous hemistich.--_Beit._ xii. 89.
l. 698. "Here Destiny is a web of cloth."--E., who compares the Greek
Clotho, "spinster of fate." Women are also called "weavers of peace," as l.
1943. Cf. Kent's _Elene_, l. 88; _Wîdsîð_, l. 6, etc.
l. 711. B. translates þâ by _when_ and connects with the preceding
sentences, thus rejecting the ordinary canto-division at l. 711. He objects
to the use of com as principal vb. at ll. 703, 711, and 721. (_Beit_, xii.)
l. 711. "Perhaps the Gnomic verse which tells of Thyrs, the giant, is
written with Grendel in the writer's mind,--þyrs sceal on fenne gewunian
âna inuan lande, _the giant shall dwell in the fen, alone in the land_
(Sweet's Read., p. 187)."--Br. p. 36.
l. 717. Dietrich, in _Haupt._ xi. 419, quotes from Ælfric, _Hom._ ii. 498:
hê beworhte þâ bigelsas mid gyldenum læfrum, _he covered the arches with
gold-leaf_,--a Roman custom derived from Carthage. Cf. Mod. Eng. _oriel_ =
_aureolum_, a gilded room.--E. (quoting Skeat). Cf. ll. 2257, 1097, 2247,
2103, 2702, 2283, 333, 1751, for various uses of gold-sheets.
l. 720. B. and ten Br. suggest _hell-thane_ (Grendel) for heal-þegnas, and
make häle refer to Beowulf. Cf. l. 142.
l. 723. Z. reads [ge]hrân.
l. 727. For this use of standan, cf. ll. 2314, 2770; and Vergil, _Ecl._ ii. 26:
"Cum placidum ventis _staret_ mare."
l. 757. gedräg. _Tumult_ is one of the meanings of this word. Here, appar.
= _occupation, lair_.
l. 759. R. reads môdega for gôda, "because the attribute cannot be
separated from the word modified unless the two alliterate."
l. 762. Cf. _Andreas_, l. 1537, for a similar use of ût = _off_.--E.
l. 769. The foreign words in _Beówulf_ (as ceaster-here) are not numerous;
others are (aside from proper names like _Cain, Abel_, etc.) deófol
(diabolus), candel (l. 1573), ancor (l. 303), scrîfan (for- ge-), segn (l.
47), gigant (l. 113), mîl- (l. 1363), stræt (l. 320), ombeht (l. 287), gim
(l. 2073), etc.
l. 770. MS. reads cerwen, a word conceived by B. and others to be part of a
fem. compd.: -scerwen like -wenden in ed-wenden, -ræden, etc. (cf.
meodu-scerpen in _Andreas_, l. 1528); emended to -scerwen, _a great scare
under the figure of a mishap at a drinking-bout_; one might compare
bescerwan, _to deprive_, from bescyrian (Grein, i. 93), hence ealu-seerwen
would = _a sudden taking away, deprivation, of the beer_.--H.-So., p. 93.
See B., _Tidskr_. viii. 292.
l. 771. Ten Br. reads rêðe, rênhearde, = _raging, exceeding bold_.
l. 792. Instrumental adverbial phrases like ænige þinga, nænige þinga (_not
at all_), hûru þinga (_especially_) are not infrequent. See Cook's Sievers'
Gram., p. 178; March, _A.-S. Gram._, p. 182.
l. 811. myrðe. E. translates _in wanton mood_. Toller-Bosw. does not
recognize _sorrow_ as one of the meanings of this word.
ll. 850, 851. S. reads deóp for deóg and erases semicolon after weól, =
_the death-stained deep welled with sword-gore_; cf. l. 1424. B. reads
deáð-fæges deóp, etc., = _the deep welled with the doomed one's
gore_.--_Beit._ xii. 89.
l. 857. The meaning of blaneum is partly explained by fealwe mearas below,
l. 866. Cf. Layamon's "and leop on his _blancke" = steed_, l. 23900; Kent's
_Elene_, l. 1185.
l. 859. Körner, _Eng. Stud_. i. 482, regards the oft-recurring be sæm
tweónum as a mere formula = _on earth_; cf. ll. 1298, 1686. tweóne is part
of the separable prep. _between_; see be-. Cf. Baskerville's _Andreas_, l.
558.
l. 865. Cf. _Voyage of Ôhthere and Wulfstân_ for an account of funeral
horse-racing, Sweet's Read., p. 22.
l. 868. See Ha., p. 31, for a variant translation.
l. 871 _seq._ R. considers this a technical description of improvised
alliterative verse, suggested by and wrought out on the spur of the moment.
l. 872. R. and B. propose secg[an], = _rehearse_, for secg, which suits the
verbs in the next two lines.
ll. 878-98. "It pleases me to think that it is in English literature we
possess the first sketch of that mighty saga [the Volsunga Saga = Wälsinges
gewin] which has for so many centuries engaged all the arts, and at last in
the hands of Wagner the art of music."--Br., p. 63. Cf. _Nibelung. Lied_,
l. 739.
l. 894. Intransitive verbs, as gân, weorðan, sometimes take habban, "to
indicate independent action."--Sw. Cf. hafað ... geworden, l. 2027.
l. 895. "brûcan (_enjoy_) always has the genitive."--Sw.; cf. l. 895; acc.,
gen., instr., dat., according to March, _A.-S. Gram._, p. 151.
l. 898. Scherer proposes hâte, = _from heat_, instr. of hât, _heat_; cf. l.
2606.
l. 901. hê þäs âron þâh = _he throve in honor_ (B.). Ten Br. inserts comma
after þâh, making siððan introduce a depend. clause.--_Beit._ viii. 568.
Cf. weorð-myndum þâh, l. 8; ll. 1155, 1243.--H.-So.
l. 902. Heremôdes is considered by Heinzel to be a mere epithet = _the
valiant_; which would refer the whole passage to Sigmund (Sigfrid), the
eotenas, l. 903, being the Nibelungen. This, says H.-So., gets rid of the
contradiction between the good "Heremôd" here and the bad one, l. 1710
_seq._--B. however holds fast to Heremôd.--_Beit._ xii. 41. on feónda
geweald, l. 904,--_into the hands of devils_, says B.; cf. ll. 809, 1721,
2267; _Christ_, l. 1416; _Andreas_, l. 1621; for hine fyren onwôd, cf.
_Gen._ l. 2579; Hunt's _Dan._ 17: hîe wlenco anwôd.
l. 902 _seq._ "Heremôd's shame is contrasted with the glory of Sigemund,
and with the prudence, patience, generosity, and gentleness of Beowulf as a
chieftain."--Br., p. 66.
l. 906. MS. has lemede. Toller-Bosw. corrects to lemedon.
l. 917. Cf. Hunt's _Exod._, l. 170, for similar language.
l. 925. hôs, G. hansa, _company_, "the word from which the mercantile
association of the 'Hanseatic' towns took their designation."--E.
l. 927. on staþole = _on the floor_ (B., Rask, ten Br.).--_Beit._ xii. 90.
l. 927. May not steápne here = _bright_, from its being immediately
followed by golde fâhne? Cf. Chaucer's "his eyen _stepe_," _Prol._ l. 201
(ed. Morris); Cockayne's _Ste. Marherete_, pp. 9, 108; _St. Kath._, l.
1647.
l. 931. grynna may be for gyrnna (= _sorrows_), gen. plu. of gyrn, as
suggested by one commentator.
l. 937. B. (_Beit._ xii. 90) makes gehwylcne object of wîd-scofen (häfde).
Gr. makes weá nom. absolute.
l. 940. scuccum: cf. G. scheuche, scheusal; Prov. Eng. _old-shock_; perhaps
the pop. interjection _O shucks!_ (!)
l. 959. H. explains we as a "plur. of majesty," which Beówulf throws off at
l. 964.
l. 963. feónd þone frätgan (B. _Beit._ xii. 90).
l. 976. synnum. "Most abstract words in the poetry have a very wide range
of meanings, diverging widely from the prose usage, synn, for instance,
means simply _injury, mischief, hatred_, and the prose meaning _sin_ is
only a secondary one; hata in poetry is not only _hater_, but _persecutor,
enemy_, just as nîð is both _hatred_ and _violence, strength_; heard is
_sharp_ as well as _hard_."--Sw.
l. 986. S. places wäs at end of l. 985 and reads stîðra nägla, omitting
gehwylc and the commas after that and after sceáwedon. _Beit._ ix. 138;
stêdra (H.-So.); hand-sporu (H.-So.) at l. 987.
l. 986. Miller (_Anglia_, xii. 3) corrects to æghwylene, in apposition to
fingras.
l. 987. hand-sporu. See _Anglia_, vii. 176, for a discussion of the
intrusion of u into the nom. of n-stems.
l. 988. Cf. ll. 2121, 2414, for similar use of unheóru = ungeheuer.
l. 992. B. suggests heátimbred for hâten, and gefrätwon for -od; Kl.,
hroden (_Beit._ ix. 189).
l. 995, 996. Gold-embroidered tapestries seem to be meant by web =
_aurifrisium_.
l. 997. After þâra þe = _of those that_, the depend, vb. often takes sg.
for pl.; cf. ll. 844, 1462, 2384, 2736.--Sw.; Dietrich.
l. 998. "Metathesis of l takes place in seld for setl, bold for botl,"
etc.--Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 96. Cf. Eng. proper names, _Bootle,
Battle_field, etc.--Skeat, _Principles_, i. 250.
l. 1000. heorras: cf. Chaucer, _Prol._ (ed. Morris) l. 550:
"Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of _harre_."
ll. 1005-1007. See _Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 391, and _Beit._ xii. 368, for
R.'s and B.'s views of this difficult passage.
l. 1009. Cf. l. 1612 for sæl and mæl, surviving still in E. Anglia in "mind
your _seals and meals_," = _times and occasions_, i.e. have your wits about
you.--E.
ll. 1012, 1013. Cf. ll. 753, 754 for two similar comparatives used in
conjunction.
l. 1014. Cf. l. 327 for similar language.
ll. 1015, 1016. H.-So. puts these two lines in parentheses (fylle ...
þâra). Cf. B., _Beit._ xii. 91.
l. 1024. One of the many famous swords spoken of in the poem. See Hrunting,
ll. 1458, 1660; Hûnlâfing, l. 1144, etc. Cf. Excalibur, Roland's sword, the
Nibelung Balmung, etc.
l. 1034. scûr-heard. For an ingenious explanation of this disputed word see
Professor Pearce's article in _Mod. Lang. Notes_, Nov. 1, 1892, and ensuing
discussion.
l. 1039. eoderas is of doubtful meaning. H. and Toller-Bosw. regard the
word here = _enclosure, palings of the court_. Cf. _Cædmon_, ll. 2439,
2481. The passage throws interesting light on horses and their trappings
l. 1043. Grundt. emends wîg to wicg, = _charger_; and E. quotes Tacitus,
_Germania_, 7.
l. 1044. "Power over each and both"; cf. "all and some," "one and all."
For Ingwin, see _List of Names_.
l. 1065. Gr. contends that fore here = de, _concerning, about_ (Ebert's
_Jahrb._, 1862, p. 269).
l. 1069. H.-So. supplies fram after eaferum, to govern it, = _concerning_
(?). Cf. _Fight at Finnsburg_, Appendix.
l. 1070. For the numerous names of the Danes, "bright-" "spear-" "east-"
"west-" "ring-" Danes, see these words.
l. 1073. Eotenas = _Finn's people, the Frisians_; cf. ll. 1089, 1142, 1146,
etc., and _Beit._ xii. 37. Why they are so called is not known.
l. 1084. R. proposes wiht Hengeste wið gefeohtan (_Zachers Zeitschr._ iii.
394). Kl., wið H. wiht gefeohtan.
ll. 1085 and 1099. weá-lâf occurs in Wulfstan, _Hom._ 133, ed. Napier.--E.
Cf. daroða lâf, _Brunanb._, l. 54; âdes lâfe, _Phoenix_, 272 (Bright), etc.
l. 1098. elne unflitme = _so dass der eid (der inhalt des eides) nicht
streitig war_.--B., _Beit._ iii. 30. But cf. 1130, where Hengist and Finn
are again brought into juxtaposition and the expression ealles (?) unhlitme
occurs.
l. 1106. The pres. part. + be, as myndgiend wære here, is comparatively
rare in original A.-S. literature, but occurs abundantly in translations
from the Latin. The periphrasis is generally meaningless. Cf. l. 3029.
l. 1108. Körner suggests ecge, = _sword_, in reference to a supposed old
German custom of placing ornaments, etc., on the point of a sword or spear
(_Eng. Stud._ i. 495). Singer, ince-gold = _bright gold_; B., andiége =
Goth, _andaugjo, evidently_. Cf. incge lâfe, l. 2578. Possibly: and inge (=
_young men_) gold âhôfon of horde. For inge, cf. Hunt's _Exod._ l. 190.
ll. 1115-1120. R. proposes (hêt þâ ...) bânfatu bärnan ond on bæl dôn,
earme on eaxe = _to place the arms in the ashes_, reading gûðrêc =
_battle-reek_, for -rinc (_Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 395). B., Sarrazin
(_Beit._ xi. 530), Lichtenfeld (_Haupts Zeitschr._ xvi. 330), C., etc.,
propose various emendations. See H.-So., p. 97, and _Beit._ viii. 568. For
gùðrinc âstâh, cf. Old Norse, _stiga á bál_, "ascend the bale-fire."
l. 1116. sweoloðe. "On Dartmoor the burning of the furze up the hillsides
to let new grass grow, is called _zwayling_."--E. Cf. _sultry_, G.
_schwül_, etc.
l. 1119. Cf. wudu-rêc âstâh, l. 3145; and _Exod_. (Hunt), l. 450: wælmist
âstâh.
l. 1122. ätspranc = _burst forth, arose_ (omitted from the Gloss.), < ät +
springan.
l. 1130. R. and Gr. read elne unflitme, = _loyally and without contest_, as
at l. 1098. Cf. Ha., p. 39; H.-So., p. 97.
l. 1137. scacen = _gone_; cf. ll. 1125, 2307, 2728.
l. 1142. "The sons of the Eotenas" (B., _Beit._ xii. 31, who conjectures a
gap after 1142).
l. 1144. B. separates thus: Hûn Lâfing, = _Hûn placed the sword Lâfing_,
etc.--_Beit._ xii. 32; cf. R., _Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 396. Heinzel and
Homburg make other conjectures (Herrig's _Archiv_, 72, 374, etc.).
l. 1143. B., H.-So., and Möller read: worod rædenne, þonne him Hûn Lâfing,
= _military brotherhood, when Hûn laid upon his breast_ (the sword)
_Lâfing_. There is a sword _Laufi, Lövi_ in the Norse sagas; but swords,
armor, etc., are often called the _leaving_ (lâf) of files, hammers, etc.,
especially a precious heirloom; cf. ll. 454, 1033, 2830, 2037, 2629, 796,
etc., etc.
l. 1152. roden = _reddened_ (B., _Tidskr_. viii. 295).
l. 1160. For ll. 1069-1160, containing the Finn episode, cf. Möller,
_Alteng. Volksepos_, 69, 86, 94; Heinzel, _Anz. f. dtsch. Altert._, 10,
226; B., _Beit._ xii. 29-37. Cf. _Wîdsîð_, l. 33, etc.
ll. 1160, 1161. leóð (lied = _song, lay_) and gyd here appear synonyms.
ll. 1162-1165. "Behind the wars and tribal wanderings, behind the
contentions of the great, we watch in this poem the steady, continuous life
of home, the passions and thoughts of men, the way they talked and moved
and sang and drank and lived and loved among one another and for one
another."--Br., p. 18.
l. 1163. Cf. _wonderwork_. So _wonder-death, wonder-bidding,
wonder-treasure, -smith, -sight_, etc. at ll. 1748, 3038, 2174, 1682, 996,
etc. Cf. the German use of the same intensive, = _wondrous_, in
_wunder-schön_, etc.
l. 1165. þâ gyt points to some future event when "each" was not "true to
other," undeveloped in this poem, suhtor-gefäderan = Hrôðgâr and Hrôðulf,
l. 1018. Cf. âðum-swerian, l. 84.
l. 1167 almost repeats l. 500, ät fôtum, etc., where Ûnferð is first
introduced.
l. 1191. E. sees in this passage separate seats for youth and middle-aged
men, as in English college halls, chapels, convocations, and churches
still.
l. 1192. ymbutan, _round about_, is sometimes thus separated: ymb hie ûtan;
cf. _Voyage of Ôhthere_, etc. (Sw.), p. 18, l. 34, etc.; _Beówulf_, ll.
859, 1686, etc.
l. 1194. bewägned, a [Greek: hapax legomenon], tr. _offered_ by Th.
Probably a p. p. wägen, made into a vb. by -ian, like _own, drown_, etc.
Cf. hafenian ( < hafen, < hebban), etc.
l. 1196. E. takes the expression to mean "mantle and its rings or
broaches." "Rail" long survived in Mid. Eng. (_Piers Plow_., etc.).
l. 1196. This necklace was afterwards given by Beowulf to Hygd, ll. 2173,
2174.
ll. 1199-1215. From the obscure hints in the passage, a part of the poem
may be approximately dated,--if Hygelâc is the _Chochi-laicus_ of Gregory
of Tours, _Hist. Francorum_, iii. 3,--about A.D. 512-20.
l. 1200. The Breosinga men (Icel. _Brisinga men_) is the necklace of the
goddess Freya; cf. _Elder Edda, Hamarshemt_. Hâma stole the necklace from
the Gothic King Eormenrîc; cf. _Traveller's Song_, ll. 8, 18, 88, 111. The
comparison of the two necklaces leads the poet to anticipate Hygelâc's
history,--a suggestion of the poem's mosaic construction.
l. 1200. For Brôsinga mene, cf. B., _Beit._ xii. 72. C. suggests fleáh, =
_fled_, for fealh, placing semicolon after byrig, and making hê subject of
fleáh and geceás.
l. 1202. B. conjectures geceás êcne ræd to mean _he became a pious man and
at death went to heaven_. Heime (Hâma) in the _Thidrekssaga_ goes into a
cloister = to choose the better part (?). Cf. H.-So., p. 98. But cf.
Hrôðgâr's language to Beowulf, ll. 1760, 1761.
l. 1211. S. proposes feoh, = _property_, for feorh, which would be a
parallel for breóst-gewædu ... beáh below.
l. 1213. E. remarks that in the _Laws of Cnut_, i. 26, the devil is called
se wôdfreca werewulf, _the ravening werwolf_.
l. 1215. C. proposes heals-bêge onfêng. _Beit._ viii. 570. For hreâ- Kl.
suggests hræ-.
l. 1227. The son referred to is, according to Ettmüller, the one that
reigns after Hrôðgâr.
l. 1229. Kl. suggests sî, = _be_, for _is_.
l. 1232. S. gives _wine-elated_ as the meaning of druncne.--_Beit._ ix.
139; Kl. _ibid_. 189, 194. But cf. _Judith_, ll. 67, 107.
l. 1235. Cf. l. 119 for similarity of language.
l. 1235. Kl. proposes gea-sceaft; but cf. l. 1267.
l. 1246. Ring armor was common in the Middle Ages. E. points out the
numerous forms of byrne in cognate languages,--Gothic, Icelandic, OHG.,
Slavonic, O. Irish, Romance, etc. Du Chaillu, _The Viking Age_, i. 126. Cf.
Murray's _Dict._ s. v.
l. 1248. ânwîg-gearwe = _ready for single combat_ (C.); but cf. Ha. p. 43;
_Beit._ ix. 210, 282.
l. 1252. Some consider this _fitt_ the beginning of Part (or Lay) II. of
the original epic, if not a separate work in itself.
l. 1254. K., W., and Ho. read farode = _wasted;_ Kolbing reads furode; but
cf. wêsten warode, l. 1266. MS. has warode.
ll. 1255-1258. This passage is a good illustration of the constant
parallelism of word and phrase characteristic of A.-S. poetry, and is
quoted by Sw. The changes are rung on ende and swylt, on gesýne and wîdcûð,
etc.
l. 1259. "That this story of Grendel's mother was originally a separate lay
from the first seems to be suggested by the fact that the monsters are
described over again, and many new details added, such as would be inserted
by a new singer who wished to enhance and adorn the original tale."--Br.,
p. 41.
l. 1259. Cf. l. 107, which also points to the ancestry of murderers and
monsters and their descent from "Cain."
l. 1261. The MS. has se þe, m.; changed by some to seo þe. At ll. 1393,
1395, 1498, Grendel's mother is referred to as m.; at ll. 1293, 1505,
1541-1546, etc., as f., the uncertain pronoun designating a creature female
in certain aspects, but masculine in demonic strength and
savageness.--H.-So.; Sw. p. 202. Cf. the masc. epithets at ll. 1380, 2137,
etc.
l. 1270. âglæca = _Grendel_, though possibly referring to Beowulf, as at l.
1513.--Sw.
l. 1273. "It is not certain whether anwalda stands for onwealda, or whether
it should be read ânwealda, = _only ruler_.--Sw.
l. 1279. The MS. has sunu þeod wrecan, which R. changes to sunu
þeód-wrecan, þeód- = _monstrous_; but why not regard þeód as opposition to
sunu, = _her son, the prince?_ See Sweet's Reader, and Körner's discussion,
_Eng. Stud._ i. 500.
l. 1281. Ten Br. suggests (for sôna) sâra = _return of sorrows._
l. 1286. "geþuren (twice so written in MSS.) stands for geþrúen, _forged_,
and is an isolated p. p."--Cook's Sievers' Gram., 209. But see Toller-Bosw.
for examples; Sw., Gloss.; March, p. 100, etc.
ll. 1292. þe hine = _whom;_ cf. ll. 441, 1437, 1292; _Hêliand_, l. 1308.
l. 1298. be sæm tweonum; cf. l. 1192; Hunt's _Exod_. l. 442; and Mod. Eng.
"to _us_-ward, etc.--Earle's _Philol._, p. 449. Cf. note, l. 1192.
l. 1301. C. proposes ôðer him ärn = _another apartment was assigned him_.
l. 1303. B. conjectures under hrôf genam; but Ha., p. 45, shows this to be
unnecessary, under also meaning _in_, as _in_ (or _under_) these
circumstances.
l. 1319. E. and Sw. suggest nægde or nêgde, _accosted_, < nêgan = Mid. Ger.
_nêhwian_, pr. p. _nêhwiandans, approach_. For hnægan, _press down,
vanquish_, see ll. 1275, 1440, etc.
l. 1321. C. suggests neád-lâðum for neód-laðu, _after crushing hostility_;
but cf. freónd-laðu, l. 1193.
l. 1334. K. and ten Br. conjecture gefägnod = _rejoicing in her fill_, a
parallel to æse wlanc, l. 1333.
l. 1340. B. translates: "and she has executed a deed of blood-vengeance of
far-reaching consequence."--_Beit._ xii. 93.
l. 1345. B. reads geó for eów (_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 205).
ll. 1346-1377. "This is a fine piece of folk-lore in the oldest extant
form.... The authorities for the story are the rustics (ll. 1346, 1356)."
--E.
l. 1347. Cf. sele-rædende at l. 51.
l. 1351. "The ge [of gewitan] may be merely a scribal error,--a repetition
(dittography) of the preceding ge of gewislîcost."--Sw.
l. 1352. ides, like firas, _men_, etc., is a poetic word supposed by Grimm
to have been applied, like Gr. [Greek: númphæ], to superhuman or
semi-divine women.
ll. 1360-1495 _seq._ E. compares this Dantesque tarn and scenery with the
poetical accounts of _Æneid_, vii. 563; _Lucretius_, vi. 739, etc.
l. 1360. firgenstreám occurs also in the _Phoenix_ (Bright, p. 168) l. 100;
_Andreas_, ll. 779, 3144 (K.); _Gnomic Verses_, l. 47, etc.
l. 1363. The genitive is often thus used to denote measure = by or in
miles; cf. l. 3043; and contrast with partitive gen. at l. 207.
l. 1364. The MS. reads hrinde = hrînende (?), which Gr. adopts; K. and Th.
read hrinde-bearwas; hringde, _encircling_ (Sarrazin, _Beit._ xi. 163);
hrîmge = _frosty_ (Sw.); _with frost-whiting covered_ (Ha.). See Morris,
_Blickling Hom_., Preface, vi., vii.
l. 1364. Cf. Ruin, hrîmige edoras behrofene, _rimy, roofless halls_.
l. 1366. nîðwundor may = nið- (as in nið-sele, _q. v._) wundor, _wonder of
the deep_.
l. 1368. The personal pronoun is sometimes omitted in subordinate and even
independent clauses; cf. wite here; and Hunt's _Exod_., l. 319.
l. 1370. hornum. Such "datives of manner or respect" are not infrequent
with adj.
l. 1371. "seleð is not dependent on ær, for in that case it would be in the
subjunctive, but ær is simply an adverb, correlative with the conjunction
ær in the next line: 'he will (sooner) give up his life, before he will,'
etc."--Sw.
l. 1372. Cf. ll. 318 and 543 for willan with similar omitted inf.
l. 1373. heafola is found only in poetry.--Sw. It occurs thirteen or
fourteen times in this poem. Cf. the poetic gamol, swât (l. 2694), etc.,
for eald, blôd.
l. 1391. uton: hortatory subj. of wîtan, _go_, = _let us go;_ cf. French
_allons_, Lat. _eamus_, Ital. _andiamo_, etc. + inf. Cf. ll. 2649, 3102.
l. 1400. H. is dat. of person indirectly affected, = advantage.
l. 1402. geatolîc probably = _in his equipments_, as B. suggests (_Beit._
xii. 83), comparing searolîc.
ll. 1402, 1413 reproduce the wk. form of the pret. of gân (Goth,
_gaggida_). Cf. _Andreas_, l. 1096, etc.
l. 1405. S. (_Beit._ ix. 140) supplies [þær heó] gegnum fôr; B. (_ibid._
xii. 14) suggests hwær heó.
l. 1411. B., Gr., and E. take ân-paðas = paths wide enough for only one,
like Norwegian _einstig_; cf. stîge nearwe, just above. _Trail_ is the
meaning. Cf. enge ânpaðas, uncûð gelâd, _Exod._ (Hunt), l. 58.
l. 1421. Cf. oncýð, l. 831. The whole passage (ll. 1411-1442) is replete
with suggestions of walrus-hunting, seal-fishing, harpooning of sea-animals
(l. 1438), etc.
l. 1425. E. quotes from the 8th cent. Corpus Gloss., "_Falanx_ foeða."
l. 1428. For other mention of nicors, cf. ll. 422, 575, 846. E. remarks,
"it survives in the phrase 'Old Nick' ... a word of high authority ...
Icel. _nykr_, water-goblin, Dan. _nök, nisse_, Swed. _näcken_, G. _nix,
nixe_, etc." See Skeat, _Nick._
l. 1440. Sw. reads gehnæged, _prostrated_, and regards nîða as gen. pl.
"used instrumentally," = _by force._
l. 1441. -bora = _bearer, stirrer;_ occurs in other compds., as mund-,
ræd-, wæg-bora.
l. 1447. him = _for him_, a remoter dative of reference.--Sw.
l. 1455. Gr. reads brondne, = _flaming_.
l. 1457. león is the inf. of lâh; cf. onlâh (< onleón) at l. 1468. lîhan
was formerly given as the inf.; cf. læne = læhne.
l. 1458. Cf. the similar dat. of possession as used in Latin.
l. 1458. H.-So. compares the Icelandic saga account of Grettir's battle
with the giant in the cave. häft-mêce may be = Icel. _heptisax_ (_Anglia_,
iii. 83), "hip-knife."
l. 1459. "The sense seems to be 'pre-eminent among the old treasures.' ...
But possibly foran is here a prep. with the gen.: 'one before the old
treasures.'".--Sw. For other examples of foran, cf. ll. 985, 2365.
l. 1460. âter-teárum = _poison-drops_ (C., _Beit._ viii. 571; S., _ibid_.
xi. 359).
l. 1467. þät, comp. relative, = _that which_; "we testify _that_ we do
know."
l. 1480. forð-gewitenum is in appos. to me, = _mihi defuncto_.--M.
Callaway, _Am. Journ. of Philol._, October, 1889.
l. 1482. nime. Conditional clauses of doubt or future contingency take gif
or bûton with subj.; cf. ll. 452, 594; of fact or certainty, the ind.; cf.
ll. 442, 447, 527, 662, etc. For bûton, cf. ll. 967, 1561.
l. 1487. "findan sometimes has a preterit funde in W. S. after the manner
of the weak preterits."--Cook's Sievers' Cram., p, 210.
l. 1490. Kl. reads wäl-sweord, = _battle-sword_.
l. 1507. "This cave under the sea seems to be another of those natural
phenomena of which the writer had personal knowledge (ll. 2135, 2277), and
which was introduced by him into the mythical tale to give it a local
color. There are many places of this kind. Their entrance is under the
lowest level of the tide."--Br., p. 45.
l. 1514. B. (_Beit._ xii. 362) explains niðsele, hrôfsele as _roof-covered
hall in the deep_; cf. Grettir Saga (_Anglia_, iii. 83).
l. 1538. Sw., R., and ten Br. suggest feaxe for eaxle, = _seized by the
hair_.
l. 1543. and-leán (R.); cf. l. 2095. The MS. has hand-leán.
l. 1546. Sw. and S. read seax.--_Beit._ ix. 140.
l. 1557. H.-So. omits comma and places semicolon after ýðelîce; Sw. and S.
place comma after gescêd.
l. 1584. ôðer swylc = _another fifteen_ (Sw.); = _fully as many_ (Ha.).
ll. 1592-1613 _seq._ Cf. _Anglia_, iii; 84 (Grettir Saga).
l. 1595. blondenfeax = _grizzly-haired_ (Bright, Reader, p. 258); cf.
_Brunanb._, l. 45 (Bright).
l. 1599. gewearð, impers. vb., = _agree, decide = many agreed upon this,
that_, etc. (Ha., p. 55; cf. ll. 2025-2027, 1997; B., _Beit._ xii. 97).
l. 1605. C. supposes wiston = wîscton = _wished_.--_Beit._ viii. 571.
l. 1607. broden mæl is now regarded as a comp. noun, = _inlaid or
damascened sword_.--W., Ho.
l. 1611. wäl-râpas = _water-ropes = bands of frost_ (l. 1610) (?). Possibly
the Prov. Eng. weele, _whirlpool_. Cf. wæl, _gurges_, Wright, Voc., _Gnom.
Verses_, l. 39.--E.
l. 1611. wægrâpas (Sw.) = _wave-bands_ (Ha.).
l. 1622. B. suggests eatna = eotena, eardas, _haunts of the giants_
(Northumbr. ea for eo).
l. 1635. cyning-holde (B., _Beit._ xii. 369); cf. l. 290.
l. 1650. H., Gr., and Ettmüller understand idese to refer to the queen.
l. 1651. Cf. _Anglia_, iii. 74, _Beit._ xi. 167, for coincidences with the
Grettir Saga (13th cent.).
l. 1657. Restore MS. reading wigge in place of wîge.
l. 1664. B. proposes eotenise ... èste for eácen ... oftost, omitting
brackets (_Zackers Zeitschr._ iv. 206). G. translates _mighty ... often_.
l. 1675. ondrædan. "In late texts the final n of the preposition on is
frequently lost when it occurs in a compound word or stereotyped phrase,
and the prefix then appears as a: abútan, amang, aweg, aright,
adr'ædan."--Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 98.
ll. 1680-1682. Giants and their work are also referred to at ll. 113, 455,
1563, 1691, etc.
l. 1680. Cf. ceastra ... orðanc enta geweorc, _Gnomic Verses_, l. 2;
Sweet's Reader, p. 186.
ll. 1687-1697. "In this description of the writing on the sword, we see the
process of transition from heathen magic to the notions of Christian times
.... The history of the flood and of the giants ... were substitutes for
names of heathen gods, and magic spells for victory."--E. Cf. Mohammedan
usage.
ll. 1703, 1704. þät þê eorl nære geboren betera (B., _Tidskr._ 8, 52).
l. 1715. âna hwearf = _he died solitary and alone_ (B., _Beit._ xii. 38); =
_lonely_ (Ha.); = _alone_ (G.).
l. 1723. leód-bealo longsum = _eternal hell-torment_ (B., _Beit._ xii. 38,
who compares _Ps. Cott._ 57, lîf longsum).
l. 1729. E. translates on lufan, _towards possession_; Ha., _to
possessions_.
l. 1730. môdgeþonc, like lig, sæ, segn, niht, etc., is of double gender
(m., n. in the case of môdgeþ.).
l. 1741. The doctrine of nemesis following close on [Greek: hubris], or
overweening pride, is here very clearly enunciated. The only protector
against the things that "assault and hurt" the soul is the "Bishop and
Shepherd of our souls" (l. 1743).
l. 1745 appears dimly to fore-shadow the office of the evil archer Loki,
who in the Scandinavian mythology shoots Balder with a mistletoe twig. The
language closely resembles that of Psalm 64.
l. 1748. Kl. regards wom = wô(u)m; cf. wôh-bogen, l. 2828. See Gloss., p.
295, under wam. Contrast the construction of bebeorgan a few lines below
(l. 1759), where the dat. and acc. are associated.
l. 1748. See Cook's Sievers' Gram., p. 167, for declension of wôh, _wrong_
= gen. wôs or wôges, dat. wô(u)m, etc.; pl. gen. wôra, dat. wô(u)m, etc.;
and cf. declension of heáh, hreóh, rûh, etc.
l. 1748. wergan gâstes; cf. _Blickl. Hom._ vii.; _Andreas_, l. 1171. "_Auld
Wearie_ is used in Scotland, or was used a few years ago, ... to mean the
devil."--E. Bede's _Eccles. Hist._ contains (naturally) many examples of
the expression = devil.
l. 1750. on gyld = _in reward_ (B. _Beit._ xii. 95); Ha. translates
_boastfully_; G., _for boasting_; Gr., _to incite to boastfulness_. Cf.
_Christ_, l. 818.
l. 1767. E. thinks this an allusion to the widespread superstition of the
evil eye (_mal occhio, mauvais æil_). Cf. Vergil, _Ecl._ iii. 103. He
remarks that Pius IX., Gambetta, and President Carnot were charged by their
enemies with possessing this weapon.
l. 1784. wigge geweorðad (MS. wigge weorðad) is C.'s conjecture; cf.
_Elene_, l. 150. So G., _honored in war_.
l. 1785. The future generally implied in the present of beón is plainly
seen in this line; cf. ll. 1826, 661, 1830, 1763, etc.
l. 1794. Some impers. vbs. take acc. (as here, Geat) of the person
affected; others (as þyncan) take the dat. of the person, as at ll. 688,
1749, etc. Cf. verbs of dreaming, being ashamed, desiring, etc.--March,
A.-S. Gram., p. 145.
l. 1802. E. remarks that the blaca hrefn here is a bird of good omen, as
opposed to se wonna hrefn of l. 3025. The raven, wolf, and eagle are the
regular epic accompaniments of battle and carnage. Cf. ll. 3025-3028;
_Maldon_, 106; _Judith_, 205-210, etc.
l. 1803. S. emends to read: "then came the light, going bright after
darkness: the warriors," etc. Cf. Ho., p. 41, l. 23. G. puts period before
"the warriors." For onettan, cf. Sw.'s Gloss, and Bright's Read., Gloss.
ll. 1808-1810. Müllenh. and Grundt. refer se hearda to Beowulf, correct
sunu (MS.) to suna Ecglâfes (i.e. Unferth); [_he_] (Beo.) _thanked him_
(Un.) _for the loan_. Cf. ll. 344, 581, 1915.
ll. 1823-1840. "Beowulf departing pledges his services to Hroðgar, to be
what afterwards in the mature language of chivalry was called his 'true
knight'"--E.
l. 1832. Kl. corrects to dryhtne, in appos. with Higelâce.
l. 1835 gâr-holt more properly means _spear-shaft_; cf. äsc-holt.
l. 1855. sêl = _better_ (Grundt.; B., _Beit._ xii. 96), instead of MS. wel.
ll. 1855-1866. "An ideal picture of international amity according to the
experience and doctrine of the eighth century."--E.
l. 1858. S. and Kl. correct to gemæne, agreeing with sib.--_Beit._ ix. 140,
190.
l. 1862. "The gannet is a great diver, plunging down into the sea from a
considerable height, such as forty feet."--E.
l. 1863. Kl. suggests heafu, = _seas_.
l. 1865. B. proposes geþôhte, = _with firm thought_, for geworhte; cf. l.
611.
l. 1876. geseón = _see again_ (Kl., _Beit._ ix. 190). S. and B. insert nâ
to modify geseón and explain Hrôðgâr's tears. Ha. and G. follow Heyne's
text. Cf. l. 567.
l. 1881. Is beorn here = bearn (be-arn?) of l. 67? or more likely = born,
barn, = _burned?_--S., Th.
l. 1887. orleahtre is a _[Greek: hapax legomenon]_. E. compares Tennyson's
"blameless" king. Cf. also ll. 2015, 2145; and the gôd cyning of l. 11.
l. 1896. scaðan = _warriors_ (cf. l. 1804) has been proposed by C.; but cf.
l. 253.
l. 1897. The boat had been left, at ll. 294-302, in the keeping of
Hrôðgâr's men; at l. 1901 the bât-weard is specially honored by Beowulf
with a sword and becomes a "sworded squire."--E. This circumstance appears
to weld the poem together. Cf. also the speed of the journey home with ymb
ân-tîd ôþres dôgores of l. 219, and the similarity of language in both
passages (fâmig-heals, clifu, nässas, sælde, brim, etc.).--The nautical
terms in Beowulf would form an interesting study.
l. 1904. R. proposes, gewât him on naca, = _the vessel set out_, on
alliterating as at l. 2524 (_Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 402). B. reads on
nacan, but inserts irrelevant matter (_Beit._ xii. 97).
l. 1913. Cf. the same use of ceól, = _ship_, in the _A.-S. Chron._, ed.
Earle-Plummer; _Gnomic Verses_, etc.
l. 1914. S. inserts þät hê before on lande.
l. 1916. B. makes leófra manna depend on wlâtode, = _looked for the dear
men ready at the coast_ (_Beit._ xii. 97).
l. 1924. Gr., W., and Ho. propose wunade, = _remained;_ but cf. l. 1929. S.
conceives ll. 1924, 1925 as "direct speech" (_Beit._ ix. 141).
l. 1927 _seq._ "The women of Beowulf are of the fine northern type; trusted
and loved by their husbands and by the nobles and people; generous, gentle,
and holding their place with dignity."--Br., p. 67. Thrytho is the
exception, l. 1932 _seq._
l. 1933. C. suggests frêcnu, = _dangerous, bold_, for Thrytho could not be
called "excellent." G. writes "Modthrytho" as her name. The womanly Hygd
seems purposely here contrasted with the terrible Thrytho, just as, at l.
902 _seq._, Sigemund and Heremôd are contrasted. For Thrytho, etc., cf.
Gr., _Jahrb. für rom. u. eng. Lit._ iv. 279; Müllenhoff, _Haupts Zeitschr._
xiv. 216; Matthew Paris; Suchier, _Beit._ iv. 500-521; R. _Zachers
Zeitschr._ iii. 402; B., _ibid._ iv. 206; Körner, _Eng. Stud._ i. 489-492;
H.-So., p. 106.
l. 1932-1963. K. first pointed out the connection between the historical
Offa, King of Mercia, and his wife Cwendrida, and the Offa and Þryðo (Gr.'s
_Drida_ of the _Vita Offæ Secundi_) of the present passage. The tale is
told of her, not of Hygd.
l. 1936. Suchier proposes andæges, = _eye to eye_; Leo proposes ândæges, =
_the whole day_; G., _by day_. No change is necessary if an be taken to
govqern hire, = _on her_, and däges be explained (like nihtes, etc.) as a
genitive of time, = _by day_.
l. 1943. R. and Suchier propose onsêce, = _seek, require_; but cf. 2955.
l. 1966. Cf. the _heofoncandel_ of _Exod_. l. 115 (Hunt). Shak.'s 'night's
candles.'
l. 1969. Cf. l. 2487 _seq._ for the actual slayer of Ongenþeów, i.e. Eofor,
to whom Hygelâc gave his only daughter as a reward, l. 2998.
l. 1981. meodu-scencum = _with mead-pourers_ or _mead-cups_ (G., Ha.);
_draught or cup of mead_ (Toller-Bosw.).
l. 1982. K., Th., W., H. supply [heal-]reced; Holler [heá-].
l. 1984. B. defends the MS., reading hæ nû (for hæðnû), which he regards as
= Heinir, the inhabitants of the Jutish "heaths" (hæð). Cf. H.-So., p. 107;
_Beit._ xii. 9.
l. 1985. sînne. "In poetry there is a reflexive possessive of the third
person, sîn (declined like mîn). It is used not only as a true reflexive,
but also as a non-reflexive (= Lat. _ejus_)"--Sw.; Cook's Sievers' Gram.,
p. 185. Cf. ll. 1508, 1961, 2284, 2790.
l. 1994. Cf. l. 190 for a similar use of seáð; cf. to "glow" with emotion,
"boil" with indignation, "burn" with anger, etc. weallan is often so used;
cf. ll. 2332, 2066, etc.
l. 2010. B. proposes fâcne, = _in treachery_, for fenne. Cf. _Juliana_, l.
350; _Beit._ xii. 97.
l. 2022. Food of specific sorts is rarely, if at all, mentioned in the
poem. Drink, on the other hand, occurs in its primitive varieties,--_ale_
(as here: ealu-wæg), _mead, beer, wine, lîð_ (cider? Goth. _leiþus_, Prov.
Ger. _leit-_ in _leit-haus_, ale-house), etc.
l. 2025. Kl. proposes is for wäs.
l. 2027. Cf. l. 1599 for a similar use of weorðan, = _agree, be pleased
with_ (Ha.); _appear_ (Sw., Reader, 6th ed.).
ll. 2030, 2031. Ten Br. proposes: oft seldan ( = _gave_) wære äfter
leód-hryre: lytle hwîle bongâr bûgeð, þeáh seó brýd duge = _oft has a
treaty been given after the fall of a prince: but little while the
murder-spear resteth, however excellent the bride be._ Cf. Kl., _Beit._ ix.
190; B., _Beit._ xii. 369; R., _Zachers Zeitschr._ in. 404; Ha., p. 69; G.,
p. 62.
l. 2036. Cf. Kl, _Beit._ ix. 191; R., _Zachers Zeitschr._ iii. 404.
l. 2042. For beáh B. reads bâ, = _both_, i.e. Freaware and the Dane.
l. 2063. Thorkelin and Conybeare propose wîgende, = _fighting_, for
lifigende.
l. 2068. W.'s edition begins section xxx. (not marked in the MS.) with this
line. Section xxxix. (xxxviii. in copies A and B, xxxix. in Thorkelin) is
not so designated in the MS., though þâ (at l. 2822) is written with
capitals and xl. begins at l. 2893.
l. 2095. Cf. l. 1542, and note.
l. 2115 _seq._ B. restores thus:
Þær on innan gióng
niðða nâthwylc, neóde tô gefêng
hæðnum horde; hond ätgenam
seleful since fâh; nê hê þät syððan âgeaf,
þeáh þe hê slæpende besyrede hyrde
þeófes cräfte: þät se þióden onfand,
bý-folc beorna, þät hê gebolgen wäs.
--_Beit._ xii. 99; _Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 210.
l. 2128. ätbär here = _bear away_, not given in the Gloss.
l. 2129. B. proposes færunga, = _suddenly_, for Gr.'s reading in the
text.--_Beit._ xii. 98.
l. 2132. MS. has þine life, which Leo translates _by thy leave_ (= ON.
_leyfi_); B., _by thy life_.--_Beit._ xii. 369.
l. 2150. B. renders gen, etc., by "now I serve thee alone again as my
gracious king" (_Beit._ xii. 99).
l. 2151. The forms hafu [hafo], hafast, hafað, are poetic archaisms.--Sw.
l. 2153. Kl. proposes ealdor, = _prince_, for eafor. W. proposes the compd.
eafor-heáfodsegn, = _helm_; cf. l. 1245.
l. 2157. The wk. form of the adj. is frequent in the vocative, especially
when postponed: "Beowulf leófa," l. 1759. So, often, in poetry in nom.:
wudu selesta, etc.
l. 2158. ærest is possibly the verbal subs. from ârîsan, _to arise, =
arising, origin_. R. suggested ærist, _arising, origin_. Cf. Bede, _Eccles.
Hist._, ed. Miller, where the word is spelt as above, but = (as usual)
_resurrection_. See Sweet, Reader, p. 211; E.-Plummer's _Chronicle_, p.
302, etc. The MS. has est. See Ha., p. 73; S., _Beit._ x. 222; and cf. l.
2166.
l. 2188. Gr., W., H. supply [wên]don, = _weened_, instead of Th.'s [oft
säg]don.
l. 2188. The "slack" Beowulf, like the sluggish Brutus, ultimately reveals
his true character, and is presented with a historic sword of honor. It is
"laid on his breast" (l. 2195) as Hun laid Lâfing on Hengest's breast, l.
1145.
l. 2188. "The boy was at first slothful, and the Geats thought him an
unwarlike prince, and long despised him. Then, like many a lazy third son
in the folk tales, a change came, he suddenly showed wonderful daring and
was passionate for adventure."--Br., p. 22.
l. 2196. "Seven of thousands, manor and lordship" (Ha.). Kl., _Beit._ ix.
191, thinks with Ettm. that þûsendo means a hide of land (see Schmid, _Ges.
der Angl_, 610), Bede's familia = 1/2 sq. meter; seofan being used (like
hund, l. 2995) only for the alliteration.
l. 2196. "A vast Honour of 7000 hides, a mansion, and a judgment-seat"
[throne].--E.
l. 2210. MS. has the more correct wintra.
l. 2211. Cf. similar language about the dragon at l. 100. Beowulf's
"jubilee" is fitly solemnized by his third and last dragon-fight.
l. 2213. B. proposes sê þe on hearge hæðen hord beweotode; cf. Ha., p. 75.
l. 2215. "The dragon lies round the treasures in a cave, as Fafnir, like a
Python, lay coiled over his hoard. So constant was this habit among the
dragons that gold is called Worms' bed, Fafnir's couch, Worms' bed-fire.
Even in India, the cobras ... are guardians of treasure."--Br., p. 50.
l. 2216. neóde. E. translates _deftly_; Ha., _with ardor_. H.-So. reads
neóde, = _with desire, greedily_, instr. of neód.
l. 2223. E. begins his "Part Third" at this point as he begins "Part
Second" at l. 1252, each dragon-fight forming part of a trilogy.
ll. 2224, 2225. B. proposes: nealles mid gewealdum wyrmes weard gäst sylfes
willum.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 211; _Beit._ xii. 100.
l. 2225. For þeów read þegn.--K. and Z.
l. 2225. þeów, st. m., _slave, serf_ (not in H.-So.).
l. 2227. For ofer-þearfe read ærnes þearfa.--Z.
ll. 2229-2231. B. proposes:
secg synbysig sôna onwlâtode,
þeáh þâm gyste gryrebrôga stôd,
hwäðre earmsceapen innganges þearfa
. . . . . . . . . .
feásceapen, þâ hyne se fær begeat.
--_Beit._ xii. 101. Cf. Ha., p. 69.
l. 2232. W. suggests seah or seîr for geseah, and Gr. suggests searolîc.
l. 2233. Z. surmises eorð-hûse (for -scräfe).
l. 2241. B. proposes læn-gestreóna, = _transitory_, etc.; Th., R. propose
leng (= _longer_) gestreóna; S. accepts the text but translates "the
long accumulating treasure."
l. 2246. B. proposed (1) hard-fyndne, = _hard to find_; (2) hord-wynne
dæl,--_a deal of treasure-joy_ (cf. l. 2271).--_Zachers Zeitschr._
iv. 211; _Beit._ xii. 102.
l. 2247. fecword = _banning words_ (?) MS. has fec.
l. 2254. Others read feor-[mie], = _furbish_, for fetige: _I own not one
who may_, etc.
l. 2261. The Danes themselves were sometimes called the "Ring-Danes,"
= clad in ringed (or a ring of) armor, or possessing rings. Cf.
ll. 116, 1280.
l. 2264. Note the early reference to hawking. Minstrelsy (hearpan
wyn), saga-telling, racing, swimming, harpooning of sea-animals, feasting,
and the bestowal of jewels, swords, and rings, are the other amusements
most frequent in _Beówulf_.
l. 2264. Cf. _Maldon_, ll. 8, 9, for a reference to hawking.
l. 2276. Z. suggests swýðe ondrædað; Ho. puts gesêcean for Gr.'s
gewunian.
l. 2277. Z. and K. read: hord on hrûsan. "Three hundred winters,"
at l. 2279, is probably conventional for "a long time," like hund
missera, l. 1499; hund þûsenda, l. 2995; þritig (of Beowulf's strength), l.
379; þritig (of the men slain by Grendel), l. 123; seofan þûsendo, l. 2196,
etc.
l. 2285. B. objects to hord as repeated in ll. 2284, 2285; but cf. Ha., p.
77. C. prefers sum to hord. onboren = _inminutus_; cf. B., _Beit._ xii.
102.
l. 2285. onberan is found also at line 991, = _carry off_, with on- = E.
_un--(un-bind, -loose, -tie_, etc.), G. _ent-_. The negro still pronounces
_on-do_, etc.
l. 2299. Cf. H.-So., p. 112, for a defense of the text as it stands. B.
proposes "nor was there any man in that desert who rejoiced in conflict,"
etc. So ten Br.
l. 2326. B. and ten Br,. propose hâm, = _home_, for him.--_Beit._ xii. 103.
l. 2335. E. translates eálond utan by _the sea-board front, the
water-washed land on the (its) outside_. See B., _Beit._ xii. 1, 5.
l. 2346. Cf. l. 425, where Beowulf resolves to fight the dragon
single-handed. E. compares _Guy of Warwick_, ll. 49, 376.
l. 2355. Ten Br. proposes laðan cynne as apposition to mægum.
l. 2360. Cf. Beowulf's other swimming-feat with Breca, ll. 506 _seq._
l. 2362. Gr. inserts âna, = _lone-going_, before xxx.: approved by B.; and
Krüger, _Beit._ ix. 575. Cf. l. 379.
l. 2362. "Beowulf has the strength of thirty men in the original tale.
Here, then, the new inventor makes him carry off thirty coats of
mail."--Br., p. 48.
l. 2364. Hetware = Chattuarii, a nation allied against Hygelâc in his
Frisian expedition; cf. ll. 1208 _seq._, 2917, etc.
l. 2368. B. proposes _quiet sea_ as trans, of sióleða bigong, and compares
Goth. _anasilan_, to be still; Swed. dial, _sil_, still water between
waterfalls.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 214.
l. 2380. hyne--Heardrêd; so him, l. 2358.
l. 2384. E. calls attention to Swió-rîce as identical with the modern
_Sverige_ = Sweden; cf. l. 2496.
l. 2386. Gr. reads on feorme, = _at the banquet_; cf. Möller, _Alteng.
Volksepos_, 111, who reads (f)or feorme. The MS. has or.
l. 2391. Cf. l. 11.
l. 2394. B., Gr., and Mûllenh. understand ll. 2393-2397 to mean that
Eádgils, Ôhthere's son, driven from Sweden, returns later, supported by
Beowulf, takes the life of his uncle Onela, and probably becomes himself
O.'s successor and king of Sweden. For another view see H.-So., p. 115. MS.
has freond (l. 2394), which Leo, etc., change to feónd. G. translates
_friend_.--_Beit._ xii. 13; _Anzeiger f. d. Altert_. iii. 177.
l. 2395. Eádgils is Ôhthere's son; cf. l. 2381; Onela is Ôhthere's brother;
cf. ll. 2933, 2617.
l. 2402. "Twelfsome"; cf. "fifteensome" at l. 207, etc. As _Beówulf_ is
essentially _the_ Epic of Philanthropy, of the true love of man, as
distinguished from the ordinary love-epic, the number twelve in this
passage may be reminiscent of another Friend of Man and another Twelve. In
each case all but one desert the hero.
l. 2437. R. proposes stýred, = _ordered, decreed_, for strêd.--_Zachers
Zeitschr._ iii. 409.
l. 2439. B. corrects to freó-wine = _noble friend_, asking, "How can
Herebeald be called Hæðcyn's freá-wine [MS.], _lord?_"
l. 2442. feohleás gefeoht, "a homicide which cannot be atoned for by
money--in this case an unintentional fratricide."--Sw.
l. 2445. See Ha., pp. 82, 83, for a discussion of ll. 2445-2463. Cf. G., p.
75.
l. 2447. MS. reads wrece, justified by B. (_Tidskr_. viii. 56). W.
conceives wrece as optative or hortative, and places a colon before þonne.
l. 2449. For helpan read helpe.--K., Th., S. (_Zeitschr. f. D. Phil._ xxi.
3, 357).
ll. 2454-2455. (1) Müllenh. (_Haupts Zeitschr._ xiv. 232) proposes:
þonne se ân hafað
þurh dæda nýd deáðes gefandod.
(2) B. proposes:
þurh dæda nîð deáðes gefondad.
--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 215.
l. 2458. Cf. sceótend, pl., ll. 704, 1155, like rîdend. Cf. _Judith_, l.
305, etc.
l. 2474. Th. considers the "wide water" here as the Mälar lake, the
boundary between Swedes and Goths.
l. 2477. On oþþe = _and_, cf. B., _Tidskr_. viii. 57. See Ha., p. 83.
l. 2489. B. proposes hreá-blâc for Gr.'s heoro-.--_Tikskr_. viii. 297.
l. 2494. S. suggests êðel-wynne.
l. 2502. E. translates for dugeðum, _of my prowess_; so Ettmüller.
ll. 2520-2522. Gr. and S. translate, "if I knew how else I might combat the
monster's boastfulness."--Ha., p. 85.
l. 2524. and-hâttres is H.'s invention. Gr. reads oreðes and âttres, _blast
and venom_. Cf. oruð, l. 2558, and l. 2840 (where âttor- also occurs).
l. 2526. E. quotes fleón fôtes trym from _Maldon_, l. 247.
l. 2546. Gr., H.-So., and Ho. read standan stân-bogan (for stôd on
stân-bogan) depending on geseah.
l. 2550. Grundt. and B. propose deór, _brave one_, i.e. Beowulf, for deóp.
L. 2565. MS. has ungleaw (K., Th.), unglaw (Grundt.). B. proposes unslâw, =
_sharp_.--_Beit._ xii. 104. So H.-So., Ha., p. 86.
ll. 2570, 2571. (1) May not gescîfe (MS. to gscipe) = German _schief_,
"crooked," "bent," "aslant," and hence be a parallel to gebogen, _bent,
coiled?_ cf. l. 2568, þâ se wyrm gebeáh snûde tôsomne, and l. 2828. Coiled
serpents spring more powerfully for the coiling. (2) Or perhaps destroy
comma after tô and read gescäpe, = _his fate_; cf. l. 26: him þâ Scyld
gewât tô gescäp-hwîle. G. appar. adopts this reading, p. 78.
l. 2589. grund-wong = _the field_, not _the earth_ (so B.); H.-So., _cave_,
as at l. 2771. So Ha., p. 87.
l. 2595. S. proposes colon after stefne.--_Beit._ ix. 141.
l. 2604. Müllenh. explains leód Scylfinga in _Anzeiger f. d. Altert._ iii.
176-178.
l. 2607. âre = _possessions, holding_ (Kl., _Beit._ ix. 192; Ha., p. 88).
l. 2609. folcrihta. Add "folk-right" to the meanings in the Gloss.; and cf.
êðel-, land-riht, word-riht.
l. 2614. H.-So. reads with Gr. wræccan wineleásum Weohstân bana, = _whom, a
friendless exile, W. had slain_.
ll. 2635-61. E. quotes Tacitus, _Germania_, xiv.: "turpe comitatui virtutem
principis non adaequare." Beowulf had been deserted by his _comitatus_.
l. 2643. B. proposes ûser.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 216.
l. 2649. wutun; l. 3102, uton = pres. subj. pl. 1st person of wîtan, _to
go_, used like Mod. Eng. _let us_ + inf., Lat. _eamus_, Ital. _andiamo_,
Fr. _allons_; M. E. (_Layamon_) _uten_. Cf. Psa. ii. 3, etc. March, _A.-S.
Gram._, pp. 104, 196.
l. 2650. B. suggests hât for hyt,.--_Beit._ xii. 105.
l. 2656. fâne = fâh-ne; cf. fâra = fâh-ra, l. 578; so heánne (MS.) =
heáh-ne, etc., l. 984. See Cook's Sievers' Gram.
ll. 2660, 2661. Why not read beadu-scrûd, as at l. 453, = _battle-shirt?_
B. and R. suppose two half-verses omitted between byrdu-scrûd and bâm
gemæne. B. reads býwdu, = _handsome_, etc. Gr. suggests unc nû, = _to us
two now_, for ûrum; and K. and Grundt. read beón gemæne for bâm, etc. This
makes sense. Cf. Ha., p. 89.
l. 2666. Cf. the dat. absolute without preposition.
l. 2681. Nägling; cf. Hrunting, Lâfing, and other famous wundor-smiða
geweorc of the poem.
l. 2687. B. changes þonne into þone (rel. pro.) = _which_.--_Beit._ xii.
105.
l. 2688. B. supports the MS. reading, wundum.
l. 2688. Cf. l. 2278 for similar language.
l. 2698. B. (_Beit._ xii. 105) renders: "he did not heed the head of the
dragon (which Beowulf with his sword had struck without effect), but he
struck the dragon somewhat further down." Cf. Saxo, vi. p. 272.
l. 2698. Cf. the language used at ll. 446 and 1373, where hafelan also
occurs; and hýdan.
l. 2700. hwêne; cf. Lowl. Sc. _wheen_, a number; Chaucer's _woon_, number.
l. 2702. S. proposes þâ (for þät) þät fýr, etc., = _when the fire began_,
etc.
l. 2704. "The (hup)-seax has often been found in Saxon graves on the hip of
the skeleton."--E.
l. 2707. Kl. proposes: feorh ealne wräc, = _drove out all the life_; cf.
_Gen._ l. 1385.--_Beit._ ix. 192. S. suggests gefylde,--_he felled the
foe_, etc.--_Ibid_. Parentheses seem unnecessary.
l. 2727. däg-hwîl = _time allotted, lifetime_.
l. 2745, 2745. Ho. removes geong from the beginning of l. 2745 and places
it at the end of l. 2744.
l. 2750. R. proposes sigle searogimmas, as at l. 1158.
l. 2767. (1) B. proposes doubtfully oferhîgean or oferhîgan, = Goth,
_ufarhauhjan_, p. p. _ufarhauhids_ (Gr. [Greek: tuphwtheis]) = _exceed in
value_.--_Tidskr_. viii. 60. (2) Kl. proposes oferhýdian, = _to make
arrogant, infatuate_; cf. oferhýd.--_Beit._ ix. 192.
l. 2770. gelocen leoðocräftum = (1) _spell-bound_ (Th., Arnold, E.); (2)
_wrought with hand-craft_ (G.); (3) _meshed, linked together_ (H., Ho.);
cf. _Elene_, ll. 1251, 522.
l. 2778. B. considers bill ... ealdhlâfordes as Beowulf's short sword, with
which he killed the dragon, l. 2704 (_Tidskr_. viii. 299). R. proposes
ealdhlâforde. Müllenh. understands ealdhlâford to mean the former possessor
of the hoard. W. agrees to this, but conceives ærgescôd as a compd. = ære
calceatus, _sheathed in brass_. Ha. translates ærgescôd as vb. and adv.
l. 2791. Cf. l. 224, eoletes ät ende; landes ät ende, _Exod_. (Hunt).
l. 2792. MS. reads wäteres weorpan, which R. would change to wätere
sweorfan.
l. 2806. "Men saw from its height the whales tumbling in the waves, and
called it Whale's Ness (Hrones-næs)."--Br. p. 28. Cf. l. 3137.
l. 2815. Wîglâf was the next of kin, the last of the race, and hence the
recipient of Beowulf's kingly insignia. There is a possible play on the
word lâf (Wîg-_lâf_, ende-_lâf_).
l. 2818. gingeste word; cf. _novissima verba_, and Ger. _jüngst_, lately.
l. 2837. E. translates on lande, _in the world_, comparing _on lîfe, on
worulde_.
l. 2840. geræsde = pret. of geræsan (omitted from the Gloss.), same as
ræsan; cf. l. 2691.
l. 2859. B. proposes deáð ârædan, = _determine death_.--_Beit._ xii. 106.
l. 2861. Change geongum to geongan as a scribal error (?), but cf.
Lichtenheld, _Haupts Zeitschr._ xvi. 353-355.
l. 2871. S. and W. propose ôwêr.--_Beit._ ix. 142.
l. 2873. S. punctuates: wrâðe forwurpe, þâ, etc.
l. 2874. H.-So. begins a new sentence with nealles, ending the preceding
one with beget.
l. 2879. ätgifan = _to render, to afford_; omitted in Gloss.
ll. 2885-2892. "This passage ... equals the passage in Tacitus which
describes the tie of chief to companion and companion to chief among the
Germans, and which recounts the shame that fell on those who survived their
lord."--Br., p. 56.
l. 2886. cyn thus has the meaning of _gens_ or clan, just as in many
Oriental towns all are of one blood. E. compares Tacitus, _Germania_, 7;
and cf. "kith and kin."
l. 2892. Death is preferable to dishonor. Cf. Kemble, _Saxons_, i. 235.
l. 2901. The _[Greek: angelos]_ begins his _[Greek: angelia]_ here.
l. 2910. S. proposes higemêðe, _sad of soul;_ cf. ll. 2853 and 2864
(_Beit._ ix. 142). B. considers higemêðum a dat. or instr. pl. of an
abstract in -u (_Beit._ xii. 106). H. makes it a dat. pl. = _for the dead_.
For heafod-wearde, etc., cf. note on l. 446.
l. 2920-2921. B. explains "he could not this time, as usual, give jewels to
his followers."--_Beit._ xii. 106.
l. 2922. The Merovingian or Frankish race.
l. 2940 _seq._ B. conjectures:
cwäð hîe on mergenne mêces ecgum
gêtan wolde, sumon galgtreowu
âheáwan on holte ond hîe âhôan on þâ
fuglum tô gamene.
--_Beit._ xii. 107, 372. Cf. S., _Beit._ ix. 143. gêtan = _cause blood to
be shed._
l. 2950. B. proposes gomela for gôda; "a surprising epithet for a Geat to
apply to the 'terrible' Ongentheow."--Ha. p. 99. But "good" does not
necessarily mean "morally excellent," as a "good" hater, a "good" fighter.
l. 2959. See H.-So. for an explanatory quotation from Paulus Diaconus, etc.
B., K., and Th. read segn Higelâces, = H.'s banner uplifted began to pursue
the Swede-men.--_Beit._ xii. 108. S. suggests sæce, = _pursuit_.
l. 2977. gewyrpton: this vb. is also used reflexively in _Exod_. (Hunt), l.
130: wyrpton hie wêrige.
l. 2989. bär is Grundt.'s reading, after the MS. "The surviving victor is
the heir of the slaughtered foe."--H.-So. Cf. _Hildebrands Lied_, ll. 61,
62.
l. 2995. "A hundred of thousands in land and rings" (Ha., p. 100). Cf. ll.
2196, 3051. Cf. B., _Beit._ xii. 20, who quotes Saxo's _bis senas gentes_
and remarks: "Hrolf Kraki, who rewards his follower, for the slaying of the
foreign king, with jewels, rich lands, and his only daughter's hand,
answers to the Jutish king Hygelâc, who rewards his liegeman, for the
slaying of Ongentheów, with jewels, enormous estates, and _his_ only
daughter's hand."
l. 3006. H.-So. suggests Scilfingas for Scyldingas, because, at l. 2397,
Beowulf kills the Scylfing Eádgils and probably acquires his lands. Thus
ll. 3002, 3005, 3006, would indicate that, after Beowulf's death, the
Swedes desired to shake off his hated yoke. Müllenh., however, regards l.
3006 as a thoughtless repetition of l. 2053.--_Haupts Zeitschr._ xiv. 239.
l. 3008. Cf. the same proverb at l. 256; and _Exod._ (Hunt.) l. 293.
l. 3022. E. quotes:
"Thai token an harp _gle and game_
And maked a lai and yaf it name."
--_Weber_, l. 358.
and from Percy, "The word _glee_, which peculiarly denoted their art (the
minstrels'), continues still in our own language ... it is to this day used
in a musical sense, and applied to a peculiar piece of composition."
l. 3025. "This is a finer use than usual of the common poetic attendants of
a battle, the wolf, the eagle, and the raven. The three are here like three
Valkyrie, talking of all that they have done."--Br., p. 57.
l. 3033. Cf. Hunt's _Dan._ l. 731, for similar language.
l. 3039. B. supplies a supposed gap here:
[banan eác fundon bennum seócne
(nê) ær hî þæm gesêgan syllîcran wiht]
wyrm on wonge...
--_Beit._ xii. 372.
Cf. Ha., p. 102. W. and Ho. insert [þær] before gesêgan.
l. 3042. Cf. l. 2561, where gryre-giest occurs as an epithet of the dragon.
B. proposes gry[re-fâh].
l. 3044. lyft-wynne, _in the pride of the air_, E.; _to rejoice in the
air_, Ha.
l. 3057. (1) He (God) is men's hope; (2) he is the heroes' hope; (3) gehyld
= the secret place of enchanters; cf. hêlsmanna gehyld, Gr.'s reading,
after A.-S. hælsere, haruspex, augur.
l. 3060. B. suggests gehýðde, = _plundered_ (i.e. by the thief), for
gehýdde.
ll. 3063-3066. (1) B. suggests wundur [deáðe] hwâr þonne eorl ellenrof ende
gefêre = _let a brave man then somewhere meet his end by wondrous venture_,
etc.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 241; cf. l. 3038. (2) S. supposes an indirect
question introduced by hwâr and dependent upon wundur, = _a mystery is it
when it happens that the hero is to die, if he is no longer to linger among
his people_.--_Beit._ ix. 143. (3) Müllenh. suggests: _is it to be wondered
at that a man should die when he can no longer live?_--_Zachers Zeitschr._
xiv. 241. (4) Possibly thus:
Wundrað hwät þonne,
eorl ellen-rôf, ende gefêre
lîf-gesceafta, þonne leng ne mäg (etc.),
in which hwät would = þurh hwät at l. 3069, and eorl would be subject of
the conjectural vb. wundrað: "the valiant earl wondereth then through what
he shall attain his life's end, when he no longer may live.... So Beówulf
knew not (wondered how) through what _his_ end should come," etc. W. and
Ho. join þonne to the next line. Or, for hwâr read wære: Wundur wære þonne
(= gif), etc., = "would it be any wonder if a brave man," etc., which is
virtually Müllenhoff's.
l. 3053. galdre bewunden, _spell-bound_, throws light on l. 2770, gelocen
leoðo-cräftum. The "accursed" gold of legend is often dragon-guarded and
placed under a spell. Even human ashes (as Shakespeare's) are thus banned.
ll. 3047-3058 recall the so-called "Treasury of Atreus."
l. 3073. herh, hearh, _temple_, is conjectured by E. to survive in _Harrow.
Temple, barrow_, etc., have thus been raised to proper names. Cf. Biówulfes
biorh of l. 2808.
l. 3074. H.-So. has strude, = _ravage_, and compares l. 3127. MS. has
strade. S. suggests stride, = _tread_.
l. 3074. H.-So. omits strâdan, = _tread, stride over_, from the Gloss.,
referring ll. 3174 and 3074 to strûdan, q. v.
l. 3075. S. proposes: näs hê goldhwätes gearwor häfde, etc., = _Beowulf had
not before seen the greedy possessor's favor_.--_Beit._ ix. 143. B. reads,
goldhwäte gearwor häfde, etc., making goldhwäte modify êst, = _golden
favor_; but see _Beit._ xii. 373, for B.'s later view.
l. 3086-3087. B. translates, "that which (i.e. the treasure) drew the king
thither was granted indeed, but it overwhelmed us."--_Beit._ xii. 109.
l. 3097. B. and S. propose äfter wine deádum, = _in memory of the dead
friend_.--_Beit._ ix. 144.
l. 3106. The brâd gold here possibly includes the iú-monna gold of l. 3053
and the wunden gold of l. 3135. E. translates brâd by _bullion_.
l. 3114. B. supposes folc-âgende to be dat. sg. to gôdum, referring to
Beowulf.
l. 3116. C. considers weaxan, = Lat. _vescor_, to devour, as a parallel to
fretan, and discards parentheses.--_Beit._ viii. 573.
l. 3120. fûs = _furnished with_; a meaning which must be added to those in
the Gloss.
ll. 3124-3125. S. proposes:
eóde eahta sum under inwit-hrôf
hilderinca: sum on handa bär, etc.
--_Beit._ ix. 144.
l. 3136. H.-So. corrects (after B.) to äðeling_c_, the MS. having _e_.
l. 3145. "It was their [the Icelanders'] belief that the higher the smoke
rose in the air the more glorious would the burnt man be in heaven."--
_Ynglinga Saga_, 10 (quoted by E.). Cf. the funeral pyre of Herakles.
l. 3146-3147. B. conjectures:
... swôgende lêc
wôpe bewunden windblonda lêg
(lêc from lâcan, see Gloss.).--_Beit._ xii. 110. Why not windblonda lâc?
l. 3147. Müllenhoff rejected wind-blond geläg because a great fire raises
rather than "lays" the wind; hence B., as above, = "swoughing sported the
flame wound with the howling of wind-currents."
l. 3151 _seq._ B. restores conjecturally:
swylce giômor-gyd sio geó-meowle
[äfter Beówulfe] bunden-heorde
[song] sorg-cearig, sæde geneahhe,
þät hió hyre [hearm-]dagas hearde on [dr]êde,
wälfylla worn, [w]îgendes egesan,
hý[n]ðo ond häftnýd, heóf on rîce wealg.
--_Beit._ xii. 100.
Here geó-meowle = _old woman_ or _widow;_ bunden-heorde = _with bound
locks;_ heóf = _lamentation;_ cf. l. 3143. on rîce wealg is less preferable
than the MS. reading, heofon rêce swealg = _heaven swallowed the smoke_.--
H.-So. B. thinks Beowulf's widow (geómeowle) was probably Hygd; cf. ll.
2370, 3017-3021.
l. 3162. H.-So. reads (with MS.) bronda be lâfe, for betost, and omits
colon after bêcn. So B., _Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 224.
l. 3171. E. quotes Gibbon's accounts of the burial of Attila when the
"chosen squadrons of the Hun, wheeling round in measured evolutions,
chanted a funeral song to the memory of a hero."
ll. 3173-3174. B. proposes:
woldon gên cwîðan [ond] kyning
wordgyd wrecan ond ymb wel sprecan.
--_Beit._ xii. 112.
l. 3183. Z., K., Th. read manna for mannum.
l. 3184. "It is the English ideal of a hero as it was conceived by an
Englishman some twelve hundred years ago."--Br., p. 18.
NOTES TO THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG.
The original MS. of this fragment has vanished, but a copy had been made
and printed by Hickes in his _Thesaurus Linguarum Septentrionalium_, i.
192. The original was written on a single sheet attached to a codex of
homilies in the Lambeth Library. Möller, _Alteng. Epos_, p. 65, places the
fragment in the Finn episode, between ll. 1146 and 1147. Bugge (_Beit._
xii. 20) makes it illustrate the conflict in which Hnäf fell, _i.e._ as
described in _Beówulf_ as antecedent to the events there given. Heinzel
(_Anzeiger f. d. Altert_.), however, calls attention to the fact that
Hengest in the fragment is called cyning, whereas in _Beówulf_, l. 1086, he
is called þegn. See H.-So., p. 125.
"The _Fight at Finnsburg_ and the lays from which our _Beówulf_ was
composed were, as it seems to me, sung among the English who dwelt in the
north of Denmark and the south of Sweden, and whose tribal name was the
Jutes or Goths."--Br., p. 101.
l. 1. R. supposes [hor]nas, and conjectures such an introductory
conversation as follows: "Is it dawning in the east, or is a fiery dragon
flying about, or are the turrets of some castle burning?" questions which
the king negatives in the same order. Then comes the positive declaration,
"rather they are warriors marching whose armor gleams in the moonlight."
--_Alt- und Angels. Lesebuch_, 1861. Heinzel and B. conjecture, [beorhtor
hor]nas byrnað næfre. So. G.--_Beit._ xii. 22; _Anzeiger f. d. Altert._ x.
229.
l. 5. B. conjectures fugelas to mean _arrows_, and supplies:
ac hêr forð berað [fyrdsearu rincas,
flacre flânbogan], fugelas singað.
He compares Saxo, p. 95, _cristatis galeis hastisque sonantibus instant_,
as explanatory of l. 6.--_Beit._ xii. 22. But see Brooke, _Early Eng.
Literature_, who supposes fugelas = _raven_ and _eagle_, while græg-hama is
= _wulf_ (the "grey-coated one"), the ordinary accompaniers of battle.
l. 11. hicgeað, etc.: cf. _Maldon_, l. 5; _Exod_. l. 218.
l. 15. Cf. B. (_Beit._ xii. 25), etc., and Saxo, p. 101, for l. 13.
ll. 18-21. H.-So. remarks: "If, according to Möller and Bugge, Gârulf is
one of the attackers, one of Finn's men, this does not harmonize with his
character as Gûðlâf's son (l. 33), who (l. 16, and _Beówulf_, l. 1149) is a
Dane, therefore one of Finn's antagonists." B. (_Beit._ xii. 25)
conjectures:
þâ gyt Gûðdene Gârulf styrode,
þät hê swâ freólîc feorh forman sîðe
tô þære healle durum hyrsta ne bære,
nû hîe nîða heard ânyman wolde;
in which Gûðdene is the same as Sigeferð, l. 24; hê (l. 22) refers to
Gârulf; and hîe (l. 21) to hyrsta.
l. 27. swäðer = _either_ (bad or good, life or death).--H.-So.
l. 29. cêlod: meaning doubtful; cf. _Maldon_, l. 283. G. renders "curved
board"; Sw. suggests "round"? "hollow"?
l. 30. B. suggests bâr-helm, = _boar-helm._ Cf. Saxo, p. 96.--_Beit._ xii.
26.
l. 34. B. conjectures: (1) hwearf flacra hræw hräfen, wandrode; (2) hwearf
flacra hræw hräfen fram ôðrum = _flew from one corpse to another_.--_Beit._
xii. 27.
l. 43. B. supposes wund häleð to be a Dane, folces hyrde to be Hnäf, in
opposition to Holtzmann (_Germania_, viii. 494), who supposes the wounded
man to be a Frisian, and folces hyrde to be their king, Finn.--_Beit._ xii.
28.
l. 45. B. adopts Th.'s reading heresceorp unhrôr = _equipments
useless_.--_Beit._ xii. 28.
l. 47. "Though wounded, they had retained their strength and activity in
battle."--B., _Beit._ xii. 28.
ADDENDA.
ll. 105 and 218. MS. and Ho. read won-sæli and fâmi-heals.
ll. 143, 183, 186, etc. Read þæm for þäm.
l. 299. MS. reads gôd-fremmendra. So H.-So.
l. 338. Ho. marks wräc- and its group long.
l. 530. Hwät should here probably be printed as an interj., hwät! Cf. ll.
1, 943, 2249.
l. 2263. Koeppel suggests nis for näs.
The editors are much indebted to E. Koeppel (in _Eng. Stud._ xiii. 3) for
numerous corrections in text and glossary.
l. 3070. H.-So. begins a new line with swâ.
GLOSSARY
A
ac, conj. denoting contrariety: hence 1) _but_ (like N.H.G. sondern), 109,
135, 339, etc.--2) _but_ (N.H.G. aber), _nevertheless_, 602, 697, etc.--3)
in direct questions: nonne, numquid, 1991.
aglæca, ahlæca, äglæca, -cea, w. m. (cf. Goth, aglo, _trouble_, O.N. agi,
_terror_, + lâc, _gift, sport: = misery, vexation, = bringer of trouble_;
hence): 1) _evil spirit, demon, a demon-like being_; of Grendel, 159, 433,
593, etc.; of the drake, 2535, 2906, etc.--2) _great hero, mighty warrior_;
of Sigemund, 894; of Beówulf: gen. sg. aglæcan(?), 1513; of Beówulf and the
drake: nom. pl. þâ aglæcean, 2593.
aglæc-wîf, st. n., _demon, devil, in the form of a woman_; of Grendel's
mother, 1260.
aldor. See ealdor.
al-wealda. See eal-w.
am-biht (from and-b., Goth, and-baht-s), st. m., _servant, man-servant_:
nom. sg. ombeht, of the coast-guard, 287; ombiht, of Wulfgâr, 336.
ambiht-þegn (from ambiht n. officium and þegn, which see), _servant,
man-servant_: dat. sg. ombiht-þegne, of Beówulf's servant, 674.
an, prep, with the dat., _on, in, with respect to_, 678; _with, among, at,
upon_ (position after the governed word), 1936; with the acc., 1248.
Elsewhere on, which see.
ancor, st. m., _anchor_: dat. sg. ancre, 303, 1884.
ancor-bend, m. (?) f. (?), _anchor-cable_: dat. pl. oncer-bendum, 1919.
and, conj. (ond is usual form; for example, 601, 1149, 2041), and 33, 39,
40, etc. (See Appendix.)
anda, w. m., _excitement, vexation, horror_: dat. wrâðum on andan, 709,
2315.
and-git, st. n., _insight, understanding_: nom. sg., 1060. See gitan.
and-hâtor, st. m. n., _heat coming against one_: gen. sg. rêðes
and-hâttres, 2524.
and-lang, -long, adj., _very long._ hence 1) _at whole length, raised up
high_: acc. andlongne eorl, 2696 (cf. Bugge upon this point, Zachers
Ztschr., 4, 217).--2) _continual, entire_; andlangne däg, 2116, _the whole
day_; andlonge niht, 2939.
and-leán, st. n., _reward, payment in full_: acc. sg., 1542, 2095 (hand-,
hond-lean, MS.).
and-risno, st. f. (see rîsan, surgere, decere), _that which is to be
observed, that which is proper, etiquette_: dat. pl. for andrysnum,
_according to etiquette_, 1797.
and-saca, w. m., _adversary_: godes andsaca (Grendel), 787, 1683.
and-slyht, st. m., _blow in return_: acc. sg., 2930, 2973 (MS. both times
hond-slyht).
and-swaru, st. f., _act of accosting_: 1) to persons coming up, _an
address_, 2861.--2) in reply to something said, _an answer_, 354, 1494,
1841.
and-weard, adj., _present, existing_: acc. sg. n. swîn ofer helme and-weard
(_the image of the boar, which stands on his helm_), 1288.
and-wlita, w. m., _countenance_: acc. sg. -an, 690.
an-sund, adj., _entirely unharmed_: nom. sg. m., 1001.
an-sýn, f., _the state of being seen_: hence 1) _the exterior, the form_,
251: ansýn ýwde, _showed his form_, i.e. appeared, 2835.--2) _aspect,
appearance_, 929; on-sýn, 2773.
an-walda, w. m., _He who rules over all, God_, 1273. See Note.
atol, adj. (also eatol, 2075, etc.), _hostile, frightful, cruel_: of
Grendel, 159, 165, 593, 2075, etc.; of Grendel's mother's hands (dat. pl.
atolan), 1503; of the undulation of the waves, 849; of battle, 597,
2479.--cf. O.N. atall, fortis, strenuus.
atelîc, adj., _terrible, dreadful_: atelîc egesa, 785.
Â
â, adv. (Goth, áiv, acc. from aiv-s aevum), _ever, always_, 455, 882, 931,
1479: â syððan, _ever afterwards, ever, ever after_, 283, 2921.--_ever_,
780.--Comp. nâ.
âd st. m. _funeral pile_: acc. sg. âd, 3139; dat. sg. âde, 1111, 1115.
âd-faru, st. f., _way to the funeral pile_, dat. sg. on âd-färe, 3011.
âdl, st. f. _sickness_, 1737, 1764, 1849.
âð, st. m., _oath in general_, 2740; _oath of allegiance_, 472 (?); _oath
of reconciliation of two warring peoples_, 1098, 1108.
âð-sweord, st. n., _the solemn taking of an oath, the swearing of an oath_:
nom. pl., 2065. See sweord.
âðum-swerian, m. pl., _son-in-law and father-in-law_: dat. pl., 84.
âgan, verb, pret. and pres., _to have, to possess_, w. acc.: III. prs. sg.
âh, 1728; inf. âgan, 1089; prt. âhte, 487, 522, 533; with object, geweald,
to be supplied, 31. Form contracted with the negative: prs. sg. I. nâh hwâ
sweord wege (_I have no one to wield the sword_), 2253.
âgen, adj., _own, peculiar_, 2677.
âgend (prs. part. of âgan), _possessor, owner, lord_: gen. sg. âgendes, _of
God_, 3076.--Compounds: blæd-, bold-, folc-, mägen-âgend.
âgend-freá, w. m., _owner, lord_: gen. sg. âgend-freán, 1884.
âhsian, ge-âhsian, w. v.: 1) _to examine, to find out by inquiring_: pret.
part. ge-âhsod, 433.--2) _to experience, to endure_: pret. âhsode, 1207;
pl. âhsodon, 423.
âht, st. n. (contracted from â-wiht, which see), _something, anything_: âht
cwices, 2315.
ân, num. The meaning of this word betrays its apparent demonstrative
character: 1) _this, that_, 2411, of the hall in the earth mentioned
before; similarly, 100 (of Grendel; already mentioned), cf. also 2775.--2)
_one_, a particular one among many, a single one, in numerical sense: ymb
âne niht (_the next night_), 135; þurh ânes cräft, 700; þâra ânum, 1038; ân
äfter ânum, _one for the other_ (Hrêðel for Herebeald), 2462: similarly, ân
äfter eallum, 2269; ânes hwät, _some single thing, a part_, 3011; se ân
leóda duguðe, _the one of the heroes of the people_, 2238; ânes willan,
_for the sake of a single one_, 3078, etc.--Hence, again, 3) _alone,
distinguished_, 1459, 1886.--4) _a_, in the sense of an indefinite article:
ân ... feónd, 100; gen. sg. ânre bêne (or to No.2[?]), 428; ân ... draca,
221l--5) gen. pl. ânra, in connection with a pronoun, _single_; ânra
gehwylces, _every single one_, 733; ânra gehwylcum, 785. Similarly, the
dat. pl. in this sense: nemne feáum ânum, _except a few single ones_,
1082.--6) solus, _alone_: in the strong form, 1378, 2965; in the weak form,
145, 425, 431, 889, etc.; with the gen., âna Geáta duguðe, _alone of the
warriors of the Geátas_, 2658.--7) solitarius, _alone, lonely_, see
æn.--Comp. nân.
ân-feald, adj., _simple, plain, without reserve_: acc. sg. ânfealdne
geþôht, _simple opinion_, 256.
ân-genga, -gengea, w. m., _he who goes alone_, of Grendel, 165, 449.
ân-haga, w. m., _he who stands alone_, solitarius, 2369.
ân-hydig, adj. (like the O.N. ein-râd-r, _of one resolve_, i.e. of firm
resolve), _of one opinion_, i.e. firm, brave, decided, 2668.
ânga, adj. (only in the weak form), _single, only_: acc. sg. ângan dôhtor,
375, 2998; ângan eaferan, 1548; dat. sg. ângan brêðer, 1263.
ân-päð, st. m., _lonely way, path_: acc. pl. ânpaðas, 1411.
ân-ræd, adj. (cf. under ân-hydig), _of firm resolution, resolved_, 1530,
1576.
ân-tîd, st. f., _one time_, i.e. the same time, ymb ân-tîd ôðres dôgores,
_about the same time the second day_ (they sailed twenty-four hours),
219.--ân stands as in ân-mod, O.H.G. ein-muoti, _harmonious, of the same
disposition_.
ânunga, adv., _throughout, entirely, wholly_, 635.
âr, st. m., _ambassador, messenger_, 336, 2784.
âr, st. f., 1) _honor, dignity_: ârum healdan, _to hold in honor_, 296;
similarly, 1100, 1183.--2) _favor, grace, support_: acc. sg. âre, 1273,
2607; dat. sg. âre, 2379; gen. pl. hwät ... ârna, 1188.--Comp. worold-âr;
also written ær.
âr-fäst, adj., _honorable, upright_, 1169; of Hûnferð (with reference to
588). See fäst.
ârian, w. v., (_to be gracious_), _to spare_: III. sg. prs. w. dat. nænegum
ârað; of Grendel, 599.
âr-stäf, st. m.,(elementum honoris), _grace, favor_: dat. pl. mid ârstafum,
317.--_Help, support_: dat. pl. for âr-stafum, _to the assistance_, 382,
458. See stäf.
âter-teár, m., _poisonous drop_: dat. pl. îren âter-teárum fâh (steel which
is dipped in poison or in poisonous sap of plants), 1460.
âttor, st. n., _poison_, here of the poison of the dragon's bite: nom.,
2716.
âttor-sceaða, w. m., _poisonous enemy, of the poisonous dragon_: gen. sg.
-sceaðan, 2840.
âwâ, adv. (certainly not the dative, but a reduplicated form of â, which
see), _ever_: âwâ tô aldre, _fôr ever and ever_, 956.
Ä
ädre, adv., _hastily, directly, immediately_, 77, 354, 3107. [ædre.]
äðele, adj., _noble_: nom. sg., of Beówulf, 198, 1313; of Beówulf's father,
263, where it can be understood as well in a moral as in a genealogical
sense; the latter prevails decidedly in the gen. sg. äðelan cynnes, 2235.
äðeling, st. m., _nobleman, man of noble descent_, especially the
appellation of a man of royal birth; so of the kings of the Danes, 3; of
Scyld, 33; of Hrôðgâr, 130; of Sigemund, 889; of Beówulf, 1226, 1245, 1597,
1816, 2189, 2343, 2375, 2425, 2716, 3136; perhaps also of Däghrefn,
2507;--then, in a broader sense, also denoting other noble-born men:
Äschere, 1295; Hrôðgâr's courtiers, 118, 983; Heremôd's courtiers, 907;
Hengest's warriors, 1113; Beówulf's retinue, 1805, 1921, 3172; noble-born
in general, 2889. --Comp. sib-äðeling.
äðelu, st. n., only in the pl., _noble descent, nobility_, in the sense of
noble lineage: acc. pl. äðelu, 392; dat. pl. cyning äðelum gôd, _the king,
of noble birth_, 1871; äðelum dióre, _worthy on account of noble lineage_,
1950; äðelum (hæleþum, MS.), 332.--Comp. fäder-äðelu.
äfnan, w. v. w. acc., _to perform, to carry out, to accomplish_: inf.
ellen-weorc äfnan, _to do a heroic deed_, 1465; pret. unriht äfnde,
_perpetrated wrong_, 1255.
ge-äfnan, 1) _to carry out, to do, to accomplish_: pret. pl. þät geäfndon
swâ, _so carried that out_, 538; pret. part. âð wäs geäfned, _the oath was
sworn_, 1108.--2) _get ready, prepare_: pret. part. geäfned, 3107. See
efnan.
äfter (comparative of af, Ags. of, which see; hence it expresses the idea
of _forth, away, from, back_), a) adv., _thereupon, afterwards_, 12, 341,
1390, 2155.--ic him äfter sceal, _I shall go after them_, 2817; in word
äfter cwäð, 315, the sense seems to be, _spoke back, having turned_; b)
prep. w. dat., 1) (temporal) _after_, 119, 128, 187, 825, 1939, etc.; äfter
beorne, _after the_ (death of) _the hero_, 2261, so 2262; äfter
mâððum-welan, _after_ (obtaining) _the treasure_, 2751.--2) (causal) as
proceeding from something, denoting result and purpose, hence, _in
consequence of, conformably to_: äfter rihte, _in accordance with right_,
1050, 2111; äfter faroðe, _with the current_, 580; so 1321, 1721, 1944,
2180, etc., äfter heaðo-swâte, _in consequence of the blood of battle_,
1607; äfter wälnîðe, _in consequence of mortal enmity_, 85; _in accordance
with, on account of, after, about_: äfter äðelum (hæleþum, MS.)frägn,
_asked about the descent_, 332; ne frin þu äfter sælum, _ask not after my
welfare_, 1323; äfter sincgyfan greóteð, _weeps for the giver of treasure_,
1343; him äfter deórum men dyrne langað, _longs in secret for the dear
man_, 1880; ân äfter ânum, _one for the other_, 2462, etc.--3) (local),
_along_: äfter gumcynnum, _throughout the races of men, among men_, 945;
sôhte bed äfter bûrum, _sought a bed among the rooms of the castle_ (the
castle was fortified, the hall was not), 140; äfter recede wlât, _looked
along the hall_, 1573; stone äfter stâne, _smelt along the rocks_, 2289;
äfter lyfte, _along the air through the air_, 2833; similarly, 996, 1068,
1317, etc.
äf-þunca, w. m., _anger, chagrin, vexatious affair_: nom., 502.
äglæcea. See aglæcea.
äled (Old Sax. eld, O.N. edl-r), st. m., _fire_, 3016. [æled.]
äled-leóma, w. m., _(fire-light), torch_: acc. sg. leóman, 3126. See leóma.
äl-fylce (from äl-, Goth. ali-s, [Greek: allos], and fylce, O.N. fylki,
collective form from folc), st. n., _other folk, hostile army_: dat. pl.
wið älfylcum, 2372.
äl-mihtig (for eal-m.), adj., _almighty_: nom. sg. m., of the weak form, se
äl-mihtiga, 92.
äl-wiht, st. m., _being of another species, monster_: gen. pl. äl-wihta
eard, of the dwelling-place of Grendel's kindred, 1501.
äppel-fealu, adj., _dappled sorrel_, or _apple-yellow_: nom. pl.
äppel-fealuwe mearas, _apple-yellow steeds_, 2166.
ärn, st. n., _house_, in the compounds heal-, hord-, medo-, þryð-, win-ärn.
äsc, st. m., _ash_ (does not occur in Beówulf in this sense), _lance,
spear_, because the shaft consists of ash wood: dat. pl. (quâ instr.) äscum
and ecgum, _with spears and swords_, 1773.
äsc-holt, st. n., _ash wood, ashen shaft_: nom. pl. äsc-holt ufan græg,
_the ashen shafts gray above_ (spears with iron points), 330.
äsc-wîga, w. m., _spear-fighter, warrior armed with the spear_: nom. sg.,
2043.
ät, prep. w. dat., with the fundamental meaning of nearness to something,
hence 1) local, a) _with, near, at, on, in_ (rest): ät hýðe, in _harbor_,
32; ät symle, _at the meal_, 81, ät âde, _on the funeral-pile_, 1111, 1115;
ät þe ânum, _with thee alone_, 1378; ät wîge, _in the fight_, 1338; ät
hilde, 1660, 2682; ät æte, _in eating_, 3027, etc. b) _to, towards, at, on_
(motion to): deáðes wylm hrân ät heortan, _seized upon the heart_, 2271;
gehêton ät härgtrafum, _vowed at_ (or _to_) _the temples of the gods_, 175.
c) with verbs of taking away, _away from_ (as starting from near an
object): geþeah þät ful ät Wealhþeón, _took the cup from W_., 630; fela ic
gebâd grynna ät Grendle, _from Grendel_, 931; ät mînum fäder genam, _took
me from my father to himself_, 2430.--2) temporal, _at, in, at the time
of_: ät frumsceafte, _in the beginning_, 45; ät ende, _at an end_, 224;
fand sînne dryhten ealdres ät ende, _at the end of life, dying_, 2791;
similarly, 2823; ät feohgyftum, _in giving gifts_, 1090; ät sîðestan,
_finally_, 3014.
ät-græpe, adj., _laying hold of_, prehendens, 1270.
ät-rihte, adv., _almost_, 1658.
Æ
ædre, êdre, st. f., _aqueduct, canal_ (not in Beów.), _vein_ (not in
Beów.), _stream, violent pouring forth_: dat. pl. swât ædrum sprong, _the
blood sprang in streams_, 2967; blôd êdrum dranc, _drank the blood in
streams_(?), 743.
æðm, st. m., _breath, gasp, snort_: instr. sg. hreðer æðme weóll, _the
breast_ (of the drake) _heaved with snorting_, 2594.
æfen, st. m., _evening_, 1236.
æfen-gram, adj., _hostile at evening, night-enemy_: nom. sg. m. æfen-grom,
of Grendel, 2075.
æfen-leóht, st. n., _evening-light_: nom. sg., 413.
æfen-räst, st. f., _evening-rest_: acc. sg. -räste, 647, 1253.
æfen-spræc, st. f., _evening-talk_: acc. sg. gemunde ...æfen-spræce,
_thought about what he had spoken in the evening_, 760.
æfre, adv., _ever, at any time_, 70, 280, 504, 693, etc.: in negative
sentences, æfre ne, _never_, 2601.--Comp. næfre.
æg-hwâ (O.H.G. êo-ga-hwër), pron., _every, each_: dat. sg. æghwæm, 1385.
The gen. sg. in adverbial sense, _in all, throughout, thoroughly_: æghwäs
untæle, _thoroughly blameless_, 1866; æghwäs unrîm, _entirely innumerable
quantity_, i.e. an enormous multitude, 2625, 3136.
æg-hwäðer (O.H.G. êo-ga-hwëdar): 1) _each_ (of two): nom. sg. häfde
æghwäðer ende gefêred, _each of the two_ (Beówulf and the drake) _had
reached the end_, 2845; dat. sg. æghwäðrum wäs brôga fram ôðrum, _to each
of the two_ (Beówulf and the drake) _was fear of the other_, 2565; gen. sg.
æghwäðres ... worda and worca, 287.--2) _each_ (of several): dat. sg. heora
æghwäðrum, 1637.
æg-hwær, adv., _everywhere_, 1060.
æg-hwilc (O.H.G. êo-gi-hwëlih), pron., unusquisque, _every_ (one): 1) used
as an adj.: acc. sg. m. dæl æghwylcne, 622.--2) as substantive, a) with the
partitive genitive: nom. sg. æg-hwylc, 9, 2888; dat. sg. æghwylcum, 1051.
b) without gen.: nom. sg. æghwylc, 985, 988; (wäs) æghwylc ôðrum trýwe,
_each one_ (of two) _true to the other_, 1166.
æg-weard, st. f., _watch on the sea shore_: acc. sg. æg-wearde, 241.
æht (abstract form from âgan, denoting the state of possessing), st. f.: 1)
_possession, power_: acc. sg. on flôdes æht, 42; on wäteres æht, _into the
power of the water_, 516; on æht gehwearf Denigea freán, _passed over into
the possession of a Danish master_, 1680.--2) _property, possessions,
goods_: acc. pl. æhte, 2249.--Comp. mâðm-, gold-æht.
æht (O.H.G. âhta), st. f., _pursuit_: nom. þâ wäs æht boden Sweona leódum,
segn Higelâce, _then was pursuit offered to the people of the Sweonas,
(their) banner to Hygelâc_ (i.e. the banner of the Swedes, taken during
their flight, fell into the hands of Hygelâc), 2958.
ge-æhtan, w. v., _to prize, to speak in praise of_: pret. part. geæhted,
1866. [geähtan.]
ge-æhtla, w. m., or ge-æhtle, w. f., _a speaking of with praise, high
esteem_: gen. sg. hy ... wyrðe þinceað eorla geæhtlan, _seem worthy of the
high esteem of the noble-born_, 369. [geähtla.]
æn (oblique form of ân), num., _one_: acc. sg. m. þone ænne þone..., _the
one whom_..., 1054; oftor micle þonne on ænne sîð, _much oftener than one
time_, 1580; forð onsendon ænne, _sent him forth alone_, 46.
æne, adv., _once_: oft nalles æne, 3020.
ænig, pron., _one, any one_, 474, 503, 510, 534, etc.: instr. sg. nolde ...
0nige þinga, _would in no way, not at all_, 792; lyt ænig mearn, _little
did any one sorrow_ (i.e. no one), 3130.--With the article: näs se
folccyning ... ænig, _no people's king_, 2735.--Comp. nænig.
æn-lîc, adj., _alone, excellent, distinguished_: ænlîc ansýn,
_distinguished appearance_, 251; þeáh þe hió ænlîcu sý, _though she be
beautiful_, 1942.
ær (comparative form, from â): 1) adv., _sooner, before, beforehand_, 15,
656, 695, 758, etc., _for a long time_, 2596; eft swâ ær, _again as
formerly_, 643; ær ne siððan, _neither sooner nor later_, 719; ær and sîð,
_sooner and later_ (all times), 2501; nô þý ær (_not so much the sooner_),
_yet not_, 755, 1503, 2082, 2161, 2467.--2) conjunct., _before, ere_: a)
with the ind.: ær hió tô setle geóng, 2020. b) w. subjunc.: ær ge fyr
fêran, _before you travel farther_, 252; ær he on hwurfe 164, so 677, 2819;
ær þon däg cwôme, _ere the day break_, 732; ær correlative to ær adv.: ær
he feorh seleð, aldor an ôfre, ær he wille ..., _he will sooner_ (rather)
_leave his life upon the shore, before_ (than) _he will_ ..., 1372.--3)
prepos. with dat., _before_ ær deáðe, _before death_, 1389; ær däges hwîle,
_before daybreak_, 2321; ær swylt-däge, _before the day of death_, 2799.
æror, comp. adv., _sooner, before-hand_, 810; _formerly_, 2655.
ærra, comp. adj., _earlier_; instr. pl., ærran mælum, _in former times_,
908, 2238, 3036.
ærest, superl.: 1) adv., _first of all, foremost_, 6, 617, 1698, etc.--2)
as subst. n., _relation to, the beginning_: acc. þät ic his ærest þe eft
gesägde (_to tell thee in what relation it stood at first to the coat of
mail that has been presented_), 2158. See Note.
ær-däg, st. m. (_before-day_), _morning-twilight, gray of morning_: dat.
sg. mid ærdäge, 126; samod ærdäge, 1312, 2943.
ærende, st. n., _errand, trust_: acc. sg., 270, 345.
ær-fäder, st. m., _late father, deceased father_: nom sg. swâ his ærfäder,
2623.
ær-gestreón, st. n., _old treasure, possessions dating from old times_: acc
sg., 1758; gen. sg. swylcra fela ærgestreóna, _much of such old treasure_,
2233. See gestreón.
ær-geweorc, st. n., _work dating from old times_: nom. sg. enta ær-geweorc,
_the old work of the giants_ (of the golden sword-hilt from Grendel's
water-hall), 1680. See geweorc.
ær-gôd, adj., _good since old times, long invested with dignity_ or
_advantages_: äðeling ærgôd, 130; (eorl) ærgôd, 1330; îren ærgôd
(_excellent sword_), 990, 2587.
ær-wela, w. m., _old possessions, riches dating from old times_: acc. sg.
ærwelan, 2748. See wela.
æs, st. n., _carcass, carrion_: dat. (instr.) sg. æse, of Äschere's corpse,
1333.
æt, st. m., _food, meat_: dat, sg., hû him ät æte speów, _how he fared well
at meat_, 3027.
ættren (see âttor), adj., _poisonous_: wäs þät blôd tô þäs hât, ættren
ellorgâst, se ær inne swealt, _so hot was the blood, (and) poisonous the
demon_ (Grendel's mother) _who died therein_, 1618
B
bana, bona, w. m., _murderer_, 158, 588, 1103, etc.: acc. sg. bonan
Ongenþeówes, of Hygelâc, although in reality his men slew Ongenþeów (2965
ff.), 1969. Figuratively of inanimate objects: ne wäs ecg bona, 2507; wearð
wracu Weohstânes bana, 2614.--Comp.: ecg-, feorh-, gâst-, hand-, mûð-bana.
bon-gâr, st. m. _murdering spear_, 2032.
ge-bannan, st. v. w. acc. of the thing and dat. of the person, _to command,
to bid_: inf., 74.
bâd, st. f., _pledge_, only in comp.: nýd-bâd.
bân, st. n., _bone_: dat. sg. on bâne (on the bony skin of the drake),
2579; dat. pl. heals ealne ymbefêng biteran bânum (here of the teeth of the
drake), 2693.
bân-côfa, w. m., "cubile ossium" (Grimm) of the body: dat. sg. -côfan,
1446.
bân-fâg, adj., _variegated with bones_, either with ornaments made of
bone-work, or adorned with bone, perhaps deer-antlers; of Hrôðgâr's hall,
781. The last meaning seems the more probable.
bân-fät, st. n., _bone-vessel_, i.e. the body: acc. pl. bân-fatu, 1117.
bân-hring, st. m., _the bone-structure, joint, bone-joint_: acc. pl. hire
wið halse ... bânhringas bräc (_broke her neck-joint_), 1568.
bân-hûs, st. n., _bone-house_, i.e. the body: acc. sg. bânhûs gebräc, 2509;
similarly, 3148.
bân-loca, w. m., _the enclosure of the bones_, i.e. the body: acc. sg. bât
bânlocan, _bit the body_, 743; nom. pl. burston bânlocan, _the body burst_
(of Grendel, because his arm was torn out), 819.
bât, st. m., _boat, craft, ship_, 211.--Comp. sæ-bât.
bât-weard, st. m., _boat-watcher, he who keeps watch over the craft._ dat.
sg. -wearde, 1901.
bäð, st. n., _bath_: acc. sg. ofer ganotes bäð, _over the diver's bath_
(i.e. the sea), 1862.
bärnan, w. v., _to cause to burn, to burn_: inf. hêt ... bânfatu bärnan,
_bade that the bodies be burned_, 1117; ongan ... beorht hofu bärnan,
_began to consume the splendid country-seats_ (the dragon), 2314.
for-bärnan, w. v., _consume with fire_: inf. hy hine ne môston ...
brondefor-bärnan, _they_ (the Danes) _could not burn him_ (the dead
Äschere) _upon the funeral-pile_, 2127.
bædan (Goth, baidjan, O.N. beðia), _to incite, to encourage_: pret. bædde
byre geonge, _encouraged the youths_ (at the banquet), 2019.
ge-bædan, w. v., _to press hard_: pret. part. bysigum gebæded, _distressed
by trouble, difficulty, danger_ (of battle), 2581; _to drive, to send
forth_: stræla storm strengum gebæded, _the storm of arrows sent with
strength_, 3118; _overcome_: draca ... bealwe gebæded, _the dragon ...
overcome by the ills of battle_, 2827.
bæl (O.N. bâl), st. n., _fire, flames_: (wyrm) mid bæle fôr, _passed
(through the air) with fire_, 2309; häfde landwara lîge befangan, bæle and
bronde, _with fire and burning_, 2323.--Especially, _the fire of the
funeral-pile, the funeral-pile_, 1110, 1117, 2127; ær he bæl cure, _ere he
sought the burning_ (i.e. died), 2819; hâtað ... hlæw gewyrcean ... äfter
bæle, _after I am burned, let a burial mound be thrown up_ (Beówulf's
words), 2804.
bæl-fýr, st. n., _bale-fire, fire of the funeral-pile_: gen. pl. bælfýra
mæst, 3144.
bæl-stede, st. m., _place for the funeral-pile_: dat. sg. in bæl=stede,
3098.
bæl-wudu, st. m., _wood for the funeral-pile_, 3113.
bær, st. f., _bier_, 3106.
ge-bæran, w. v., _to conduct one's self, behave_: inf. w. adv., ne gefrägen
ic þâ mægðe ... sêl gebæran, _I did not hear that a troop bore itself
better, maintained a nobler deportment_, 1013; he on eorðan geseah þone
leófestan lîfes ät ende bleáte gebæran, _saw the best-beloved upon the
earth, at the end of his life, struggling miserably_ (i.e. in a helpless
situation), 2825.
ge-bætan (denominative from bæte, _the bit_), w. v., _to place the bit in
the mouth of an animal, to bridle_: pret. part. þâ wäs Hrôðgâre hors
gebæted, 1400.
be, prep. w. dat. (with the fundamental meaning _near_, "but not of one
direction, as ät, but more general"): 1) local, _near by, near, at, on_
(rest): be ýdlâfe uppe lægon, _lay above, upon the deposit of the waves_
(upon the strand, of the slain nixies), 566; häfde be honda, _held by the
hand_ (Beówulf held Grendel), 815; be sæm tweonum, _in the circuit of both
the seas_, 859, 1686; be mäste, _on the mast_, 1906; by fýre, _by the
fire_, 2220; be nässe, _at the promontory_, 2244; sät be þæm gebrôðrum
twæm, _sat by the two brothers_, 1192; wäs se gryre lässa efne swâ micle
swâ bið mägða cräft be wæpnedmen, _the terror was just so much less, as is
the strength of woman to the warrior_ (i.e. is valued by), 1285, etc.--2)
also local, but of motion from the subject in the direction of the object,
_on, upon, by_: gefêng be eaxle, _seized by the shoulder_, 1538; âlêdon
leófne þeóden be mäste, _laid the dear lord near the mast_, 36; be healse
genam, _took him by the neck, fell upon his neck_, 1873; wæpen hafenade be
hiltum, _grasped the weapon by the hilt_, 1757, etc.--3) with this is
connected the causal force, _on account of, for, according to_: ic þis gid
be þe âwräc, _I spake this solemn speech for thee, for thy sake_, 1724; þû
þe lær be þon, _learn according to this, from this_, 1723; be fäder lâre,
_according to her father's direction_, 1951.--4) temporal, _while, during_:
be þe lifigendum, _while thou livest, during thy life_, 2666. See bî.
bed, st. n., _bed, couch_: acc. sg. bed, 140, 677; gen. sg. beddes, 1792;
dat. pl. beddum, 1241.--Comp: deað-, hlin-, läger-, morðor-, wäl-bed.
ge-bedde, w. f., _bed-fellow_: dat. sg. wolde sêcan ewên tô gebeddan,
_wished to seek the queen as bed-fellow, to go to bed with her_,
666.--Comp. heals-gebedde.
begen, fem. bâ, _both_: nom. m., 536, 770, 2708; acc. fem. on bâ healfa,
_on two sides_ (i.e. Grendel and his mother), 1306; dat. m. bâm, 2197; and
in connection with the possessive instead of the personal pronoun, ûrum
bâm, 2661; gen. n. bega, 1874, 2896; bega gehwäðres, _each one of the two_,
1044; bega folces, of _both peoples_, 1125.
ge-belgan, st. v. (properly, _to cause to swell, to swell_), _to irritate_:
w. dat. (pret. subj.) þät he êcean dryhtne bitre gebulge, _that he had
bitterly angered the eternal Lord_, 2332; pret. part. gebolgen, 1540;
(gebolge, MS.), 2222; pl. gebolgne, 1432; more according to the original
meaning in torne gebolgen, 2402.
â-belgan, _to anger_: pret. sg. w. acc. ôð þät hyne ân âbealh mon on môde,
_till a man angered him in his heart_, 2281; pret. part. âbolgen, 724.
ben, st. f., _wound_: acc. sg. benne, 2725.--Comp.: feorh-, seax-ben.
benc, st. f., _bench_: nom. sg. benc, 492; dat. sg. bence, 327, 1014, 1189,
1244.--Comp.: ealu-, medu-benc.
benc-swêg, st. m., (_bench-rejoicing_), _rejoicing which resounds from the
benches_, 1162.
benc-þel, st. n., _bench-board, the wainscotted space where the benches
stand_: nom. pl. benc-þelu, 486; acc. pl. bencþelu beredon, _cleared the
bench-boards_ (i.e. by taking away the benches, so as to prepare couches),
1240.
bend, st. m. f., _bond, fetter_: acc. sg. forstes bend, _frost's bond_,
1610; dat. pl. bendum, 978.--Comp.: fýr-, hell-, hyge-, îren-, oncer-,
searo-, wäl-bend.
ben-geat, st. n., (_wound-gate_), _wound-opening_: nom. pl. ben-geato,
1122.
bera (O.N. beri), w. m., _bearer_: in comp. hleor-bera.
beran, st. v. w. acc., _to carry_; III. sg. pres. byreð, 296, 448; þone
mâððum byreð, _carries the treasure_ (upon his person), 2056; pres. subj.
bere, 437; pl. beren, 2654; inf. beran, 48, 231, 291, etc.; hêht þâ se
hearda Hrunting beran, _to bring Hrunting_, 1808; up beran, 1921; in beran,
2153; pret. bär, 495, 712, 847, etc.; mandryhtne bär fäted wæge, _brought
the lord the costly vessel_, 2282; pl. bæron, 213, 1636, etc.; bæran, 2851;
pret. part. boren, 1193, 1648, 3136.--The following expressions are poetic
paraphrases of the forms _go, come_: þät we rondas beren eft tô earde,
2654; gewîtað forð beran wæpen and gewædu, 291; ic gefrägn sunu Wihstânes
hringnet beran, 2755; wîgheafolan bär, 2662; helmas bæron, 240
(conjecture); scyldas bæran, 2851: they lay stress upon the connection of
the man with his weapons.
ät-beran, _to carry to_: inf. tô beadulâce (_battle_) ätberan, 1562; pret.
þâ hine on morgentîd on Heaðoræmas holm up ätbär, _the sea bore him up to
the Heaðoræmas_, 519; hió Beówulfe medoful ätbär _brought Beówulf the
mead-cup_, 625; mägenbyrðenne ... hider ût ätbär cyninge mînum, _bore the
great burden hither to my king_, 3093; pl. hî hyne ätbæron tô brimes
faroðe, 28.
for-beran, _to hold, to suppress_: inf. þät he þone breóstwylm forberan ne
mehte, _that he could not suppress the emotions of his breast_, 1878.
ge-beran, _to bring forth, to bear_: pret. part. þät lâ mäg secgan se þe
sôð and riht fremeð on folce ... þät þes eorl wære geboren betera (_that
may every just man of the people say, that this nobleman is better born_),
1704.
ôð-beran, _to bring hither_: pret. þâ mec sæ ôðbär on Finna land, 579.
on-beran (O.H.G. in bëran, intpëran, but in the sense of carere), auferre,
_to carry off, to take away_: inf. îren ærgôd þät þäs ahlæcan blôdge
beadufolme onberan wolde, _excellent sword which would sweep off the bloody
hand of the demon_, 991; pret. part. (wäs) onboren beága hord, _the
treasure of the rings had been carried off_, 2285.--Compounds with the
pres. part.: helm-, sâwl-berend.
berian (denominative from bär, _naked_), w. v., _to make bare, to clear_:
pret. pl. bencþelu beredon, _cleared the bench-place_ (by removing the
benches), 1240.
berstan, st. v., _to break, to burst_: pret. pl. burston bânlocan, 819;
bengeato burston, 1122.--_to crack, to make the noise of breaking_: fingras
burston, _the fingers cracked_ (from Beówulf's gripe), 761.
for-berstan, _break, to fly asunder_: pret. Nägling forbärst, _Nägling_
(Beówulf's sword) _broke in two_, 2681.
betera, adj. (comp.), _better_: nom. sg. m. betera, 469, 1704.
bet-lîc, adj., _excellent, splendid_: nom. sg. n., of Hrôðgâr's hall, 781;
of Hygelâc's residence, 1926.
betst, betost (superl.), _best, the best_: nom. sg. m. betst beadurinca,
1110; neut. nu is ôfost betost, þät we ..., _now is haste the best, that
we..._, 3008; voc. m. secg betsta, 948; neut. acc. beaduscrûda betst, 453;
acc. sg. m. þegn betstan, 1872.
bêcn, st. n., _(beacon), token, mark, sign_: acc. sg. betimbredon
beadu-rôfes bêcn (of Beówulf's grave-mound), 3162. See beacen.
bêg. See beág.
bên, st. f., _entreaty_: gen. sg. bêne, 428, 2285.
bêna, w. m., _suppliant_, supplex: nom. sg. swâ þu bêna eart (_as thou
entreatest_), 352; swâ he bêna wäs (_as he had asked_), 3141; nom. pl. hy
bênan synt, 364.
ge-betan: 1) _to make good, to remove_: pret. ac þu Hrôðgâre wîdcûðne weán
wihte gebêttest, _hast thou in any way relieved Hrôðgâr of the evil known
afar_, 1992; pret. part. acc. sg. swylce oncýððe ealle gebêtte, _removed
all trouble_, 831. --2) _to avenge_: inf. wihte ne meahte on þam feorhbonan
fæhðe gebêtan, _could in no way avenge the death upon the slayer_, 2466.
beadu, st. f., _battle, strife, combat_: dat. sg. (as instr.) beadwe, _in
combat_, 1540; gen. pl. bâd beadwa ge-þinges, _waited for the combats_
(with Grendel) _that were in store for him_, 710.
beadu-folm, st. f., _battle-hand_: acc. sg. -folme, of Grendel's hand, 991.
beado-grîma, w. m., _(battle-mask), helmet_: acc. pl. -grîman, 2258.
beado-hrägl, st. n., _(battle-garment), corselet, shirt of mail_, 552.
beadu-lâc, st. n., (_exercise in arms, tilting_), _combat, battle_: dat.
sg. tô beadu-lâce, 1562.
beado-leóma, w. m., (_battle-light_), _sword_: nom. sg., 1524.
beado-mêce, st. m., _battle-sword_: nom. pl. beado-mêcas, 1455.
beado-rinc, st. m., _battle-hero, warrior_: gen. pl. betst beadorinca,
1110.
beadu-rôf, adj., _strong in battle_: gen. sg. -rôfes, of Beówulf, 3162.
beadu-rûn, st. f., _mystery of battle_: acc. sg. onband beadu-rûne, _solved
the mystery of the combat_, i.e. gave battle, commenced the fight, 501.
beadu-scearp, adj., _battle-sharp, sharp for the battle_, 2705.
beadu-scrûd, st. n., (_battle-dress_), _corselet, shirt of mail_: gen. pl.
beaduscrûda betst, 453.
beadu-serce, w. f., (_battle-garment_), _corselet, shirt of mail_: acc. sg.
brogdne beadu-sercean (because it consists of interlaced metal rings),
2756.
beado-weorc, st. n., (_battle-work_), _battle_: gen. sg. gefeh
beado-weorces, _rejoiced at the battle_, 2300.
beald, adj., _bold, brave_: in comp. cyning-beald.
bealdian, w. v., _to show one's self brave_: pret. bealdode gôdum dædum
(_through brave deeds_), 2178.
bealdor, st. m., _lord, prince_: nom. sg. sinca baldor, 2429; winia
bealdor, 2568.
bealu, st. n., _evil, ruin, destruction_: instr. sg. bealwe, 2827; gen. pl.
bealuwa, 281; bealewa, 2083; bealwa, 910.--Comp.: cwealm-, ealdor-,
hreðer-, leód-, morðor-, niht-, sweord-, wîg-bealu.
bealu, adj., _deadly, dangerous, bad_: instr. sg. hyne sâr hafað befongen
balwon bendum, _pain has entwined him in deadly bands_, 978.
bealo-cwealm, st. m., _violent death, death by the sword_(?), 2266.
bealo-hycgende, pres. part., _thinking of death, meditating destruction_:
gen. pl. æghwäðrum bealo-hycgendra, 2566.
bealo-hydig, adj., _thinking of death, meditating destruction_: of Grendel,
724.
bealo-nîð, st. m., (_zeal for destruction_), _deadly enmity_: nom. sg.,
2405; _destructive struggle_: acc. sg. bebeorh þe þone bealonîð, _beware of
destructive striving_, 1759; _death-bringing rage_: nom. sg. him on
breóstum bealo-nîð weóll, _in his breast raged deadly fury_ (of the
dragon's poison), 2715.
bearhtm (see beorht): 1) st. m., _splendor, brightness, clearness_: nom.
sg. eágena bearhtm, 1767.--2) _sound, tone_: acc. sg. bearhtm ongeâton,
gûðhorn galan, _they heard the sound, (heard) the battle-horn sound_, 1432.
bearm, m., gremium, sinus, _lap, bosom_: nom. sg. foldan bearm, 1138; acc.
sg. on bearm scipes, 35, 897; on bearm nacan, 214; him on bearm hladan
bunan and discas, 2776.--2) figuratively, _possession, property_, because
things bestowed were placed in the lap of the receiver (1145 and 2195, on
bearm licgan, âlecgan); dat. sg. him tô bearme cwom mâððumfät mære, _came
into his possession_, 2405.
bearn, st. n., 1) _child, son_: nom. sg. bearn Healfdenes, 469, etc.;
Ecglâfes bearn, 499, etc.; dat. sg. bearne, 2371; nom. pl. bearn, 59; dat.
pl. bearnum, 1075.--2) in a broader sense, _scion, offspring, descendant_:
nom. sg. Ongenþeów's bearn, of his grandson, 2388; nom. pl. yldo. bearn,
70; gumena bearn, _children of men_, 879; häleða bearn, 1190; äðelinga
bearn, 3172; acc. pl. ofer ylda bearn, 606; dat. pl. ylda bearnum, 150;
gen. pl. niðða bearna, 1006.--Comp.: brôðor-, dryht-bearn.
bearn-gebyrdu, f., _birth, birth of a son_: gen. sg. þät hyre ealdmetod
êste wære bearn-gebyrdo, _has been gracious through the birth of such a
son_ (i.e. as Beówulf), 947.
bearu, st. m., (_the bearer_, hence properly only the fruit-tree,
especially the oak and the beech), _tree_, collectively _forest_: nom. pl.
hrîmge bearwas, _rime-covered_ or _ice-clad_, 1364.
beácen, st. n., _sign, banner_, vexillum: nom. sg. beorht beácen godes, _of
the sun_, 570; gen. pl. beácna beorhtost, 2778. See bêcn.
ge-beácnian, w. v., _to mark, to indicate_: pret. part. ge-beácnod, 140.
beág, st. m., _ring, ornament_: nom. sg. beáh (_neck-ring_), 1212; acc. sg.
beáh (the collar of the murdered king of the Heaðobeardnas), 2042; bêg
(collective for the acc. pl.), 3165; dat. sg. cwom Wealhþeó forð gân under
gyldnum beáge, _she walked along under a golden head-ring, wore a golden
diadem_, 1164; gen. sg. beáges (of a collar), 1217; acc. pl. beágas (rings
in general), 80, 523, etc.; gen. pl. beága, 35, 352, 1488, 2285, etc.--
Comp.: earm-, heals-beág.
beág-gyfa, w. m., _ring-giver_, designation of the prince: gen. sg. -gyfan,
1103.
beág-hroden, adj., _adorned with rings, ornamented with clasps_: nom. sg.
beághroden, cwên, of Hrôðgâr's consort, perhaps with reference to her
diadem (cf. 1164), 624.
beáh-hord, st. m. n., _ring-hoard, treasure consisting of rings_: gen. sg.
beáh-hordes, 895; dat. pl. beáh-hordum, 2827; gen. pl. beáh-horda weard, of
King Hrôðgâr, 922.
beáh-sele, st. m., _ring-hall, hall in which the rings were distributed_:
nom. sg., of Heorot, 1178.
beáh-þegu, st. f., _the receiving of the ring_: dat. sg. äfter beáh-þege,
2177.
beáh-wriða, w. m. _ring-band_, ring with prominence given to its having the
form of a band: acc. sg. beáh-wriðan, 2019.
beám, st. m., _tree_, only in the compounds fyrgen-, gleó-beám.
beátan, st. v., _thrust, strike_: pres. sg. mearh burhstede beáteð, _the
steed beats the castle-ground_ (place where the castle is built), i.e. with
his hoofs, 2266; pret. part. swealt bille ge-beáten, _died, struck by the
battle-axe_, 2360.
beorh, st. m.: 1) _mountain, rock_: dat. sg. beorge, 211; gen. sg. beorges,
2525, 2756; acc. pl. beorgas, 222.--2) _grave-mound, tomb-hill_: acc. sg.
biorh, 2808; beorh, 3098, 3165. A grave-mound serves the drake as a retreat
(cf. 2277, 2412): nom. sg. beorh, 2242; gen. sg. beorges, 2323.--Comp.
stân-beorh.
beorh, st. f., _veil, covering, cap_; only in the comp. heáfod-beorh.
beorgan, st. v. (w. dat. of the interested person or thing), _to save, to
shield_: inf. wolde feore beorgan, _place her life in safety_, 1294;
here-byrne ... seó þe bâncôfan beorgan cûðe, _which could protect his
body_, 1446; pret. pl. ealdre burgan, 2600.
be-beorgan (w. dat. refl. of pers. and acc. of the thing), _to take care,
to defend one's self from_: inf. him be-beorgan ne con wom, _cannot keep
himself from stain_ (fault), 1747; imp. bebeorh þe þone bealontð, 1759.
ge-beorgan (w, dat. of person or thing to be saved), _to save, to protect_:
pret. sg. þät gebearh feore, _protected the life_, 1549; scyld wel gebearg
lîfe and lîce, 2571.
ymb-beorgan, _to surround protectingly_: pret. sg. bring ûtan ymb-bearh,
1504.
beorht, byrht, adj.: 1) _gleaming, shining, radiant, shimmering_: nom. sg.
beorht, of the sun, 570, 1803; beorhta, of Heorot, 1178; þät beorhte bold,
998; acc. sg. beorhtne, of Beówulf's grave-mound, 2804; dat. sg. tô þære
byrhtan (here-byrhtan, MS.) byrig, 1200; acc. pl. beorhte frätwe, 214, 897;
beorhte randas, 231; bordwudu beorhtan, 1244; n. beorht hofu, 2314.
Superl.: beácna beorhtost, 2778. --2) _excellent, remarkable_: gen. sg.
beorhtre bôte, 158. --Comp.: sadol-, wlite-beorht.
beorhte, adv., _brilliantly, brightly, radiantly_, 1518.
beorhtian, w. v., _to sound clearly_: pret. sg. beorhtode benc-swêg, 1162.
beorn, st. m., _hero, warrior, noble man_: nom. sg. (Hrôðgâr), 1881,
(Beówulf), 2434, etc.; acc. sg. (Beów.), 1025, (Äschere), 1300; dat. sg.
beorne, 2261; nom. pl. beornas (Beówulf and his companions), 211,
(Hrôðgâr's guests), 857; gen. pl. biorna (Beówulf's liege-men),
2405.--Comp.: folc-, gûð-beorn.
beornan, st. v., _to burn_: pres. part. byrnende (of the drake),
2273.--Comp. un-byrnende.
for-beornan, _to be consumed, to burn_: pret. sg. for-barn, 1617, 1668;
for-born, 2673.
ge-beornan, _to be burned_: pret. gebarn, 2698.
beorn-cyning, st. m., _king of warriors, king of heroes_: nom. sg. (as
voc.), 2149.
beódan, st. v.: 1) _to announce, to inform, to make known_: inf. biódan,
2893.--2) _to offer, to proffer_ (as the notifying of a transaction in
direct reference to the person concerned in it): pret. pl. him geþingo
budon, _offered them an agreement_, 1086; pret. part. þâ wäs æht boden
Sweona leódum, _then was pursuit offered the Swedish people_, 2958; inf. ic
þäm gôdan sceal mâðmas beódan, _I shall offer the excellent man treasures_,
385.
â-beódan, _to present, to announce_: pret. word inne âbeád, _made known the
words within_, 390; _to offer, to tender, to wish_: pret. him hæl âbeád,
_wished him health_ (greeted him), 654. Similarly, hælo âbeád, 2419; eoton
weard âbeád, _offered the giant a watcher_, 669.
be-beódan, _to command, to order_: pret. swâ him se hearda bebeád, _as the
strong man commanded them_, 401. Similarly, swâ se rîca bebeád, 1976.
ge-beódan: 1) _to command, to order_: inf. hêt þâ gebeódan byre Wihstânes
häleða monegum, þät hie..., _the son of Wihstan caused orders to be given
to many of the men..._, 3111.--2) _to offer_: him Hygd gebeád hord and
rîce, _offered him the treasure and the chief power_, 2370; inf. gûðe
gebeódan, _to offer battle_, 604.
beód-geneát, st. m., _table-companion_: nom. and acc. pl. geneátas, 343,
1714.
beón, verb, _to be_, generally in the future sense, _will be_: pres. sg. I.
gûðgeweorca ic beó gearo sôna, _I shall immediately be ready for warlike
deeds_, 1826; sg. III. wâ bið þäm þe sceal..., _woe to him who_...! 183;
so, 186; gifeðe bið is given, 299; ne bið þe wilna gâd (_no wish will be
denied thee_), 661; þær þe bið manna þearf, _if thou shalt need the
warriors_, 1836; ne bið swylc cwênlîc þeáw, _is not becoming, honorable to
a woman_, 1941; eft sôna bið _will happen directly_, 1763; similarly, 1768,
etc.; pl. þonne bióð brocene, _then are broken_, 2064; feor cýððe beóð
sêlran gesôhte þam þe..., "terrae longinquae meliores sunt visitatu ei
qui..." (Grein), 1839; imp. beó (bió) þu on ôfeste, _hasten!_ 386, 2748;
beó wið Geátas gläd, _be gracious to the Geátas_, 1174.
beór, st. n., _beer_: dat. sg. ät beóre, _at beer-drinking_, 2042; instr.
sg. beóre druncen, 531; beóre druncne, 480.
beór-scealc, st. m., _keeper of the beer, cup-bearer_: gen. pl.
beór-scealca sum (one of Hrôðgâr's followers, because they served the
Geátas at meals), 1241.
beór-sele, st. m., _beer-hall, hall in which beer is drunk_: dat. sg. in
(on) beórsele, 482, 492, 1095; biórsele, 2636.
beór-þegu, st. f., _beer-drinking, beer-banquet_: dat. sg. äfter beórþege,
117; ät þære beórþege, 618.
beót, st. n., _promise, binding agreement to something that is to be
undertaken_: acc. sg. he beót ne âlêh, _did not break his pledge_, 80; beót
eal ... gelæste, _performed all that he had pledged himself to_, 523.
ge-beótian, w. v., _to pledge one's self to an undertaking, to bind one's
self_: pret. gebeótedon, 480, 536.
beót-word, st. n., same as beót: dat. pl. beót-wordum spräc, 2511.
biddan, st. v., _to beg, to ask, to pray_: pres. sg. I. dôð swâ ic bidde!
1232; inf. (w. acc. of the pers. and gen. of the thing asked for) ic þe
biddan wille ânre bêne, _beg thee for one_, 427; pret. swâ he selfa bäd,
_as he himself had requested_, 29; bäd hine blîðne (supply wesan) ät þære
beórþege, _begged him to be cheerful at the beer-banquet_, 618; ic þe lange
bäd þät þu..., _begged you a long time that you_, 1995; frioðowære bäd
hlâford sînne, _begged his lord for protection_ (acc. of pers. and gen. of
thing), 2283; bäd þät ge geworhton, _asked that you_..., 3097; pl. wordum
bædon þät..., 176.
on-bidian, w. v., _to await_: inf. lætað hilde-bord her onbidian ... worda
geþinges, _let the shields await here the result of the conference_ (lay
the shields aside here), 397.
bil, st. n. _sword_: nom. sg. bil, 1568; bill, 2778; acc. sg. bil, 1558;
instr. sg. bille, 2360; gen. sg. billes, 2061, etc.; instr. pl. billum, 40;
gen. pl. billa, 583, 1145.--Comp.: gûð-, hilde-, wîg-bil.
bindan, st. v., _to bind, to tie_: pret. part. acc. sg. wudu bundenne, _the
bound wood_, i.e. the built ship, 216; bunden golde swurd, _a sword bound
with gold_, i.e. either having its hilt inlaid with gold, or having gold
chains upon the hilt (swords of both kinds have been found), 1901; nom. sg.
heoru bunden, 1286, has probably a similar meaning.
ge-bindan, _to bind_: pret. sg. þær ic fîfe geband, _where I had bound
five_(?), 420; pret. part. cyninges þegn word ôðer fand sôðe gebunden, _the
king's man found_ (after many had already praised Beówulf's deed) _other
words_ (also referring to Beówulf, but in connection with Sigemund)
_rightly bound together_, i.e. in good alliterative verses, as are becoming
to a gid, 872; wundenmæl wrättum gebunden, _sword bound with ornaments_,
i.e. inlaid, 1532; bisgum gebunden, _bound together by sorrow_, 1744; gomel
gûðwîga eldo gebunden, _hoary hero bound by old age_ (fettered, oppressed),
2112.
on-bindan, _to unbind, to untie, to loose_: pret. onband, 501.
ge-bind, st. n. coll., _that which binds, fetters_: in comp. îs-gebind.
bite, st. m., _bite_, figuratively of the cut of the sword: acc. sg. bite
îrena, _the swords' bite_, 2260; dat. sg. äfter billes bite, 2061.--Comp.
lâð-bite.
biter (primary meaning that of biting), adj.: 1) _sharp, cutting, cutting
in_: acc. sg. biter (of a short sword), 2705; instr. sg. biteran stræle,
1747; instr. pl. biteran bânum, _with sharp teeth_, 2693.--2) _irritated,
furious_: nom. pl. bitere, 1432.
bitre, adv., _bitterly_ (in a moral sense), 2332.
bî, big (fuller form of the prep. be, which see), prep. w. dat.: 1) _near,
at, on, about, by_ (as under be, No. 1): bî sæm tweónum, _in the circuit of
both seas_, 1957; ârâs bî ronde, _raised himself up by the shield_, 2539;
bî wealle gesät, _sat by the wall_, 2718. With a freer position: him big
stôdan bunan and orcas, _round about him_, 3048.--2) _to, towards_
(motion): hwearf þâ bî bence, _turned then towards the bench_, 1189; geóng
bî sesse, _went to the seat_, 2757.
bîd (see bîdan), st. n., _tarrying hesitation_: þær wearð Ongenþió on bîd
wrecen, _forced to tarry_, 2963.
bîdan, st. v.: 1) _to delay, to stay, to remain, to wait_: inf. nô on
wealle leng bîdan wolde, _would not stay longer within the wall_ (the
drake), 2309; pret. in þýstrum bâd, _remained in darkness_, 87; flota
stille bâd, _the craft lay still_, 301; receda ... on þäm se rîca bâd,
_where the mighty one dwelt_, 310; þær se snottra bâd, _where the wise man_
(Hrôðgâr) _waited_, 1314; he on searwum bâd, _he_ (Beówulf) _stood there
armed_, 2569; ic on earde bâd mælgesceafta, _lived upon the paternal ground
the time appointed me by fate_, 2737; pret. pl. sume þær bidon, _some
remained, waited there_, 400.--2) _to await, to wait for_, with the gen. of
that which is awaited: inf. bîdan woldon Grendles gûðe, _wished to await
the combat with Grendel, to undertake it_, 482; similarly, 528; wîges
bîdan, _await the combat_, 1269; nalas andsware bîdan wolde, _would await
no answer_, 1495; pret. bâd beadwa geþinges, _awaited the event of the
battle_, 710; sægenga bâd âgend-freán, _the sea-goer_ (boat) _awaited its
owner_, 1883; sele ... heaðowylma bâd, lâðan lîges (the poet probably means
to indicate by these words that the hall Heorot was destroyed later in a
fight by fire; an occurrence, indeed, about which we know nothing, but
which 1165 and 1166, and again 2068 ff. seem to indicate), 82.
â-bîdan, _to await_, with the gen.: inf., 978.
ge-bîdan: 1) _to tarry, to wait_: imp. gebîde ge on beorge, _wait ye on the
mountain_, 2530; pret. part. þeáh þe wintra lyt under burhlocan gebiden
häbbe Häreðes dôhtor _although H's daughter had dwelt only a few years in
the castle_, 1929.--2) _to live through, to experience, to expect_ (w.
acc.): inf. sceal endedäg mînne gebîdan, _shall live my last day_, 639; ne
wênde ... bôte gebîdan, _did not hope ... to live to see reparation_, 935;
fela sceal gebîdan leófes and lâðes, _experience much good and much
affliction_, 1061; ende gebîdan, 1387, 2343; pret. he þäs frôfre gebâd,
_received consolation_ (compensation) _therefore_, 7; gebâd wintra worn,
_lived a great number of years_, 264; in a similar construction, 816, 930,
1619, 2259, 3117. With gen.: inf. tô gebîdanne ôðres yrfeweardes, _to await
another heir_, 2453. With depend, clause: inf. tô gebîdanne þät his byre
rîde on galgan, _to live to see it, that his son hang upon the gallows_,
2446; pret. dreám-leás gebâd þät he..., _joyless he experienced it, that
he_..., 1721; þäs þe ic on aldre gebâd þät ic..., _for this, that I, in my
old age, lived to see that_..., 1780.
on-bîdan, _to wait, to await_: pret. hordweard onbâd earfoðlîce ôð þät æfen
cwom, _scarcely waited, could scarcely delay till it was evening_, 2303.
bîtan, st. v., _to bite_, of the cutting of swords: inf. bîtan, 1455, 1524;
pret. bât bânlocan, _bit into his body_ (Grendel), 743; bât unswîðor, _cut
with less force_ (Beówulf's sword), 2579.
blanca, w. m., properly _that which shines_ here of the horse, not so much
of the white horse as the dappled: dat. pl. on blancum, 857.
ge-bland, ge-blond, st. n., _mixture, heaving mass, a turning_.--Comp.:
sund-, ýð-geblond, windblond.
blanden-feax, blonden-feax, adj., _mixed_, i.e. having gray hair,
_gray-headed_, as epithet of an old man: nom. sg. blondenfeax, 1792;
blondenfexa, 2963; dat. sg. blondenfeaxum, 1874; nom. pl. blondenfeaxe,
1595.
bläc, adj., _dark, black_: nom. sg, hrefn blaca, 1802.
blâc, adj.: 1) _gleaming, shining_: acc. sg. blâcne leóman, _a brilliant
gleam_, 1518.--2) of the white death-color, _pale_; in comp. heoroblâc.
blæd, st. m.: 1) _strength, force, vigor_: nom. sg. wäs hira blæd scacen
(of both tribes), _strength was gone_, i.e. the bravest of both tribes lay
slain, 1125; nu is þînes mägnes blæd âne hwîle, _now the fulness of thy
strength lasts for a time_, 1762.--2) _reputation, renown, knowledge_ (with
stress upon the idea of filling up, spreading out): nom. sg. blæd, 18;
(þîn) blæd is âræred, _thy renown is spread abroad_, 1704.
blæd-âgend, pt., _having renown, renowned_: nom. pl. blæd-âgende, 1014.
blæd-fäst, adj., _firm in renown, renowned, known afar_: acc. sg.
blædfästne beorn (of Äschere, with reference to 1329), 1300.
bleát, adj., _miserable, helpless_; only in comp. wäl-bleát.
bleáte, adv., _miserably, helplessly_, 2825.
blîcan, st. v., _shine, gleam_: inf., 222
blîðe, adj.: 1) _blithe, joyous, happy_ acc. sg. blîðne, 618.--2)
_gracious, pleasing_: nom. sg. blîðe, 436.--Comp. un-blîðe.
blîð-heort, adj., _joyous in heart, happy_: nom. sg., 1803.
blôd, st. n., _blood_: nom. sg., 1122; acc. sg., 743; dat. sg. blôde, 848;
äfter deórum men him langað beorn wið blôde, _the hero_ (Hrôðgâr) _longs
for the beloved man contrary to blood_, i.e. he loves him although he is
not related to him by blood, 1881; dat. as instr. blôde, 486, 935, 1595,
etc.
blôd-fâg, adj., _spotted with blood, bloody_, 2061.
blôdig, adj., _bloody_: acc. sg. f. blôdge, 991; acc. sg. n. blôdig, 448;
instr. sg. blôdigan gâre, 2441.
ge-blôdian, w. v., _to make bloody, to sprinkle with blood_: pret. part.
ge-blôdegod, 2693.
blôdig-tôð, adj., _with bloody teeth_: nom. sg. bona blôdig-tôð (of
Grendel, because he bites his victims to death), 2083.
blôd-reów, adj., _bloodthirsty, bloody-minded_: nom. sg. him on ferhðe
greów breóst-hord blôd-reów, _in his bosom there grew a bloodthirsty
feeling_, 1720.
be-bod, st. n., _command, order_; in comp. wundor-bebod.
bodian, w. v., _(to be a messenger), to announce, to make known_: pret.
hrefn blaca heofones wynne blîð-heort bodode, _the black raven announced
joyfully heaven's delight_ (the rising sun), 1803.
boga, w. m., _bow_, of the bended form; here of the dragon, in comp.
hring-boga; as an instrument for shooting, in the comp. flân-, horn-boga;
bow of the arch, in comp. stân-boga.
bolca, w. m., "forus navis" (Grein), _gangway_; here probably the planks
which at landing are laid from the ship to the shore: acc. sg. ofer bolcan,
231.
bold, st. n., _building, house, edifice_: nom. sg. (Heorot), 998;
(Hygelâc's residence), 1926; (Beówulfs residence), 2197, 2327.--Comp.
fold-bold.
bold-âgend, pt., _house-owner, property-holder_: gen. pl. monegum
boldâgendra, 3113.
bolgen-môd, adj., _angry at heart, angry_, 710, 1714.
bolster, st. m., _bolster, cushion, pillow_: dat. pl. (reced) geond-bræded
wearð beddum and bolstrum, _was covered with beds and bolsters_,
1241.--Comp. hleór-bolster.
bon-. See ban-.
bora, w. m., _carrier, bringer, leader_: in the comp. mund-, ræd-,
wæg-bora.
bord, st. n., _shield_: nom. sg., 2674; acc. sg., 2525; gen. pl. ofer borda
gebräc, _over the crashing of the shields_, 2260.--Comp.: hilde-, wîg-bord.
bord-häbbend, pt., _one having a shield, shield-bearer_: nom. pl. häbbende,
2896.
bord-hreóða, w. m., _shield-cover, shield_ with particular reference to its
cover (of hides or linden bark): dat. sg. -hreóðan, 2204.
bord-rand, st. m., _shield_: acc. sg., 2560.
bord-weall, st. m., _shield-wall, wall of shields_: acc. sg., 2981.
bord-wudu, st. m., _shield-wood, shield_: acc. pl. beorhtan beord-wudu,
1244.
botm, st. m., _bottom_: dat. sg. tô botme (here of the bottom of the
fen-lake), 1507.
bôt (emendation, cf. bêtan), st. f.: 1) _relief, remedy_: nom. sg., 281;
acc. sg. bôte, 935; acc. sg. bôte, 910.--2) _a performance in expiation, a
giving satisfaction, tribute_: gen. sg. bôte, 158.
brand, brond, st. m.: 1) _burning, fire_: nom. sg. þâ sceal brond fretan
(_the burning of the body_), 3015; instr. sg. by hine ne môston ... bronde
forbärnan (_could not bestow upon him the solemn burning_), 2127; häfde
landwara lîge befangen, bæle and bronde, _with glow, fire, and flame_,
2323.--2) in the passage, þät hine nô brond ne beadomêcas bîtan ne meahton,
1455, brond has been translated _sword, brand_ (after the O.N. brand-r).
The meaning _fire_ may be justified as well, if we consider that the old
helmets were generally made of leather, and only the principal parts were
mounted with bronze. The poet wishes here to emphasize the fact that the
helmet was made entirely of metal, a thing which was very unusual.--3) in
the passage, forgeaf þâ Beówulfe brand Healfdenes segen gyldenne, 1021, our
text, with other editions, has emendated, bearn, since brand, if it be
intended as a designation of Hrôðgâr (perhaps _son_), has not up to this
time been found in this sense in A.-S.
brant, bront, adj., _raging, foaming, going-high_, of ships and of waves:
acc. sg. brontne, 238, 568.
brâd, adj.: 1) _extended, wide_: nom. pl. brâde rîce, 2208.--2) _broad_:
nom. sg. heáh and brâd (of Beówulf's grave-mound), 3159; acc. sg. brâdne
mêce, 2979; (seax) brâd [and] brûnecg, _the broad, short sword with bright
edge_, 1547.--3) _massive, in abundance_. acc, sg. brâd gold, 3106.
ge-bräc, st. n., _noise, crash_: acc. sg. borda gebräc, 2260.
geond-brædan, w. v., _to spread over, to cover entirely_: pret. part.
geond-bræded, 1240.
brecan, st. v.: 1) _to break, to break to pieces_: pret. bânhringas bräc,
(the sword) _broke the joints_, 1568. In a moral sense: pret. subj. þät þær
ænig mon wære ne bræce, _that no one should break the agreement_, 1101;
pret. part. þonne bióð brocene ... âð-sweord eorla, _then are the oaths of
the men broken_, 2064.--2) probably also simply _to break in upon
something, to press upon_, w. acc.: pret. sg. sædeór monig hildetuxum
heresyrcan bräc, _many a sea-animal pressed with his battle-teeth upon the
shirt of mail_ (did not break it, for, according to 1549 f., 1553 f., it
was still unharmed). 1512.--3) _to break out, to spring out_: inf. geseah
... streám ût brecan of beorge, _saw a stream break out from the rocks_,
2547; lêt se hearda Higelâces þegn brâdne mêce ... brecan ofer bordweal,
_caused the broadsword to spring out over the wall of shields_, 2981.--4)
figuratively, _to vex, not to let rest_: pret. hine fyrwyt bräc, _curiosity
tormented_ (N.H.G. brachte die Neugier um), 232, 1986, 2785.
ge-brecan, _to break to pieces_: pret. bânhûs gebräc, _broke in pieces his
body_ (Beówulf in combat with Däghrefn), 2509.
tô-brecan, _to break in pieces_: inf., 781; pret. part. tô-brocen, 998.
þurh-brecan, _to break through_, pret. wordes ord breósthord þurh-bräc,
_the word's point broke through his closed breast_, i.e. a word burst out
from his breast, 2793.
brecð, st. f., _condition of being broken, breach_: nom. pl. môdes brecða
(_sorrow of heart_), 171.
â-bredwian, w. v. w. acc., _to fell to the ground, to kill_ (?): pret.
âbredwade, 2620.
bregdan, st. v., properly _to swing round_, hence: 1) _to swing_: inf.
under sceadu bregdan, _swing among the shadows, to send into the realm of
shadows_, 708; pret. brägd ealde lâfe, _swung the old weapon_, 796; brägd
feorh-genîðlan, _swung his mortal enemy_ (Grendel's mother), threw her
down, 1540; pl. git eágorstreám ... mundum brugdon, _stirred the sea with
your hands_ (of the movement of the hands in swimming), 514; pret. part.
broden (brogden) mæl, _the drawn sword_, 1617, 1668.--2) _to knit, to knot,
to plait_: inf., figuratively, inwitnet ôðrum bregdan, _to weave a
waylaying net for another_ (as we say in the same way, to lay a trap for
another, to dig a pit for another), 2168; pret. part. beadohrägl broden, _a
woven shirt of mail_ (because it consisted of metal rings joined together),
552; similarly, 1549; brogdne beadusercean, 2756.
â-bregdan, _to swing_: pret. hond up â-bräd, _swung, raised his hand_,
2576.
ge-bregdan: 1) _swing_: pret. hring-mæl gebrägd, _swung the ringed sword_,
1565; eald sweord eácen ... þät ic þý wæpne gebrägd, _an old heavy sword
that I swung as my weapon_, 1665; with interchanging instr. and acc.
wällseaxe gebräd, biter and beadu-scearp, 2704; also, _to draw out of the
sheath_: sweord ær gebräd, _had drawn the sword before_, 2563.--2) _to
knit, to knot, to plait_: pret. part. bere-byrne hondum gebroden, 1444.
on-bregdan, _to tear open, to throw open_: pret. onbräd þâ recedes mûðan,
_had then thrown open the entrance of the hall_ (onbregdan is used because
the opening door swings upon its hinges), 724.
brego, st. m., _prince, ruler_: nom. sg. 427, 610.
brego-rôf, adj., _powerful, like a ruler, of heroic strength_: nom. sg. m.,
1926.
brego-stôl, st. m., _throne_, figuratively for _rule_: acc. sg. him
gesealde seofon þûsendo, bold and brego-stôl, _seven thousand_ see under
sceat), _a country-seat, and the dignity of a prince_, 2197; þær him Hygd
gebeád ... brego-stôl, _where H. offered him the chief power_, 2371; lêt
þone bregostôl Beówulf healdan, _gave over to Beówulf the chief power_ (did
not prevent Beówulf from entering upon the government), 2390.
breme, adj., _known afar, renowned_. nom. sg., 18.
brenting (see brant), st. m., _ship craft_: nom. pl. brentingas, 2808.
â-breátan, st. v., _to break, to break in pieces, to kill_: pret. âbreót
brimwîsan, _killed the sea-king_ (King Hæðcyn), 2931. See breótan.
breóst, st. n.: 1) _breast_: nom. sg., 2177; often used in the pl., so acc.
þät mîne breóst wereð, _which protects my breast_, 453; dat. pl. beadohrägl
broden on breóstum läg. 552.--2) _the inmost thoughts, the mind, the heart,
the bosom_: nom. sg. breóst innan weóll þeóstrum geþoncum, _his breast
heaved with troubled thoughts_, 2332; dat. pl. lêt þâ of breóstum word ût
faran, _caused the words to come out from his bosom_, 2551.
breóst-gehygd, st. n. f., _breast-thought, secret thought_: instr. pl.
-gehygdum, 2819.
breóst-gewædu, st. n. pl., _breast-clothing, garment covering the breast_,
of the coat of mail: nom., 1212; acc., 2163.
breóst-hord, st. m., _breast-hoard, that which is locked in the breast,
heart, mind, thought, soul_: nom. sg., 1720; acc. sg., 2793.
breóst-net, st. n., _breast-net, shirt of chain-mail, coat of mail_: nom.
sg. breóst-net broden, 1549.
breóst-weorðung, st. f., _ornament that is worn upon the breast_: acc. sg.
breóst-weorðunge, 2505: here the collar is meant which Beówulf receives
from Wealhþeów (1196, 2174) as a present, and which B., according to 2173,
presents to Hygd, while, according to 1203, it is in the possession of her
husband Hygelâc. In front the collar is trimmed with ornaments (frätwe),
which hang down upon the breast, hence the name breóst-weorðung.
breóst-wylm, st. m., _heaving of the breast, emotion of the bosom_: acc.
sg, 1878.
breótan, st. v., _to break, to break in pieces, to kill_: pret. breát
beódgeneátas, _killed his table-companions_ (courtiers), 1714.
â-breótan, same as above: pret. þone þe heó on räste âbreát, _whom she
killed upon his couch_, 1299; pret. part. þâ þät monige gewearð, þät hine
seó brimwylf âbroten häfde, _many believed that the sea-wolf_ (Grendel's
mother) _had killed him_, 1600; hî hyne ... âbroten häfdon, _had killed
him_ (the dragon), 2708.
brim, st. n., _flood, the sea_: nom. sg., 848, 1595; gen. sg. tô brimes
faroðe, _to the sea_, 28; ät brimes nosan, _at the sea's promontory_, 2804;
nom. pl. brimu swaðredon, _the waves subsided_, 570.
brim-clif, st. n., _sea-cliff, cliff washed by the sea_: acc. pl. -clifu,
222.
brim-lâd, st. f., _flood-way, sea-way_: acc. sg. þâra þe mid Beówulfe
brimlâde teáh, _who had travelled the sea-way with B._, 1052.
brim-lîðend, pt, _sea-farer, sailor_ acc. p. -lîðende, 568.
brim-streám, st. m., _sea-stream, the flood of the sea_: acc. pl. ofer
brim-streámas, 1911.
brim-wîsa, w. m., _sea-king_: acc. sg. brimwîsan, of Hæðcyn, king of the
Geátas, 2931.
brim-wylf, st. f., _sea-wolf_ (designation of Grendel's mother): nom. sg.
seó brimwylf, 1507, 1600.
brim-wylm, st. m., _sea-wave_: nom. sg., 1495.
bringan, anom. v., _to bring, to bear_: prs. sg. I. ic þe þûsenda þegna
bringe tô helpe, _bring to your assistance thousands of warriors_, 1830;
inf. sceal hringnaca ofer heáðu bringan lâc and luftâcen, _shall bring
gifts and love-tokens over the high sea_, 1863; similarly, 2149, 2505;
pret. pl. we þâs sælâc ... brôhton, _brought this sea-offering_ (Grendel's
head), 1654.
ge-bringan, _to bring_: pres. subj. pl. þat we þone gebringan ... on
âdfäre, _that we bring him upon the funeral-pile_, 3010.
brosnian, w. v., _to crumble, to become rotten, to fall to pieces_: prs.
sg. III. herepâd ... brosnað äfter beorne, _the coat of mail falls to
pieces after_ (the death of) _the hero_, 2261.
brôðor, st. m., _brother_: nom. sg., 1325, 2441; dat sg. brêðer, 1263; gen.
sg. his brôðor bearn, 2620; dat. pl. brôðrum, 588, 1075.
ge-brôðru, pl., _brethren, brothers_: dat. pl. sät be þæm gebrôðrum twæm,
_sat by the two brothers_, 1192.
brôga, w. m., _terror, horror_: nom. sg., 1292, 2325, 2566; acc. sg. billa
brôgan, 583.--Comp.: gryre-, here-brôga.
brûcan, st. v. w. gen., _to use, to make use of_: prs. sg. III. se þe longe
her worolde brûceð, _who here long makes use of the world_, i.e. lives
long, 1063; imp. brûc manigra mêda, _make use of many rewards, give good
rewards_, 1179; _to enjoy_: inf. þät he beáhhordes brûcan môste, _could
enjoy the ring-hoard_, 895; similarly, 2242, 3101; pret. breác
lîfgesceafta, _enjoyed the appointed life, lived the appointed time_, 1954.
With the genitive to be supplied: breác þonne môste, 1488; imp. brûc þisses
beáges, _enjoy this ring, take this ring_, 1217. Upon this meaning depends
the form of the wish, wel brûcan (compare the German geniesze froh!): inf.
hêt hine wel brûcan, 1046; hêt hine brûcan well, 2813; imp. brûc ealles
well, 2163.
brûn, adj., _having a brown lustre, shining_: nom. sg. sió ecg brûn, 2579.
brûn-ecg, adj., _having a gleaming blade_: acc. sg. n. (hyre seaxe) brâd
[and] brûnecg, _her broad sword with gleaming blade_, 1547.
brûn-fâg, adj., _gleaming like metal_: acc. sg. brûnfâgne helm, 2616.
bryne-leóma, w. m., _light of a conflagration, gleam of fire _: nom. sg.,
2314.
bryne-wylm, st. m., _wave of fire_: dat. pl. -wylmum, 2327.
brytnian (properly _to break in small pieces_, cf. breótan), w. v., _to
bestow, to distribute_: pret. sinc brytnade, _distributed presents_, i.e.
ruled (since the giving of gifts belongs especially to rulers), 2384.
brytta, w. m., _giver, distributer_, always designating the king: nom. sg.
sinces brytta, 608, 1171, 2072; acc. sg. beága bryttan, 35, 352, 1488;
sinces bryttan, 1923.
bryttian (_to be a dispenser_), w. v., _to distribute, to confer_: prs. sg.
III. god manna cynne snyttru bryttað, _bestows wisdom upon the human race_,
1727.
brýd, st. f.: 1) _wife, consort_: acc. sg. brýd, 2931; brýde, 2957, both
times of the consort of Ongenþeów (?).--2) _betrothed, bride_: nom. sg., of
Hrôðgâr's daughter, Freáware, 2032.
brýd-bûr, st. n., _woman's apartment_: dat. sg. eode ... cyning of
brýdbûre, _the king came out of the apartment of his wife_ (into which,
according to 666, he had gone), 922.
bunden-stefna, w. m., _(that which has a bound prow), the framed ship_:
nom. sg., 1911.
bune, w. f., _can_ or _cup, drinking-vessel_: nom. pl. bunan, 3048; acc.
pl. bunan, 2776.
burh, burg, st. f., _castle, city, fortified house_: acc. sg. burh, 523;
dat. sg. byrig, 1200; dat. pl. burgum, 53, 1969, 2434.--Comp.: freó,
freoðo-, heá-, hleó-, hord-, leód-, mæg-burg.
burh-loca, w. m., _castle-bars_: dat. sg. under burh-locan, _under the
castle-bars_, i.e. in the castle (Hygelâc's), 1929.
burh-stede, st. m., _castle-place, place where the castle_ or _city
stands_: acc. sg. burhstede, 2266.
burh-wela, w. m., _riches, treasure of a castle_ or _city_: gen. sg. þenden
he burh-welan brûcan môste, 3101.
burne, w. f., _spring, fountain_: gen. þære burnan wälm, _the bubbling of
the spring_, 2547.
bûan, st. v.: 1) _to stay, to remain, to dwell_: inf. gif he weard onfunde
bûan on beorge, _if he had found the watchman dwelling on the mountain_,
2843.--2) _to inhabit_, w. acc.: meduseld bûan, _to inhabit the
mead-house_, 3066.
ge-bûan, w. acc., _to occupy a house, to take possession_: pret. part. heán
hûses, hû hit Hring Dene äfter beórþege gebûn häfdon, _how the Danes, after
their beer-carouse, had occupied it_ (had made their beds in it),
117.--With the pres. part. bûend are the compounds ceaster-, fold-, grund-,
lond-bûend.
bûgan, st. v., _to bend, to bow, to sink; to turn, to flee_: prs. sg. III.
bon-gâr bûgeð, _the fatal spear sinks_, i.e. its deadly point is turned
down, it rests, 2032; inf. þät se byrnwîga bûgan sceolde, _that the armed
hero had to sink down_ (having received a deadly blow), 2919; similarly,
2975; pret. sg. beáh eft under eorðweall, _turned, fled again behind the
earth-wall_, 2957; pret. pl. bugon tô bence, _turned to the bench_, 327,
1014; hy on holt bugon, _fled to the wood_, 2599.
â-bûgan, _to bend off, to curve away from_: pret. fram sylle âbeág medubenc
monig, _from the threshold curved away many a mead-bench_, 776.
be-bûgan, w. acc., _to surround, to encircle_: prs. swâ (_which_) wäter
bebûgeð, 93; efne swâ sîde swâ sæ bebûgeð windige weallas, _as far as the
sea encircles windy shores_, 1224.
ge-bûgan, _to bend, to bow, to sink_: a) intrans.: heó on flet gebeáh,
_sank on the floor_, 1541; þâ gebeáh cyning, _then sank the king_, 2981; þâ
se wyrm gebeáh snûde tôsomne (_when the drake at once coiled itself up_),
2568; gewât þâ gebogen scrîðan tô, _advanced with curved body_ (the drake),
2570.--b) w. acc. of the thing to which one bends or sinks: pret. selereste
gebeáh, _sank upon the couch in the hall_, 691; similarly gebeág, 1242.
bûr, st. n., _apartment, room_: dat. sg. bûre, 1311, 2456; dat. pl. bûrum,
140.--Comp. brýd-bûr.
bûtan, bûton (from be and ûtan, hence in its meaning referring to what is
without, excluded): 1) conj. with subjunctive following, _lest_: bûtan his
lîc swice, _lest his body escape_, 967. With ind. following, _but_: bûton
hit wäs mâre þonne ænig mon ôðer tô beadulâce ätberan meahte, _but it_ (the
sword) _was greater than any other man could have carried to battle_, 1561.
After a preceding negative verb, _except_: þâra þe gumena bearn gearwe ne
wiston bûton Fitela mid hine, _which the children of men did not know at
all, except Fitela, who was with him_, 880; ne nom he mâðm-æhta mâ bûton
þone hafelan, etc., _he took no more of the rich treasure than the head
alone_, 1615.--2) prep, with dat., _except_: bûton folcscare, 73; bûton þe,
658; ealle bûton ânum, 706.
bycgan, w. v., _to buy, to pay_: inf. ne wäs þät gewrixle til þät hie on bâ
healfa bicgan scoldon freónda feorum, _that was no good transaction, that
they, on both sides_ (as well to Grendel as to his mother), _had to pay
with the lives of their friends_, 1306.
be-bycgan, _to sell_: pret. nu ic on mâðma hord mîne bebohte frôde
feorhlege (_now I, for the treasure-hoard, gave up my old life_), 2800.
ge-bycgan, _to buy, to acquire; to pay_: pret. w. acc. nô þær ænige ...
frôfre gebohte, _obtained no sort of help, consolation_, 974; hit (his,
MS.) ealdre gebohte, _paid it with his life_, 2482; pret. part. sylfes
feore beágas [geboh]te, _bought rings with his own life_, 3015.
byldan, w. v. (_to make_ beald, which see), _to excite, to encourage, to
brave deeds_: inf. w. acc. swâ he Fresena cyn on beórsele byldan wolde (by
distributing gifts), 1095.
ge-byrd, st. n., "fatum destinatum" (Grein) (?): acc. sg. hie on gebyrd
hruron gâre wunde, 1075.
ge-byrdu, st. f., _birth_; in compound, bearn-gebyrdu.
byrdu-scrûd, st. n., _shield-ornament, design upon a shield_(?): nom. sg.,
2661.
byre, st. m., (_born_) _son_: nom. sg., 2054, 2446, 2622, etc.; nom. pl.
byre, 1189. In a broader sense, _young man, youth_: acc. pl. bædde byre
geonge, _encouraged the youths_ (at the banquet), 2019.
byrðen, st. f., _burden_; in comp. mägen-byrðen.
byrele, st. m., _steward, waiter, cupbearer_: nom. pl. byrelas, 1162.
byrgan, w. v., _to feast, to eat_: inf., 448.
ge-byrgea, w. m., _protector_; in comp. leód-gebyrgea.
byrht. See _beorht_.
byrne, w. f., _shirt of mail, mail_: nom. sg. byrne, 405, 1630, etc.;
hringed byrne, _ring-shirt_, consisting of interlaced rings, 1246; acc. sg.
byrnan, 1023, etc.; sîde byrnan, _large coat of mail_, 1292; hringde
byrnan, 2616; hâre byrnan, _gray coat of mail_ (of iron), 2154; dat. sg. on
byrnan, 2705; gen. sg. byrnan hring, _the ring of the shirt of mail_ (i.e.
the shirt of mail), 2261; dat. pl. byrnum, 40, 238, etc.; beorhtum byrnum,
_with gleaming mail_, 3141.--Comp.: gûð-, here-, heaðo-, îren-,
îsern-byrne.
byrnend. See beornan.
byrn-wîga, w. m., _warrior dressed in a coat of mail_: nom. sg., 2919.
bysgu, bisigu, st. f., _trouble, difficulty, opposition_: nom. sg. bisigu,
281; dat. pl. bisgum, 1744, bysigum, 2581.
bysig, adj., _opposed, in need_, in the compounds lîf-bysig, syn-bysig.
býme, w. f., _a wind-instrument, a trumpet, a trombone_: gen. sg. býman
gealdor, _the sound of the trumpet_, 2944.
býwan, w. v., _to ornament, to prepare_: inf. þâ þe beado-grîman býwan
sceoldon, _who should prepare the helmets_, 2258.
C
camp, st. m., _combat, fight between two_: dat. sg. in campe (Beówulf's
with Däghrefn; cempan, MS.), 2506.
candel, st. f., _light, candle_: nom. sg. rodores candel, of the sun,
1573.--Comp. woruld-candel.
cempa, w. m., _fighter, warrior, hero_: nom. sg. äðele cempa, 1313; Geáta
cempa, 1552; rêðe cempa, 1586; mære cempa (as voc.), 1762; gyrded cempa,
2079; dat. sg. geongum (geongan) cempan, 1949, 2045, 2627; Hûga cempan,
2503; acc. pl. cempan, 206.--Comp. fêðe-cempa.
cennan, w. v.: 1) _to bear_, w. acc.: efne swâ hwylc mägða swâ þone magan
cende, _who bore the son_, 944; pret. part. þäm eafera wäs äfter cenned,
_to him was a son born_, 12.--2) reflexive, _to show one's self, to reveal
one's self_: imp. cen þec mid cräfte, _prove yourself by your strength_,
1220.
â-cennan, _to bear_: pret. part. nô hie fäder cunnon, hwäðer him ænig wäs
ær âcenned dyrnra gâsta, _they_ (the people of the country) _do not know
his_ (Grendel's) _father, nor whether any evil spirit has been before born
to him_ (whether he has begotten a son), 1357.
cênðu, st. f., _boldness_: acc. sg. cênðu, 2697.
cêne, adj., _keen, warlike, bold_: gen. p.. cênra gehwylcum, 769. Superl.,
acc. pl. cênoste, 206.--Comp.: dæd-, gâr-cêne.
ceald, adj., _cold_: acc. pl. cealde streámas, 1262; dat. pl. cealdum
cearsîðum, _with cold, sad journeys_, 2397. Superl. nom. sg. wedera
cealdost, 546;--Comp. morgen-ceald.
cearian, w. v., _to have care, to take care, to trouble one's self_: prs.
sg. III. nâ ymb his lîf cearað, _takes no care for his life_, 1537.
cearig, adj., _troubled, sad_: in comp. sorh-cearig.
cear-sîð, st. m., _sorrowful way, an undertaking that brings sorrow_, i.e.
a warlike expedition: dat. pl. cearsîðum (of Beówulf's expeditions against
Eádgils), 2397.
cearu, st. f., _care, sorrow, lamentation_: nom. sg., 1304; acc. sg.
[ceare], 3173.--Comp.: ealdor-, gûð-, mæl-, môd-cearu.
cear-wälm, st. m., _care-agitation, waves of sorrow in the breast_: dat.
pl. äfter cear-wälmum, 2067.
cear-wylm, st. m., same as above; nom. pl. þâ cear-wylmas, 282.
ceaster-bûend, pt, _inhabitant of a fortified place, inhabitant of a
castle_: dat. pl. ceaster-bûendum, of those established in Hrôðgâr's
castle, 769.
ceáp, st. m., _purchase, transaction_: figuratively, nom. sg. näs þät ýðe
ceáp, _no easy transaction_, 2416; instr. sg. þeáh þe ôðer hit ealdre
gebohte, heardan ceápe, _although the one paid it with his life, a dear
purchase_, 2483.
ge-ceápian, w. v., _to purchase_: pret. part. gold unrîme grimme geceápod,
_gold without measure, bitterly purchased_ (with Beówulf's life), 3013.
be-ceorfan, st. v., _to separate, to cut off_ (with acc. of the pers. and
instr. of the thing): pret. hine þâ heáfde becearf, _cut off his head_,
1591; similarly, 2139.
ceorl, st. m., _man_: nom. sg. snotor ceorl monig, _many a wise man_, 909;
dat. sg. gomelum ceorle, _the old man_ (of King Hrêðel), 2445; so, ealdum
ceorle, of King Ongenþeów, 2973; nom. pl. snotere ceorlas, _wise men_, 202,
416, 1592.
ceól, st. m., _keel_, figuratively for the ship: nom. sg., 1913; acc. sg.
ceól, 38, 238; gen. sg. ceóles, 1807.
ceósan, st. v., _to choose_, hence, _to assume_: inf. þone cynedôm ciósan
wolde, _would assume the royal dignity_, 2377; _to seek_: pret. subj. ær he
bæl cure, _before he sought his funeral-pile_ (before he died), 2819.
ge-ceósan, _to choose, to elect_: gerund, tô geceósenne cyning ænigne
(sêlran), _to choose a better king_, 1852; imp. þe þät sêlre ge-ceós,
_choose thee the better_ (of two: bealonîð and êce rædas), 1759; pret. he
ûsic on herge geceás tô þyssum siðfate, _selected us among the soldiers for
this undertaking_, 2639; geceás êcne ræd, _chose the everlasting gain_,
i.e. died, 1202; similarly, godes leóht geceás, 2470; pret. part. acc. pl.
häfde ... cempan gecorone, 206.
on-cirran, w. v., _to turn, to change_: inf. ne meahte ... þäs wealdendes
[willan] wiht on-cirran, _could not change the will of the Almighty_, 2858;
pret. ufor oncirde, _turned higher_, 2952; þyder oncirde, _turned thither_,
2971.
â-cîgan, w. v., _to call hither_: pret. âcîgde of corðre cyninges þegnas
syfone, _called from the retinue of the king seven men_, 3122.
clam, clom, st. m., f. n.? _fetter_, figuratively of a strong gripe: dat.
pl. heardan clammum, 964; heardum clammum, 1336; atolan clommum (horrible
claws of the mother of Grendel), 1503.
clif, cleof, st. n., _cliff, promontory_: acc. pl. Geáta clifu,
1912.--Comp.: brim-, êg-, holm-, stân-clif.
ge-cnâwan, st. v., _to know, to recognize_: inf. meaht þu, mîn wine, mêce
gecnâwan, _mayst thou, my friend, recognize the sword_, 2048.
on-cnâwan, _to recognize, to distinguish_: hordweard oncniów mannes reorde,
_distinguished the speech of a man_, 2555.
cniht, st. m., _boy, youth_: dat. pl. þyssum cnyhtum, _to these boys_
(Hrôðgâr's sons), 1220.
cniht-wesende, prs. part., _being a boy_ or _a youth_: acc. sg. ic hine
cûðe cniht-wesende, _knew him while still a boy_, 372; nom. pl. wit þät
gecwædon cniht-wesende, _we both as young men said that_, 535.
cnyssan, w. v., _to strike, to dash against each other_: pret. pl. þonne
... eoferas cnysedan, _when the bold warriors dashed against each other,
stormed_ (in battle), 1329.
collen-ferhð, -ferð, adj., (properly, _of swollen mind_), _of uncommon
thoughts, in his way of thinking, standing higher than others,
high-minded_: nom. sg. cuma collen-ferhð, of Beówulf, 1807; collen-ferð, of
Wîglâf, 2786.
corðer, st. n., _troop, division of an army, retinue_: dat. sg. þâ wäs ...
Fin slägen, cyning on corðre, _then was Fin slain, the king in the troop_
(of warriors), 1154; of corðre cyninges, _out of the retinue of the king_,
3122.
costian, w. v., _to try_; pret. (w. gen.) he mîn costode, _tried me_, 2085.
côfa, w. m., _apartment, sleeping-room, couch_: in comp. bân-côfa.
côl, adj., _cool_: compar. cearwylmas côlran wurðað, _the waves of sorrow
become cooler_, i.e. the mind becomes quiet, 282; him wîflufan ... côlran
weorðað, _his love for his wife cools_, 2067.
cräft, st. m., _the condition of being able_, hence: 1) _physical
strength_: nom. sg. mägða cräft, 1284; acc. sg. mägenes cräft, 418; þurh
ânes cräft, 700; cräft and cênðu, 2697; dat. (instr.) sg. cräfte, 983,
1220, 2182, 2361.--2) _art, craft, skill_: dat. sg. as instr. dyrnum
cräfte, _with secret_ (magic) _art_, 2169; dyrnan cräfte, 2291; þeófes
cräfte, _with thief's craft_, 2221; dat. pl. deófles cräftum, _by devil's
art_ (sorcery), 2089.--3) _great quantity_ (?): acc. sg. wyrm-horda cräft,
2223.--Comp.: leoðo-, mägen-, nearo-, wîg-cräft.
cräftig, adj.: 1) _strong, stout_: nom. sg. eafoðes cräftig, 1467; nîða
cräftig, 1963. Comp. wîg-cräftig.--2) _adroit, skilful_: in comp.
lagu-cräftig.--3) _rich_ (of treasures); in comp. eácen-cräftig.
cringan, st. v., _to fall in combat, to fall with the writhing movement of
those mortally wounded_: pret. subj. on wäl crunge, _would sink into death,
would fall_, 636; pret. pl. for the pluperfect, sume on wäle crungon, 1114.
ge-cringan, same as above: pret. he under rande gecranc, _fell under his
shield_, 1210; ät wîge gecrang, _fell in battle_, 1338; heó on flet
gecrong, _fell to the ground_, 1569; in campe gecrong, _fell in single
combat_, 2506.
cuma (_he who comes_), w. m., _newcomer, guest_: nom. sg. 1807.--Comp.:
cwealm-, wil-cuma.
cuman, st. v., _to come_: pres. sg. II. gyf þu on weg cymest, _if thou
comest from there_, 1383; III. cymeð, 2059; pres. subj. sg. III. cume, 23;
pl. þonne we ût cymen, _when we come out_, 3107; inf. cuman, 244, 281,
1870; pret. sg. com, 430, 569, 826, 1134, 1507, 1601, etc.; cwom, 419,
2915; pret. subj. sg. cwôme, 732; pret. part. cumen, 376; pl. cumene, 361.
Often with the inf. of a verb of motion, as, com gongan, 711; com sîðian,
721; com in gân, 1645; cwom gân, 1163; com scacan, 1803; cwômon lædan, 239;
cwômon sêcean, 268; cwôman scrîðan, 651, etc. [pret. côm, etc.]
be-cuman, _to come, to approach, to arrive_: pret. syððan niht becom,
_after the night had come_, 115; þe on þâ leóde becom, _that had come over
the people_, 192; þâ he tô hâm becom, 2993. And with inf. following: stefn
in becom ... hlynnan under hârne stân, 2553; lyt eft becwom ... hâmes
niósan, 2366; ôð þät ende becwom, 1255; similarly, 2117. With acc. of
pers.: þâ hyne sió þrag becwom, _when this time of battle came over him_,
2884.
ofer-cuman, _to overcome, to compel_: pret. þý he þone feónd ofercwom,
_thereby he overcame the foe_, 1274: pl. hie feónd heora ... ofercômon,
700; pret. part. (w. gen.) nîða ofercumen, _compelled by combats_, 846.
cumbol, cumbor, st. m., _banner_: gen. sg. cumbles hyrde, 2506.--Comp.
hilte-cumbor.
cund, adj., _originating in, descended from_: in comp. feorran-cund.
cunnan, verb pret. pres.: 1) _to know, to be acquainted with_ (w. acc. or
depend, clause): sg. pres. I. ic mînne can glädne Hrôðulf þät he ... wile,
_I know my gracious H., that he will_..., 1181; II. eard git ne const,
_thou knowest not yet the land_, 1378; III. he þät wyrse ne con, _knows no
worse_, 1740. And reflexive: con him land geare, _knows the land well_,
2063; pl. men ne cunnon hwyder helrûnan scrîðað, _men do not know
whither_..., 162; pret. sg. ic hine cûðe, _knew him_, 372; cûðe he duguð
þeáw, _knew the customs of the distinguished courtiers_, 359; so with the
acc., 2013; seolfa ne cûðe þurh hwät..., _he himself did not know through
what_..., 3068; pl. sorge ne cûðon, 119; so with the acc., 180, 418, 1234.
With both (acc. and depend. clause): nô hie fäder cunnon (scil. nô hie
cunnon) hwäðer him ænig wäs ær âcenned dyrnra gâsta, 1356.--2) with inf.
following, _can, to be able_: prs. sg. him bebeorgan ne con, _cannot defend
himself_, 1747; prs. pl. men ne cunnon secgan, _cannot say_, 50; pret. sg.
cûðe reccan, 90; beorgan cûðe, 1446; pret. pl. hêrian ne cûðon, _could not
praise_, 182; pret. subj. healdan cûðe, 2373.
cunnian, w. v., _to inquire into, to try_, w. gen. or acc.: inf. sund
cunnian (figurative for _roam over the sea_), 1427, 1445; geongne cempan
higes cunnian, _to try the young warrior's mind_, 2046; pret. eard cunnode,
_tried the home_, i.e. came to it, 1501; pl. wada cunnedon, _tried the
flood_, i.e. swam through the sea, 508.
cûð, adj.: 1) _known, well known; manifest, certain_: nom. sg. undyrne cûð,
150, 410; wîde cûð, 2924; acc. sg. fern. cûðe folme, 1304; cûðe stræte,
1635; nom. pl. ecge cûðe, 1146; acc. pl. cûðe nässas, 1913.--2) _renowned_:
nom. sg. gûðum cûð, 2179; nom. pl. cystum cûðe, 868.--3) also, _friendly,
dear, good_ (see un-cûð).--Comp.: un-, wîd-cûð.
cûð-lîce, adv., _openly, publicly_: comp. nô her cûðlîcor cuman ongunnon
lind-häbbende, _no shield-bearing men undertook more boldly to come hither_
(the coast-watchman means by this the secret landing of the Vikings), 244.
cwalu, st. f., _murder, fall_: in comp. deáð-cwalu.
cweccan (_to make alive_, see cwic), w. v., _to move, to swing_: pret.
cwehte mägen-wudu, _swung the wood of strength_ (= spear), 235.
cweðan, st. v., _to say, to speak_: a) absolutely: prs. sg. III. cwið ät
beóre, _speaks at beer-drinking_, 2042.--b) w. acc.: pret. word äfter cwäð,
315; feá worda cwäð, 2247, 2663.--c) with þät following: pret. sg. cwäð,
92, 2159; pl. cwædon, 3182.--d) with þät omitted: pret. cwäð he gûð-cyning
sêcean wolde, _said he would seek out the war-king_, 199; similarly, 1811,
2940.
â-cweðan, _to say, to speak_, w. acc.: prs. þät word âcwyð, _speaks the
word_, 2047; pret. þät word âcwäð, 655.
ge-cweðan, _to say, to speak_: a) absolutely: pret. sg. II. swâ þu gecwæde,
2665.--b)w. acc.: pret. wel-hwylc gecwäð, _spoke everything_, 875; pl. wit
þät gecwædon, 535.--c) w. þät following: pret. gecwäð, 858, 988.
cwellan, w. v., (_to make die_), _to kill, to murder_: pret. sg. II. þu
Grendel cwealdest, 1335.
â-cwellan, _to kill_: pret. sg. (he) wyrm âcwealde, 887; þone þe Grendel ær
mâne âcwealde, _whom Grendel had before wickedly murdered_, 1056; beorn
âcwealde, 2122.
cwên, st. f.: 1) _wife, consort_ (of noble birth): nom. sg. cwên, 62;
(Hrôðgâr's), 614, 924; (Finn's), 1154.--2) particularly denoting the queen:
nom. sg. beághroden cwên (Wealhþeów), 624; mæru cwên, 2017; fremu folces
cwên (Þryðo), 1933; acc. sg. cwên (Wealhþeów), 666.-Comp. folc-cwên.
cwên-lîc, adj., _feminine, womanly_: nom. sg. ne bið swylc cwênlîc þeáw
(_such is not the custom of women, does not become a woman_), 1941.
cwealm, st. m., _violent death, murder, destruction_: acc. sg. þone cwealm
gewräc, _avenged the death_ (of Abel by Cain), 107; mændon mondryhtnes
cwealm, _lamented the ruler's fall_, 3150.--Comp.: bealo-, deáð-,
gâr-cwealm.
cwealm-bealu, st. n., _the evil of murder_: acc. sg., 1941.
cwealm-cuma, w. m., _one coming for murder, a new-comer who contemplates
murder_: acc. sg. þone cwealm-cuman (of Grendel), 793.
cwic and cwico, adj., _quick, having life, alive_: acc. sg. cwicne, 793,
2786; gen. sg. âht cwices, _something living_, 2315; nom. pl. cwice, 98;
cwico wäs þâ gena, _was still alive_, 3094.
cwide, st. m., _word, speech, saying_: in comp. gegn-, gilp-, hleó-, ðor-
[non-existant form--KTH], word-cwide.
cwîðan, st. v., _to complain, to lament_: inf. w. acc. ongan ... gioguðe
cwîðan hilde-strengo, _began to lament the_ (departed) _battle-strength of
his youth_, 2113 [ceare] cwîðan, _lament their cares_, 3173.
cyme, st. m., _coming, arrival_: nom. pl. hwanan eówre cyme syndon, _whence
your coming is_, i. e. whence ye are, 257.--Comp. eft-cyme.
cymlîce, adv., (convenienter), _splendidly, grandly_: comp. cymlîcor, 38.
cyn, st. n., _race_, both in the general sense, and denoting noble lineage:
nom. sg. Fresena cyn, 1094; Wedera (gara, MS.) cyn, 461; acc. sg. eotena
cyn, 421; giganta cyn, 1691; dat. sg. Caines cynne, 107; manna cynne, 811,
915, 1726; eówrum (of those who desert Beówulf in battle) cynne, 2886; gen.
sg. manna (gumena) cynnes, 702, etc.; mæran cynnes, 1730; lâðan cynnes,
2009, 2355; ûsses cynnes Wægmundinga, 2814; gen. pl. cynna gehwylcum,
98.--Comp.: eormen-, feorh-, frum-, gum-, man-, wyrm-cyn.
cyn, st. n., _that which is suitable or proper_: gen. pl. cynna (of
etiquette) gemyndig, 614.
ge-cynde, adj., _innate, peculiar, natural_: nom. sg., 2198, 2697.
cyne-dôm, st. m., _kingdom, royal dignity_: acc. sg., 2377.
cyning, st. m., _king_: nom. acc. sg. cyning, II, 864, 921, etc.; kyning,
620, 3173; dat. sg. cyninge, 3094; gen. sg. cyninges, 868, 1211; gen. pl.
kyning[a] wuldor, of God, 666.--Comp. beorn-, eorð-, folc-, guð-, heáh-,
leód-, sæ-, sôð-, þeód-, worold-, wuldor-cyning.
cyning-beald, adj., "_nobly bold_" (Thorpe), _excellently brave_ (?): nom.
pl. cyning-balde men, 1635.
ge-cyssan, w. v., _to kiss_: pret. gecyste þâ cyning ... þegen betstan,
_kissed the best thane_ (Beówulf), 1871.
cyst (_choosing_, see ceósan), st. f., _the select, the best of a thing,
good quality, excellence_: nom. sg. îrenna cyst, _of the swords_, 803,
1698; wæpna cyst, 1560; symbla cyst, _choice banquet_, 1233; acc. sg. îrena
cyst, 674; dat. pl. foldwegas ... cystum cûðe, _known through excellent
qualities_, 868; (cyning) cystum gecýðed, 924.--Comp. gum-, hilde-cyst.
cýð. See on-cýð.
cýðan (see cûð), w. v., _to make known, to manifest, to show_: imp. sg.
mägen-ellen cýð, _show thy heroic strength_, 660; inf. cwealmbealu cýðan,
1941; ellen cýðan, 2696.
ge-cýðan (_to make known_, hence): 1) _to give information, to announce_:
inf. andsware gecýðan, _to give answer_, 354; gerund, tô gecýðanne hwanan
eówre cyme syndon (_to show whence ye come_), 257; pret. part. sôð is
gecýðed þät ... (_the truth has become known_, it has shown itself to be
true), 701; Higelâce wäs sîð Beówulfes snûde gecýðed, _the arrival of B.
was quickly announced_, 1972; similarly, 2325.--2) _to make celebrated_, in
pret. part.: wäs mîn fäder folcum gecýðed (_my father was known to
warriors_), 262; wäs his môdsefa manegum gecýðed, 349; cystum gecýðed, 924.
cýððu (properly, _condition of being known_, hence _relationship_), st. f.,
_home, country, land_: in comp. feor-cýððu. [should be cýð, feor-cýð--KTH]
ge-cýpan, w. v., _to purchase_: inf. näs him ænig þearf þät he ... þurfe
wyrsan wîgfrecan weorðe gecýpan, _had need to buy with treasures no
inferior warrior_, 2497.
D
daroð, st. m., _spear_: dat. pl. dareðum lâcan (_to fight_), 2849.
ge-dâl, st. n., _parting, separation_: nom. sg. his worulde gedâl, _his
separation from the world_ (his death), 3069.--Comp. ealdor-, lîf-gedâl.
däg, st. m., _day_: nom. sg. däg, 485, 732, 2647; acc. sg. däg, 2400;
andlangne däg, _the whole day_, 2116; morgenlongne däg (_the whole
morning_), 2895; ôð dômes däg, _till judgment-day_, 3070; dat. sg. on þäm
däge þysses lîfes (eo tempore, tunc), 197, 791, 807; gen. sg. däges, 1601,
2321; hwîl däges, _a day's time, a whole day_, 1496; däges and nihtes, _day
and night_, 2270; däges, _by day_, 1936; dat. pl. on tyn dagum, _in ten
days_, 3161.--Comp. ær-, deáð-, ende-, ealdor-, fyrn-, geâr-, læn-, lîf-,
swylt-, win-däg, an-däges.
däg-hwîl, st. f., _day-time_: acc. pl. þät he däghwîla gedrogen häfde
eorðan wynne, _that he had enjoyed earth's pleasures during the days_
(appointed to him), i.e. that his life was finished, 2727.--(After Grein.)
däg-rîm, st. n., _series of days, fixed number of days_: nom. sg. dôgera
dägrîm (_number of the days of his life_), 824.
dæd, st. f., _deed, action_: acc. sg. deórlîce dæd, 585; dômleásan dæd,
2891; frêcne dæde, 890; dæd, 941; acc. pl. Grendles dæda, 195; gen. pl.
dæda, 181, 479, 2455, etc.; dat. pl. dædum, 1228, 2437, etc.--Comp. ellen-,
fyren-, lof-dæd.
dæd-cêne, adj., _bold in deed_: nom. sg. dæd-cêne mon, 1646.
dæd-fruma, w. m., _doer of deeds, doer_: nom. sg., of Grendel, 2091.
dæd-bata, w. m., _he who pursues with his deeds_: nom. sg., of Grendel,
275.
dædla, w. m., _doer_: in comp. mân-for-dædla.
dæl, st. m., _part, portion_: acc. sg. dæl, 622, 2246, 3128; acc. pl.
dælas, 1733.--Often dæl designates the portion of a thing or of a quality
which belongs in general to an individual, as, ôð þät him on innan
oferhygda dæl weaxeð, _till in his bosom his portion of arrogance
increases_: i.e. whatever arrogance he has, his arrogance, 1741. Biówulfe
wearð dryhtmâðma dæl deáðe, forgolden, _to Beówulf his part of the splendid
treasures was paid with death_, i.e. whatever splendid treasures were
allotted to him, whatever part of them he could win in the fight with the
dragon, 2844; similarly, 1151, 1753, 2029, 2069, 3128.
dælan, w. v., _to divide, to bestow, to share with_, w. acc.: pres. sg.
III. mâdmas dæleð, 1757; pres. subj. þät he wið aglæcean eofoðo dæle, _that
he bestow his strength upon_ (strive with) _the bringer of misery_ the
drake), 2535; inf. hringas dælan, 1971; pret. beágas dælde, 80; sceattas
dælde, 1687.
be-dælan, w. instr., _(to divide), to tear away from, to strip of_: pret.
part. dreámum (dreáme) bedæled, _deprived of the heavenly joys_ (of
Grendel), 722, 1276.
ge-dælan: 1) _to distribute_: inf. (w. acc. _of the thing distributed_);
bær on innan eall gedælan geongum and ealdum swylc him god sealde,
_distribute therein to young and old all that God had given him_, 71.--2)
_to divide, to separate_, with acc.: inf. sundur gedælan lîf wið lîce,
_separate life from the body_, 2423; so pret. subj. þät he gedælde ... ânra
gehwylces lîf wið lîce, 732.
denn (cf. denu, dene, vallis), st. n., _den, cave_: acc. sg. þäs wyrmes
denn, 2761; gen. sg. (draca) gewât dennes niósian, 3046.
ge-defe, adj.: 1) (impersonal) _proper, appropriate_: nom. sg. swâ hit
gedêfe wäs (bið), _as was appropriate, proper_, 561, 1671, 3176.--2) _good,
kind, friendly_; nom sg. beó þu suna mînum dædum gedêfe, _be friendly to my
son by deeds_ (support my son in deed, namely, when he shall have attained
to the government), 1228.--Comp. un-ge-dêfelîce.
dêman (see dôm), w. v.: 1) _to judge, to award justly_: pres. subj. mærðo
dême, 688.--2) _to judge favorably, to praise, to glorify_: pret. pl. his
ellenweorc duguðum dêmdon, _praised his heroic deed with all their might_,
3176.
dêmend, _judge_: dæda dêmend (of God), 181.
deal, adj., "superbus, clarus, fretus" (Grimm): nom. pl. þryðum dealle,
494.
deád, adj., _dead_: nom. sg. 467, 1324, 2373; acc. sg. deádne, 1310.
deáð, st. m., _death, dying_: nom. sg, deáð, 441, 447, etc.; acc. sg. deáð,
2169; dat. sg. deáðe, 1389, 1590, (as instr.) 2844, 3046; gen. sg. deáðes
wylm, 2270; deáðes nýd, 2455.--Comp. gûð-, wäl-, wundor-deáð.
deáð-bed, st. n., _death-bed_: dat. sg. deáð-bedde fäst, 2902.
deáð-cwalu, st. f., _violent death_, _ruin and death_: dat. pl. tô
deáð-cwalum, 1713.
deáð-cwealm, st. m., _violent death, murder_: nom. sg. 1671.
deáð-däg, st. m., _death-day, dying day_: dat. sg. äfter deáð-däge (_after
his death_), 187, 886.
deáð-fæge, adj., _given over to death_: nom. sg. (Grendel) deáð-fæge deóg,
_had hidden himself, being given over to death_ (mortally wounded), 851.
deáð-scûa, w. m., _death-shadow, ghostly being, demon of death_: nom. sg.
deorc deáð-scûa (of Grendel), 160.
deáð-wêrig, adj., _weakened by death_, i.e. dead: acc. sg. deáð-wêrigne,
2126. See wêrig.
deáð-wîc, st. n. _death's house, home of death_: acc. sg. gewât deáðwîc
seón (_had died_), 1276.
deágan (O.H.G. pret. part. tougan, _hidden_), _to conceal one's self, to
hide_: pret. (for pluperf.) deóg, 851.--Leo.
deorc, adj., _dark_: of the night, nom. sg. (nihthelm) deorc, 1791; dat.
pl. deorcum nihtum, 275, 2212; of the terrible Grendel, nom. sg. deorc
deáð-scûa, 160.
deófol, st. m. n., _devil_: gen. sg. deófles, 2089; gen. pl. deófla, of
Grendel and his troop, 757, 1681.
deógol, dýgol, adj., _concealed, hidden, inaccessible, beyond information,
unknown_: nom. sg. deógol dædhata (of Grendel), 275; acc. sg. dýgel lond,
_inaccessible land_, 1358.
deóp, st. n., _deep, abyss_: acc. sg., 2550.
deóp, adv. _deeply_: acc. sg. deóp wäter, 509, 1905.
diópe, adj., _deep_: hit ôð dômes däg diópe benemdon þeódnas mære, _the
illustrious rulers had charmed it deeply till the judgment-day, had laid a
solemn spell upon it_, 3070.
deór, st. n., _animal, wild animal_: in comp. mere-, sæ-deór.
deór, adj.: 1) _wild, terrible_: nom. sg. diór dæd-fruma (of Grendel),
2091.--2) _bold, brave_: nom. nænig ... deór, 1934.--Comp.: heaðu-,
hilde-deór.
deóre, dýre, adj.: 1) _dear, costly_ (high in price): acc. sg. dýre îren,
2051; drincfät dýre (deóre), 2307, 2255; instr. sg. deóran sweorde, 561;
dat. sg. deórum mâðme, 1529; nom. pl. dýre swyrd, 3049; acc. pl. deóre
(dýre) mâðmas, 2237, 3132.--2) _dear, beloved, worthy_: nom. sg. f., äðelum
dióre, _worthy by reason of origin_, 1950; dat. sg. äfter deórum men, 1880;
gen. sg. deórre duguðe, 488; superl. acc. sg. aldorþegn þone deórestan,
1310.
deór-lîc, adj., _bold, brave_: acc. sg. deórlîce dæd, 585. See deór.
disc, st. m., _disc, plate, flat dish_: nom. acc. pl. discas, 2776, 3049.
ge-dîgan. See ge-dýgan.
dol-gilp, st. m., _mad boast, foolish pride, vain-glory, thoughtless
audacity_: dat. sg. for dolgilpe, 509.
dol-lîc, adj., _audacious_: gen. pl. mæst ... dæda dollîcra, 2647.
dol-sceaða, w. m., _bold enemy_: acc. sg. þone dol-scaðan (Grendel), 479.
dôgor, st. m. n., _day_; 1) day as a period of 24 hours: gen. sg. ymb ântîd
ôðres dôgores, _at the same time of the next day_, 219; morgen-leóht ôðres
dôgores, _the morning-light of the second day_, 606.--2) day in the usual
sense: acc. sg. n. þys dôgor, _during this day_, 1396; instr. þý dôgore,
1798; forman dôgore, 2574; gen. pl. dôgora gehwâm, 88; dôgra gehwylce,
1091; dôgera dägrim, _the number of his days_ (the days of his life),
824.--3) _day_ in the wider sense of time: dat. pl. ufaran dôgrum, _in
later days, times_, 2201, 2393.--Comp. ende-dôgor.
dôgor-gerîm, st. n., _series of days_: gen. sg. wäs eall sceacen
dôgor-gerîmes, _the whole number of his days_ (his life) _was past_, 2729.
dôhtor, st. f., _daughter_: nom. acc. sg. dôhtor, 375, 1077, 1930, 1982,
etc.
dôm, st. m.: I., _condition, state in general_; in comp. cyne-,
wis-dôm.--II., having reference to justice, hence: 1) _judgment, judicial
opinion_: instr. sg. weotena dôme, _according to the judgment of the
Witan_, 1099. 2) _custom_: äfter dôme, _according to custom_, 1721. 3)
_court, tribunal_: gen. sg. miclan dômes, 979; ôð dômes däg, 3070, both
times of the last judgment.--III., _condition of freedom_ or _superiority_,
hence: 4) _choice, free will_: acc. sg. on sînne sylfes dôm, _according to
his own choice_, 2148; instr. sg. selfes dôme, 896, 2777. 5) _might,
power_: nom. sg. dôm godes, 2859; acc. sg. Eofores ânne dôm, 2965; dat. sg.
drihtnes dôme, 441. 6) _glory, honor, renown_: nom. sg. [dôm], 955; dôm
unlytel, _not a little glory_, 886; þät wäs forma sîð deórum mâðme þät his
dôm âläg, _it was the first time to the dear treasure_ (the sword Hrunting)
_that its fame was not made good_, 1529; acc. sg. ic me dôm gewyrce, _make
renown for myself_, 1492; þät þu ne âlæte dôm gedreósan, _that thou let not
honor fall_, 2667; dat. instr. sg. þær he dôme forleás, _here he lost his
reputation_, 1471; dôme gewurðad, _adorned with glory_, 1646; gen. sg.
wyrce se þe môte dômes, _let him make himself reputation, whoever is able_,
1389. 7) _splendor_ (in heaven): acc. sôð-fästra dôm, _the glory of the
saints_, 2821.
dôm-leás, adj., _without reputation, inglorious_: acc. sg. f. dômleásan
dæd, 2891.
dôn, red. v., _to do, to make, to treat_: 1) absolutely: imp. dôð swâ ic
bidde, _do as I beg_, 1232.--2) w. acc.: inf. hêt hire selfre sunu on bæl
dôn, 1117; pret. þâ he him of dyde îsernbyrnan, _took off the iron
corselet_, 672; (þonne) him Hûnlâfing, ... billa sêlest, on bearm dyde,
_when he made a present to him of Hûnlâfing, the best of swords_, 1145;
dyde him of healse hring gyldenne, _took off the gold ring from his neck_,
2810; ne him þäs wyrmes wîg for wiht dyde, eafoð and ellen, _nor did he
reckon as anything the drake's fighting, power, and strength_, 2349; pl. hi
on beorg dydon bêg and siglu, _placed in the (grave-) mound rings and
ornaments_, 3165.--3) representing preceding verbs: inf. tô Geátum sprec
mildum wordum! swâ sceal man dôn, _as one should do_, 1173; similarly,
1535, 2167; pres. metod eallum weóld, swâ he nu git dêð, _the creator ruled
over all, as he still does_, 1059; similarly, 2471, 2860, and (sg. for pl.)
1135; pret. II. swâ þu ær dydest, 1677; III. swâ he nu gyt dyde, 957;
similarly, 1382, 1892, 2522; pl. swâ hie oft ær dydon, 1239; similarly,
3071. With the case also which the preceding verb governs: wên' ic þät he
wille ... Geátena leóde etan unforhte, swâ he oft dyde mägen Hrêðmanna, _I
believe he will wish to devour the Geát people, the fearless, as he often
did_ (devoured) _the bloom of the Hrêðmen_, 444; gif ic þät gefricge ...
þät þec ymbesittend egesan þýwað, swâ þec hetende hwîlum dydon, _that the
neighbors distress thee as once the enemy did thee_ (i.e. distressed),
1829; gif ic ôwihte mäg þînre môd-lufan mâran tilian þonne ic gyt dyde, _if
I can with anything obtain thy greater love than I have yet done_, 1825;
similarly, pl. þonne þâ dydon, 44.
ge-dôn, _to do, to make_, with the acc. and predicate adj.: prs. (god)
gedêð him swâ gewealdene worolde dælas, _makes the parts of the world_
(i.e. the whole world) _so subject that ..._, 1733; inf. ne hyne on
medo-bence micles wyrðne drihten wereda gedôn wolde, _nor would the leader
of the people much honor him at the mead-banquet_, 2187. With adv.: he mec
þær on innan ... gedôn wolde, _wished to place me in there_, 2091.
draca, w. m., _drake, dragon_: nom. sg., 893, 2212; acc. sg. dracan, 2403,
3132; gen. sg., 2089, 2291, 2550.--Comp.: eorð-, fýr-, lêg-, lîg-,
nîð-draca.
on-drædan, st. v., w. acc. of the thing and dat. of the pers., _to fear, to
be afraid of_: inf. þät þu him on-drædan ne þearft ... aldorbealu, _needest
not fear death for them_, 1675; pret. nô he him þâ säcce ondrêd, _was not
afraid of the combat_, 2348.
ge-dräg (from dragan, in the sense se gerere), st. n., _demeanor, actions_:
acc. sg. sêcan deófla gedräg, 757.
drepan, st. v., _to hit, to strike_: pret. sg. sweorde drep ferhð-genîðlan,
2881; pret. part. bið on hreðre ... drepen biteran stræle, _struck in the
breast with piercing arrow_, 1746; wäs in feorh dropen (_fatally hit_),
2982.
drepe, st. m., _blow, stroke_: acc. sg. drepe, 1590.
drêfan, ge-drêfan, w. v., _to move, to agitate, to stir up_: inf. gewât ...
drêfan deóp wäter (_to navigate_), 1905; pret. part. wäter under stôd
dreórig and gedrêfed, 1418.
dreám, st. m., _rejoicing, joyous actions, joy_: nom. sg. häleða dreám,
497; acc. sg. dreám hlûdne, 88; þu ... dreám healdende, _thou who livest in
rejoicing_ (at the drinking-carouse), _who art joyous_, 1228: dat. instr.
sg. dreáme bedæled, 1276; gen. pl. dreáma leás, 851; dat. pl. dreámum (here
adverbial) lifdon, _lived in rejoicing, joyously_, 99; dreámum bedæled,
722; the last may refer also to heavenly joys.--Comp. gleó-, gum-, man-,
sele-dreám.
dreám-leás, adj., _without rejoicing, joyless_: nom. sg. of King Heremôd,
1721.
dreógan, st. v.: 1) _to lead a life, to be in a certain condition_: pret.
dreáh äfter dôme, _lived in honor, honorably_, 2180; pret. pl. fyren-þearfe
ongeat, þät hie ær drugon aldorleáse lange hwile, _(God) had seen the great
distress, (had seen) that they had lived long without a ruler_ (?), 15.--2)
_to experience, to live through, to do, to make, to enjoy_: imp. dreóh
symbelwynne, _pass through the pleasure of the meal, to enjoy the meal_,
1783; inf. driht-scype dreógan (_do a heroic deed_), 1471; pret. sundnytte
dreáh (_had the occupation of swimming_, i.e. swam through the sea), 2361;
pret. pl. hie gewin drugon (_fought_), 799; hî sîð drugon, _made the way,
went_, 1967.--3) _to experience, to bear, to suffer_: scealt werhðo
dreógan, _shall suffer damnation_, 590; pret. þegn-sorge dreáh, _bore
sorrow for his heroes_, 131; nearoþearfe dreáh, 422; pret. pl. inwidsorge
þe hie ær drugon, 832; similarly, 1859.
â-dreógan, _to suffer, to endure_: inf. wræc âdreógan, 3079.
ge-dreógan, _to live through, to enjoy_, pret. part. þät he ... gedrogen
häfde eorðan wynne, _that he had now enjoyed the pleasures of earth_ (i.e.
that he was at his death), 2727.
dreór, st. m., _blood dropping or flowing from wounds_: instr. sg. dreóre,
447.--Comp. heoru-, sâwul-, wäl-dreór.
dreór-fâh, adj., _colored with blood, spotted with blood_: nom. sg. 485.
dreórig, adj., _bloody, bleeding_: nom. sg. wäter stôd dreórig, 1418; acc.
sg. dryhten sînne driórigne fand, 2790.--Comp. heoru-dreórig.
ge-dreósan, st. v., _to fall down, to sink_: pres. sg. III. lîc-homa læne
gedreóseð, _the body, belonging to death, sinks down_, 1755; inf. þät þu ne
âlæte dôm gedreósan, _honor fall, sink_, 2667.
drincan, st. v., _to drink_ (with and without the acc.): pres. part. nom.
pl. ealo drincende, 1946; pret. blôd êdrum dranc, _drank the blood in
streams_(?), 743; pret. pl. druncon wîn weras, _the men drank wine_, 1234;
þær guman druncon, _where the men drank_, 1649. The pret. part., when it
stands absolutely, has an active sense: nom. pl. druncne dryhtguman, _ye
warriors who have drunk, are drinking_, 1232; acc. pl. nealles druncne slôg
heorð-geneátas, _slew not his hearth-companions who had drunk with him_,
i.e. at the banquet, 2180. With the instr. it means _drunken_: nom. sg.
beóre (wîne) druncen, 531, 1468; nom. pl. beóre druncne, 480.
drîfan, st. v., _to drive_: pres. pl. þâ þe brentingas ofer flôda genipu
feorran drîfað, _who drive their ships thither from afar over the darkness
of the sea_, 2809; inf. (w. acc.) þeáh þe he [ne] meahte on mere drîfan
hringedstefnan, _although he could not drive the ship on the sea_, 1131.
to-drîfan, _to drive apart, to disperse_: pret. ôð þät unc flôd tôdrâf,
545.
drohtoð, st. m., _mode of living_ or _acting, calling, employment_: nom.
sg. ne wäs his drohtoð þær swylce he ær gemêtte, _there was no employment
for him_ (Grendel) _there such as he had found formerly_, 757.
drusian, w. v. (cf. dreósan, properly, _to be ready to fall_; here of
water), _to stagnate, to be putrid_. pret. lagu drusade (through the blood
of Grendel and his mother), 1631.
dryht, driht, st. f., _company, troop, band of warriors; noble band_: in
comp. mago-driht.
ge-dryht, ge-driht, st. f., _troop, band of noble warriors_: nom. sg. mînra
eorla gedryht, 431; acc. sg. äðelinga gedriht, 118; mid his eorla (häleða)
gedriht (gedryht), 357, 663; similarly, 634, 1673.--Comp. sibbe-gedriht.
dryht-bearn, st. n., _youth from a noble warrior band, noble young man_:
nom. sg. dryhtbearn Dena, 2036.
dryhten, drihten, st. m., _commander, lord_: a) _temporal lord_: nom. sg.
dryhten, 1485, 2001, etc.; drihten, 1051; dat. dryhtne, 2483, etc.;
dryhten, 1832.--b) _God_: nom. drihten, 108, etc.; dryhten, 687, etc.; dat.
sg. dryhtne, 1693, etc.; drihtne, 1399, etc.; gen. sg. dryhtnes, 441;
drihtnes, 941.--Comp.: freá-, freó-, gum-, man-, sige-, wine-dryhten.
dryht-guma, w. m., _one of a troop of warriors, noble warrior_: dat. sg.
drihtguman, 1389; nom. pl. drihtguman, 99; dryhtguman, 1232; dat. pl. ofer
dryhtgumum, 1791 (of Hrôðgâr's warriors).
dryht-lîc, adj., _(that which befits a noble troop of warriors), noble,
excellent_: dryhtlîc îren, _excellent sword_, 893; acc. sg. f. (with an
acc. sg. n.) drihtlîce wîf (of Hildeburh), 1159.
dryht-mâðum, st. m., _excellent jewel, splendid treasure_: gen. pl.
dryhtmâðma, 2844.
dryht-scipe, st. m., _(lord-ship) warlike virtue, bravery; heroic deed_:
acc. sg. drihtscype dreógan, _to do a heroic deed_, 1471.
dryht-sele, st. m., _excellent, splendid hall_: nom. sg. driht-sele, 485;
dryhtsele, 768; acc. sg. dryhtsele, 2321.
dryht-sib, st. f., _peace_ or _friendship between troops of noble
warriors_: gen. sg. dryhtsibbe, 2069.
drync, st. m., _drink_: in comp. heoru-drync.
drync-fät, st. n., _vessel for drink, to receive the drink_: acc. sg.,
2255; drinc-fät, 2307.
drysmian, w. v., _to become obscure, gloomy_ (through the falling rain):
pres. sg. III. lyft drysmað, 1376.
drysne, adj. See on-drysne.
dugan, v., _to avail, to be capable, to be good_: pres. sg. III. hûru se
aldor deáh, _especially is the prince capable_, 369; ðonne his ellen deáh,
_if his strength avails, is good_, 573; þe him selfa deáh, _who is capable
of himself, who can rely on himself_, 1840; pres. subj. þeáh þîn wit duge,
_though, indeed, your understanding be good, avail_, 590; similarly, 1661,
2032; pret. sg. þu ûs wel dohtest, _you did us good, conducted yourself
well towards us_, 1822; similarly, nu seó hand ligeð se þe eów welhwylcra
wilna dohte, _which was helpful to each one of your desires_, 1345; pret.
subj. þeáh þu heaðoræsa gehwær dohte, _though thou wast everywhere strong
in battle_, 526.
duguð (_state of being fit, capable_), st. f.: 1) _capability, strength_:
dat. pl. for dugeðum, _in ability_(?), 2502; duguðum dêmdon, _praised with
all their might_(?), 3176.--2) _men capable of bearing arms, band of
warriors_, esp., _noble warriors_: nom. sg. duguð unlytel, 498; duguð,
1791, 2255; dat. sg. for duguðe, _before the heroes_, 2021; nalles frätwe
geaf ealdor duguðe, _gave the band of heroes no treasure_ (more), 2921;
leóda duguðe on lâst, _upon the track of the heroes of the people_, i.e.
after them, 2946; gen. sg. cûðe he duguðe þeáw, _the custom of the noble
warriors_, 359; deórre duguðe, 488; similarly, 2239, 2659; acc. pl. duguða,
2036.--3) contrasted with geogoð, duguð designates the noted warriors of
noble birth (as in the Middle Ages, knights in contrast with squires): so
gen. sg. duguðe and geogoðe, 160; gehwylc ... duguðe and iogoðe, 1675;
duguðe and geogoðe dæl æghwylcne, 622.
durran, v. pret. and pres. _to dare_; prs. sg. II. þu dearst bîdan, _darest
to await_, 527; III. he gesêcean dear, 685; pres. subj. sêc gyf þu dyrre,
_seek_ (Grendel's mother), _if thou dare_, 1380; pret. dorste, 1463, 1469,
etc.; pl. dorston, 2849.
duru, st. f., _door, gate, wicket_: nom. sg., 722; acc. sg. [duru], 389.
ge-dûfan, st. v., _to dip in, to sink into_: pret. þät sweord gedeáf (_the
sword sank into the drake_, of a blow), 2701.
þurh-dûfan, _to dive through; to swim through, diving_: pret. wäter up
þurh-deáf, _swam through the water upwards_ (because he was before at the
bottom), 1620.
dwellan, w. v., _to mislead, to hinder_: prs. III. nô hine wiht dweleð, âdl
ne yldo, _him nothing misleads, neither sickness nor age_, 1736.
dyhtig, adj., _useful, good for_: nom. sg. n. sweord ... ecgum dyhtig,
1288.
dynnan, w. v., _to sound, to groan, to roar_: pret. dryhtsele (healwudu,
hruse) dynede, 768, 1318, 2559.
dyrne, adj.: 1) _concealed, secret, retired_: nom. sg. dyrne, 271; acc. sg.
dryhtsele dyrnne (of the drake's cave-hall), 2321.--2) _secret, malicious,
hidden by sorcery_: dat. instr. sg. dyrnan cräfte, _with secret magic art_,
2291; dyrnum cräfte, 2169; gen. pl. dyrnra gâsta, _of malicious spirits_
(of Grendel's kin), 1358.--Comp. un-dyrne.
dyrne, adv., _in secret, secretly_: him ...äfter deórum men dyrne langað,
_longs in secret for the dear man_, 1880.
dyrstig, adj., _bold, daring_: þeáh þe he dæda gehwäs dyrstig wære,
_although he had been courageous for every deed_, 2839.
ge-dýgan, ge-dîgan, w. v., _to endure, to overcome_, with the acc. of the
thing endured: pres. sg. II. gif þu þät ellenweorc aldre gedîgest, _if thou
survivest the heroic work with thy life_, 662; III. þät þone hilderæs hâl
gedîgeð, _that he survives the battle in safety_, 300; similarly, inf.
unfæge gedîgan weán and wräcsîð, 2293; hwäðer sêl mæge wunde gedýgan,
_which of the two can stand the wounds better_ (come off with life), 2532;
ne meahte unbyrnende deóp gedýgan, _could not endure the deep without
burning_ (could not hold out in the deep), 2550; pret. sg. I. III.
ge-dîgde, 578, 1656, 2351, 2544.
dýgol. See deógol.
dýre. See deóre.
E
ecg, st. f., _edge of the sword, point_: nom. sg. sweordes ecg, 1107; ecg,
1525, etc.; acc. sg. wið ord and wið ecge ingang forstôd, _defended the
entrance against point and edge_ (i.e. against spear and sword), 1550;
mêces ecge, 1813; nom. pl. ecge, 1146.--_Sword, battle-axe, any cutting
weapon_: nom. sg. ne wäs ecg bona (_not the sword killed him_), 2507; sió
ecg brûn (Beówulf's sword Nägling), 2578; hyne ecg fornam, _the sword
snatched him away_, 2773, etc.; nom. pl. ecga, 2829; dat. pl. äscum and
ecgum, 1773; dat. pl. (but denoting only one sword) eácnum ecgum, 2141;
gen. pl. ecga, 483, 806, 1169;--_blade_: ecg wäs îren, 1460.--Comp.: brûn-,
heard-, stýl-ecg, adj.
ecg-bana, w. m., _murderer by the sword_: dat. sg. Cain wearð tô ecg-banan
ângan brêðer, 1263.
ecg-hete, st. m., _sword-hate, enmity which the sword carries out_: nom.
sg., 84, 1739.
ecg-þracu, st. f., _sword-storm_ (of violent combat): acc. atole ecg-þräce,
597.
ed-hwyrft, st. m., _return_ (of a former condition): þâ þær sôna wearð
edhwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh Grendles môdor (i.e. after Grendel's
mother had penetrated into the hall, the former perilous condition, of the
time of the visits of Grendel, returned to the men), 1282.
ed-wendan, w. v., _to turn back, to yield, to leave off_: inf. gyf him
edwendan æfre scolde bealuwa bisigu, _if for him the affliction of evil
should ever cease_, 280.
ed-wenden, st. f., _turning, change_: nom. sg. edwenden, 1775; ed-wenden
torna gehwylces (_reparation for former neglect_), 2189.
edwît-lîf, st. n., _life in disgrace_: nom. sg., 2892.
efn, adj., _even, like_, with preceding on, and with depend. dat., _upon
the same level, near_: him on efn ligeð ealdorgewinna, _lies near him_,
2904.
efnan (see äfnan) w. v., _to carry out, to perform, to accomplish_: pres.
subj. eorlscype efne (_accomplish knightly deeds_), 2536; inf. eorlscipe
efnan, 2623; sweorda gelâc efnan (_to battle_), 1042; gerund. tô efnanne,
1942; pret. eorlscipe efnde, 2134, 3008.
efne, adv., _even, exactly, precisely, just_, united with swâ or swylc:
efne swâ swîðe swâ, _just so much as_, 1093; efne swâ sîde swâ, 1224; wäs
se gryre lässa efne swâ micle swâ, _by so much the less as ..._, 1284;
leóht inne stôd efne swâ ... scîneð, _a gleam stood therein_ (in the sword)
_just as when ... shines_, 1572; efne swâ hwylc mägða swâ þone magan cende
(_a woman who has borne such a son_), 944; efne swâ hwylcum manna swâ him
gemet þûhte, _to just such a man as seemed good to him_, 3058; efne swylce
mæla swylce ... þearf gesælde, _just at the times at which necessity
commanded it_, 1250.
eft, adv.: l) _thereupon, afterwards_: 56, 1147, 2112, 3047, etc.; eft sôna
bið, _then it happens immediately_, 1763; bôt eft cuman, _help come again_,
281.--2) _again, on the other side_: þät hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wilgesîðas, _that in old age again_ (also on their side) _willing
companions should be attached to him_, 22;--_anew, again_: 135, 604, 693,
1557, etc.; eft swâ ær, _again as formerly_, 643.--3) retro, rursus,
_back_: 123, 296, 854, etc.; þät hig äðelinges eft ne wêndon (_did not
believe that he would come back_), 1597.
eft-cyme, st. m., _return_: gen. sg. eftcymes, 2897.
eft-sîð, st. m., _journey back, return_: acc. sg. 1892; gen. sg. eft-sîðes
georn, 2784; acc. pl. eftsîðas teáh, _went the road back_, i.e. returned,
1333.
egesa, egsa (_state of terror_, active or passive): l) _frightfulness_:
acc. sg. þurh egsan, 276; gen. egesan ne gýmeð, _cares for nothing
terrible, is not troubled about future terrors_(?), 1758.--2) _terror,
horror, fear_: nom. sg. egesa, 785; instr. sg. egesan, 1828, 2737.--Comp.:
glêd-, lîg-, wäter-egesa.
eges-full, adj., _horrible (full of fear, fearful)_, 2930.
eges-lîc, adj., _terrible, bringing terror_: of Grendel's head, 1650; of
the beginning of the fight with the drake, 2310; of the drake, 2826.
egle, adj., _causing aversion, hideous_: nom. pl. neut., or, more probably,
perhaps, adverbial, egle (MS. egl), 988.
egsian (denominative from egesa), w. v., _to have terror, distress_: pret.
(as pluperf.) egsode eorl(?), 6.
ehtian, w. v., _to esteem, to make prominent with praise_: III. pl. pres.
þät þe ... weras ehtigað, _that thee men shall esteem, praise_, 1223.
elde (_those who generate_, cf. O.N. al-a, generare), st. m. only in the
pl., _men_: dat. pl. eldum, 2215; mid eldum, _among men_, 2612.--See ylde.
eldo, st. f., _age_: instr. sg. eldo gebunden, 2112.
el-land, st. n., _foreign land, exile_: acc. sg. sceall ... elland tredan,
(_shall be banished_), 3020.
ellen, st. n., _strength, heroic strength, bravery_: nom. sg. ellen, 573;
eafoð and ellen, 903; Geáta ... eafoð and ellen, 603; acc. sg. eafoð and
ellen, 2350; ellen cýðan, _show bravery_, 2696; ellen fremedon, _exercised
heroic strength, did heroic deeds_, 3; similarly, ic gefremman sceal eorlîc
ellen, 638; ferh ellen wräc, _life drove out the strength_, i.e. with the
departing life (of the dragon) his strength left him, 2707; dat. sg. on
elne, 2507, 2817; as instr. þâ wäs ät þam geongum grim andswaru êðbegête
þâm þe ær his elne forleás, _then it was easy for_ (every one of) _those
who before had lost his hero-courage, to obtain rough words from the young
man_ (Wîglâf), 2862; mid elne, 1494, 2536; elne, alone, in adverbial sense,
_strongly, zealously_, and with the nearly related meaning, _hurriedly,
transiently_, 894, 1098, 1968, 2677, 2918; gen. sg. elnes lät, 1530; þâ him
wäs elnes þearf, 2877.--Comp. mägen-ellen.
ellen-dæd, st. f., _heroic deed_: dat. pl. -dædum, 877, 901.
ellen-gæst, st. m., _strength-spirit, demon with heroic strength_: nom. sg.
of Grendel, 86.
ellen-lîce, adv., _strongly, with heroic strength_, 2123.
ellen-mærðu, st. f., _renown of heroic strength_, dat. pl. -mærðum, 829,
1472.
ellen-rôf, adj., _renowned for strength_: nom. sg. 340, 358, 3064; dat. pl.
-rôfum, 1788.
ellen-seóc, adj., _infirm in strength_: acc. sg. þeóden ellensiócne (_the
mortally wounded king, Beówulf_), 2788.
ellen-weorc, st. n., (_strength-work_), _heroic deed, achievement in
battle_: acc. sg. 662, 959, 1465, etc.; gen. pl. ellen-weorca, 2400.
elles, adv., _else, otherwise_: a (modal), _in another manner_, 2521.--b
(local), elles hwær, _somewhere else_, 138; elles hwergen, 2591.
ellor, adv., _to some other place_, 55, 2255.
ellor-gâst, -gæst, st. m., _spirit living elsewhere_ (standing outside of
the community of mankind): nom. sg. se ellorgâst (Grendel), 808; (Grendel's
mother), 1622; ellorgæst (Grendel's mother), 1618; acc. pl. ellorgæstas,
1350.
ellor-sîð, st. m., _departure, death_: nom. sg. 2452.
elra, adj. (comparative of a not existing form, ele, Goth. aljis, alius),
_another_: dat. sg. on elran men, 753.
el-þeódig, adj., _of another people: foreign_: acc. pl. el-þeódige men,
336.
ende, st. m., _the extreme_: hence, 1) _end_: nom. sg. aldres (lîfes) ende,
823, 2845; ôð þät ende becwom (scil. unrihtes), 1255; acc. sg. ende
lîfgesceafta (lîfes, læn-daga), 3064, 1387, 2343; häfde eorðscrafa ende
genyttod, _had used the end of the earth-caves_ (had made use of the caves
for the last time), 3047; dat. sg. ealdres (lîfes) ät ende, 2791, 2824;
eoletes ät ende, 224.--2) _boundary_: acc. sg. sîde rîce þät he his selfa
ne mäg ... ende geþencean, _the wide realm, so that he himself cannot
comprehend its boundaries_, 1735.--3) _summit, head_: dat. sg. eorlum on
ende, _to the nobles at the end_ (the highest courtiers), 2022.--Comp.
woruld-ende.
ende-däg, st. m., _last day, day of death_: nom. sg. 3036; acc. sg. 638.
ende-dôgor, st. m., _last day, day of death_: gen. sg. bega on wênum
endedôgores and eftcymes leótes monnes (_hesitating between the belief in
the death and in the return of the dear man_), 2897.
ende-lâf, st. f., _last remnant_: nom. sg. þu eart ende-lâf ûsses cynnes,
_art the last of our race_, 2814.
ende-leán, st. n., _final reparation_: acc. sg. 1693.
ende-sæta, w. m., _he who sits on the border, boundary-guard_: nom. sg.
(here of the strand-watchman), 241.
ende-stäf, st. m. (elementum finis), _end_: acc. sg. hit on endestäf eft
gelimpeð, _then it draws near to the end_, 1754.
ge-endian, w. v., _to end_: pret. part. ge-endod, 2312.
enge, adj., _narrow_: acc. pl. enge ânpaðas, _narrow paths_, 1411.
ent, st. m., _giant_: gen. pl. enta ær-geweorc (the sword-hilt out of the
dwelling-place of Grendel), 1680; enta geweorc (the dragon's cave), 2718;
eald-enta ær-geweorc (the costly things in the dragon's cave), 2775.
entisc, adj., _coming from giants_: acc. sg. entiscne helm, 2980.
etan, st. v., _to eat, to consume_: pres. sg. III. blôdig wäl ... eteð
ân-genga, _he that goes alone_ (Grendel) _will devour the bloody corpse_,
448; inf. Geátena leóde ... etan, 444.
þurh-etan, _to eat through_: pret. part. pl. nom. swyrd ... þurhetone,
_swords eaten through_ (by rust), 3050.
Ê
êc. See eác.
êce, adj., _everlasting_; nom. êce drihten (God), 108; acc. sg. êce
eorðreced, _the everlasting earth-hall_ (the dragon's cave), 2720; geceás
êcne ræd, _chose the everlasting gain_ (died), 1202; dat. sg. êcean
dryhtne, 1693, 1780, 2331; acc. pl. geceós êce rædas, 1761.
êdre. See ædre.
êð-begête, adj., _easy to obtain, ready_: nom. sg. þâ wäs ät þam geongum
grim andswaru êð-begête, _then from the young man_ (Wîglâf) _it was an easy
thing to get a gruff answer_, 2862.
êðe. See eáðe.
êðel, st. m., _hereditary possessions, hereditary estate_: acc. sg. swæsne
êðel, 520; dat. sg. on êðle, 1731.--In royal families the hereditary
possession is the whole realm: hence, acc. sg. êðel Scyldinga, _of the
kingdom of the Scyldings_, 914; (Offa) wîsdôme heóld êðel sînne, _ruled
with wisdom his inherited kingdom_, 1961.
êðel-riht, st. n., _hereditary privileges_ (rights that belong to a
hereditary estate): nom. sg. eard êðel-riht, _estate and inherited
privileges_, 2199.
êðel-stôl, st. m., _hereditary seat, inherited throne_: acc. pl.
êðel-stôlas, 2372.
êðel-turf, st. f., _inherited ground, hereditary estate_: dat. sg. on mînre
êðeltyrf, 410.
êðel-weard, st. m., _lord of the hereditary estate_ (realm): nom. sg.
êðelweard (_king_), 1703, 2211; dat. sg. Eást-Dena êðel wearde (King
Hrôðgâr), 617.
êðel-wyn, st. f., _joy in_, or _enjoyment of, hereditary possessions_: nom.
sg. nu sceal ... eall êðelwyn eówrum cynne, lufen âlicgean, _now shall your
race want all home-joy, and subsistence_(?) (your race shall be banished
from its hereditary abode), 2886; acc. sg. he me lond forgeaf, eard
êðelwyn, _presented me with land, abode, and the enjoyment of home_, 2494.
êð-gesýne, ýð-gesêne, adj., _easy to see, visible to all_: nom. sg. 1111,
1245.
êfstan, w. v., _to be in haste, to hasten_: inf. uton nu êfstan, _let us
hurry now_, 3102; pret. êfste mid elne, _hastened with heroic strength_,
1494.
êg-clif, st. n., _sea-cliff_: acc. sg. ofer êg-clif (ecg-clif, MS.), 2894.
êg-streám, st. m., _sea-stream, sea-flood_: dat. pl. on êg-streámum, _in
the sea-floods_, 577. See eágor-streám.
êhtan (M.H.G. æchten; cf. æht and ge-æhtla), w. v. w. gen., _to be a
pursuer, to pursue_: pres. part. äglæca êhtende wäs duguðe and geogoðe,
159; pret. pl. êhton aglæcan, _they pursued the bringer of sorrow_
(Beówulf)(?), 1513.
êst, st. m. f., _favor, grace, kindness_: acc. sg. he him êst geteáh meara
and mâðma (_honored him with horses and jewels_), 2166; gearwor häfde
âgendes êst ær gesceáwod, _would rather have seen the grace of the Lord_
(of God) _sooner_, 3076.--dat. pl., adverbial, libenter: him on folce
heóld, êstum mid âre, 2379; êstum geýwan (_to present_), 2150; him wäs ...
wunden gold êstum geeáwed (_presented_), 1195; we þät ellenweorc êstum
miclum fremedon, 959.
êste, adj., _gracious_: w. gen. êste bearn-gebyrdo, _gracious through the
birth_ (of such a son as Beówulf), 946.
EA
eafoð, st. n., _power, strength_: nom, sg. eafoð and ellen, 603, 903; acc.
sg. eafoð and ellen, 2350; we frêcne genêðdon eafoð uncûðes, _we have
boldly ventured against the strength of the enemy_ (Grendel) _have
withstood him_, 961; gen. sg. eafoðes cräftig, 1467; þät þec âdl oððe ecg
eafoðes getwæfed, _shall rob of strength_, 1764; acc. pl. eafeðo (MS.
earfeðo) [This reading cancelled. See note to l. 534--KTH], 534; dat. pl.
hine mihtig god ... eafeðum stêpte, _made him great through strength_,
1718. See Note for l. 534.
eafor, st. m., _boar_; here the image of the boar as banner: acc. sg.
eafor, 2153.
eafora (_offspring_), w. m.: 1) _son_: nom. sg. eafera, 12, 898; eafora,
375; acc. sg. eaferan, 1548, 1848; gen. sg. eafera, 19; nom. pl. eaferan,
2476; dat. pl. eaferum, 1069, 2471; uncran eaferan, 1186.--2) in broader
sense, _successor_: dat. pl. eaforum, 1711.
eahta, num., _eight_: acc. pl. eahta mearas, 1036; eode eahta sum, _went as
one of eight, with seven others_, 3124.
eahtian, w. v.: 1) _to consider; to deliberate_: pret. pl. w. acc. ræd
eahtedon, _consulted about help_, 172; pret. sg. (for the plural) þone
sêlestan þâra þe mid Hrôðgâre hâm eahtode, _the best one of those who with
Hrôðgâr deliberated about their home_ (ruled), 1408.--2) _to speak with
reflection of_ (along with the idea of praise): pret. pl. eahtodan
eorlscipe, _spoke of his noble character_, 3175.
eal, eall, adj., _all, whole_: nom. sg. werod eall, 652; pl. eal bencþelu,
486; sg. eall êðelwyn, 2886; eal worold, 1739, etc.; þät hit wearð eal
gearo, healärna mæst, 77; þät hit (wîgbil) eal gemealt, 1609. And with a
following genitive: þær wäs eal geador Grendles grâpe, _there was all
together Grendel's hand, the whole hand of Grendel_, 836; eall ... lissa,
_all favor_, 2150; wäs eall sceacen dôgorgerîmes, 2728. With apposition:
þûhte him eall tô rûm, wongas and wîcstede, 2462; acc. sg. beót eal, 523;
similarly, 2018, 2081; oncýððe ealle, _all distress_, 831; heals ealne,
2692; hlæw ... ealne ûtan-weardne, 2298; gif he þät eal gemon, 1186, 2428;
þät eall geondseh, recedes geatwa, 3089; ealne wîde-ferhð, _through the
whole wide life, through all time_, 1223; instr. sg. ealle mägene, _with
all strength_, 2668; dat. sg. eallum ... manna cynne, 914; gen. sg. ealles
moncynnes, 1956. Subst. ic þäs ealles mäg ... gefeán habban, 2740; brûc
ealles well, 2163; freán ealles þanc secge, _give thanks to the Lord of
all_, 2795; nom. pl. untydras ealle, 111; sceótend ... ealle, 706; we
ealle, 942; acc. pl. feónd ealle, 700; similarly, 1081, 1797, 2815; subst.
ofer ealle, 650; ealle hie deáð fornam, 2237; lîg ealle forswealg þâra þe
þær gûð fornam, _all of those whom the war had snatched away_, 1123; dat.
pl. eallum ceaster-bûendum, 768; similarly, 824, 907, 1418; subst. âna wið
eallum, _one against all_, 145; with gen. eallum gumena cynnes, 1058; gen.
pl. äðelinga bearn ealra twelfa, _the kinsmen of all twelve nobles_ (twelve
nobles hold the highest positions of the court), 3172; subst. he âh ealra
geweald, _has power over all_, 1728.
Uninflected: bil eal þurhwôd flæschoman, _the battle-axe cleft the body
through and through_, 1568; häfde ... eal gefeormod fêt and folma, _had
devoured entirely feet and hands_, 745; se þe eall geman gâr-cwealm gumena,
_who remembers thoroughly the death of the men by the spear_, 2043, etc.
Adverbial: þeáh ic eal mæge, _although I am entirely able_, 681; hî on
beorg dydon bêg and siglu eall swylce hyrsta, _they placed in the
grave-mound rings, and ornaments, all such adornments_, 3165.--The gen. sg.
ealles, adverbial in the sense of _entirely_, 1001, 1130.
eald, adj., _old_: a) of the age of living beings: nom. sg. eald, 357,
1703, 2211, etc.; dat. sg. ealdum, 2973; gen. sg. ealdes uhtflogan
(_dragon_), 2761; dat. sg. ealdum, 1875; geongum and ealdum, 72.--b) of
things and of institutions: nom. sg. helm monig eald and ômig, 2764; acc.
sg. ealde lâfe (_sword_), 796, 1489; ealde wîsan, 1866; eald sweord, 1559,
1664, etc.; eald gewin, _old_ (lasting years), _distress_, 1782; eald enta
geweorc (_the precious things in the drake's cave_), 2775; acc. pl. ealde
mâðmas, 472; ofer ealde riht, _against the old laws_ (namely, the Ten
Commandments; Beówulf believes that God has sent him the drake as a
punishment, because he has unconsciously, at some time, violated one of the
commandments), 2331.
yldra, compar. _older_: mîn yldra mæg, 468; yldra brôðor, 1325; ôð þät he
(Heardrêd) yldra wearð, 2379.
yldesta, superl. _oldest_, in the usual sense; dat. sg. þam yldestan, 2436;
in a moral sense, _the most respected_: nom. sg. se yldesta, 258; acc. sg.
þone yldestan, 363, both times of Beówulf.
eald-fäder, st. m., _old-father, grandfather, ancestor_: nom. sg. 373.
eald-gesegen, st. f., _traditions from old times_: gen. pl. eal-fela
eald-gesegena, _very many of the old traditions_, 870.
eald-gesîð, st. m., _companion ever since old times, courtier for many
years_: nom. pl. eald-gesîðas, 854.
eald-gestreón, st. n., _treasure out of the old times_: dat. pl.
eald-gestreónum, 1382; gen. pl. -gestreóna, 1459.
eald-gewinna, w. m., _old-enemy, enemy for many years_: nom. sg. of
Grendel, 1777.
eald-gewyrht, st. n., _merit on account of services rendered during many
years_: nom. pl. þät næron eald-gewyrht, þät he âna scyle gnorn þrowian,
_that has not been his desert ever since long ago, that he should bear the
distress alone_, 2658.
eald-hlâford, st. m., _lord through many years_: gen. sg. bill
eald-hlâfordes (of the old Beówulf(?)), 2779.
eald-metod, st. m., _God ruling ever since ancient times_: nom. sg. 946.
ealdor, aldor, st. m., _lord, chief_ (king or powerful noble): nom. sg.
ealdor, 1645, 1849, 2921; aldor, 56, 369, 392; acc. sg. aldor, 669; dat.
sg. ealdre, 593; aldre, 346.
ealdor, aldor, st. n., _life_: acc. sg. aldor, 1372; dat. sg. aldre, 1448,
1525; ealdre, 2600; him on aldre stôd herestræl hearda (in vitalibus),
1435; nalles for ealdre mearn, _was not troubled about his life_, 1443; of
ealdre gewât, _went out of life, died_, 2625; as instr. aldre, 662, 681,
etc.; ealdre, 1656, 2134, etc.; gen. sg. aldres, 823; ealdres, 2791, 2444;
aldres orwêna, _despairing of life_, 1003, 1566; ealdres scyldig, _having
forfeited life_, 1339, 2062; dat. pl. aldrum nêðdon, 510, 538.--Phrases: on
aldre (_in life_), _ever_, 1780; tô aldre (_for life_), _always_, 2006,
2499; âwa tô aldre, _for ever and ever_, 956.
ealdor-bealu, st. n., _life's evil_: acc. sg. þu ... ondrædan ne þearft ...
aldorbealu eorlum, _thou needest not fear death for the courtiers_, 1677.
ealdor-cearu, st. f., _trouble that endangers life, great trouble_: dat.
sg. he his leódum wearð ... tô aldor-ceare, 907.
ealdor-dagas, st. m. pl., _days of one's life_: dat. pl. næfre on
aldor-dagum (_never in his life_), 719; on ealder-dagum ær (_in former
days_), 758.
ealdor-gedâl, st. n., _severing of life, death, end_: nom. sg. aldor-gedâl,
806.
ealdor-gewinna, w. m., _life-enemy, one who strives to take his enemy's
life_ (in N.H.G. the contrary conception, Tod-feind): nom. sg.
ealdorgewinna (_the dragon_), 2904.
ealdor-leás, adj., _without a ruler_(?): nom. pl. aldor-leáse, 15.
ealdor-leás, adj., _lifeless, dead_: acc. sg. aldor-leásne, 1588;
ealdor-leásne, 3004.
ealdor-þegn, st. m., _nobleman at the court, distinguished courtier_: acc.
sg. aldor-þegn (Hrôðgâr's confidential adviser, Äschere), 1309.
eal-fela, adj., _very much_: with following gen., eal-fela eald-gesegena,
_very many old traditions_, 870; eal-fela eotena cynnes, 884.
ealgian, w. v., _to shield, to defend, to protect_: inf. w. acc. feorh
ealgian, 797, 2656, 2669; pret. siððan he (Hygelâc) under segne sinc
eal-gode, wälreáf werede, _while under his banner he protected the
treasures, defended the spoil of battle_ (i.e. while he was upon the Viking
expeditions), 1205.
eal-gylden, adj., _all golden, entirely of gold_: nom. sg. swýn ealgylden,
1112; acc. sg. segn eallgylden, 2768.
eal-îrenne, adj., _entirely of iron_: acc. sg. eall-îrenne wîgbord, _a
wholly iron battle-shield_, 2339.
ealu, st. n., _ale, beer_: acc. sg. ealo drincende, 1946.
ealu-benc, st. f., _ale-bench, bench for those drinking ale_: dat. sg. in
ealo-bence, 1030; on ealu-bence, 2868.
ealu-scerwen, st. f., _terror_, under the figure of a mishap at an
ale-drinking, probably the sudden taking away of the ale: nom. sg. Denum
eallum wearð ... ealuscerwen, 770.
ealu-wæge, st. n., _ale-can, portable vessel out of which ale is poured
into the cups_: acc. sg. 2022; hroden ealowæge, 495; dat. sg. ofer ealowæge
(_at the ale-carouse_), 481.
eal-wealda, w. adj., _all ruling_ (God): nom. sg. fäder alwalda, 316;
alwalda, 956, 1315; dat. sg. al-wealdan, 929.
eard, st. m., _cultivated ground, estate, hereditary estate_; in a broader
sense, _ground in general, abode, place of sojourn_: nom. sg. him wäs bâm
... lond gecynde, eard êðel-riht, _the land was bequeathed to them both,
the land and the privileges attached to it._ 2199; acc. sg. fîfel-cynnes
eard, _the ground of the giant race, place of sojourn_, 104; similarly,
älwihta eard, 1501; eard gemunde, _thought of his native ground, his home_,
1130; eard git ne const, _thou knowest not yet the place of sojourn._ 1378;
eard and eorlscipe, _prædium et nobilitatem_, 1728; eard êðelwyn, _land and
the enjoyment of home_, 2494; dat. sg. ellor hwearf of earde, _went
elsewhere from his place of abode_, i.e. died, 56; þät we rondas beren eft
tô earde, _that we go again to our homes_, 2655; on earde, 2737; nom. pl.
eácne eardas, _the broad expanses_ (in the fen-sea where Grendel's home
was), 1622.
eardian, w. v.: 1) _to have a dwelling-place, to live; to rest_: pret. pl.
dýre swyrd swâ hie wið eorðan fäðm þær eardodon, _costly swords, as they
had rested in the earth's bosom_, 3051.--2) also transitively, _to
inhabit_: pret. sg. Heorot eardode, 166; inf. wîc eardian elles hwergen,
_inhabit a place elsewhere_ (i.e. die), 2590.
eard-lufa, w. m., _the living upon one's land, home-life_: acc. sg.
eard-lufan, 693.
earfoð-lîce, adv., _with trouble, with difficulty_, 1637, 1658; _with
vexation, angrily_, 86; _sorrowfully_, 2823; _with difficulty, scarcely_,
2304, 2935.
earfoð-þrag, st. f., _time full of troubles, sorrowful time_: acc. sg.
-þrage, 283.
earh, adj., _cowardly_: gen. sg. ne bið swylc earges sîð (_no coward
undertaken that_), 2542.
earm, st. m., _arm_: acc. sg. earm, 836, 973; wið earm gesät, _supported
himself with his arm_, 750; dat. pl. earmum, 513.
earm, adj., _poor, miserable, unhappy_: nom. sg. earm, 2369; earme ides,
_the unhappy woman_, 1118; dat. sg. earmre teohhe, _the unhappy band_,
2939.--Comp. acc. sg. earmran mannan, _a more wretched, more forsaken man_,
577.
earm-beág, st. m., _arm-ring, bracelet_: gen. pl. earm-beága fela searwum
gesæled, _many arm-rings interlaced_, 2764.
earm-hreád, st. f., _arm-ornament_. nom. pl. earm-hreáde twâ, 1195 (Grein's
conjecture, MS. earm reade).
earm-lîc, adj., _wretched, miserable_: nom. sg. sceolde his ealdor-gedâl
earmlîc wurðan, _his end should be wretched_, 808.
earm-sceapen, pret. part. as adj. (_properly, wretched by the decree of
fate_), _wretched_: nom. sg. 1352.
earn, st. m., _eagle_: dat. sg. earne, 3027.
eatol. See atol.
eaxl, st. f., _shoulder_: acc. sg. eaxle, 836, 973; dat. sg. on eaxle, 817,
1548; be eaxle, 1538; on eaxle ides gnornode, _the woman sobbed on the
shoulder_ (of her son, who has fallen and is being burnt), 1118; dat. pl.
sät freán eaxlum neáh, _sat near the shoulders of his lord_ (Beówulf lies
lifeless upon the earth, and Wîglâf sits by his side, near his shoulder, so
as to sprinkle the face of his dead lord), 2854; he for eaxlum gestôd
Deniga freán, _he stood before the shoulders of the lord of the Danes_
(i.e. not directly before him, but somewhat to the side, as etiquette
demanded), 358.
eaxl-gestealla, w. m., _he who has his position at the shoulder_ (sc. of
his lord), _trusty courtier, counsellor of a prince_: nom. sg. 1327; acc.
pl. -gesteallan, 1715.
EÁ
eác, conj., _also_: 97, 388, 433, etc.; êc, 3132.
eácen (pret. part. of a not existing eacan, augere), adj., _wide-spread_,
_large_: nom. pl. eácne eardas, _broad plains_, 1622.--_great, heavy_: eald
sweord eácen, 1664; dat. pl. eácnum ecgum, 2141, both times of the great
sword in Grendel's habitation.--_great, mighty, powerful_: äðele and eácen,
of Beówulf, 198.
eácen-cräftig, adj., _immense_ (of riches), _enormously great_: acc. sg.
hord-ärna sum eácen-cräftig, _that enormous treasure-house_, 2281; nom. sg.
þät yrfe eácen-cräftig, iúmonna gold, 3052.
eádig, adj., _blessed with possessions, rich, happy by reason of property_:
nom. sg. wes, þenden þu lifige, äðeling eádig, _be, as long as thou livest,
a prince blessed with riches_, 1226; eádig mon, 2471.--Comp. sige-, sigor-,
tîr-eádig.
eádig-lîce, adv., _in abundance, in joyous plenty_: dreámum lifdon
eádiglîce, _lived in rejoicing and plenty_, 100.
eáðe, êðe, ýðe, adj., _easy, pleasant_: nom. pl. gode þancedon þäs þe him
ýð-lâde eáðe wurdon, _thanked God that the sea-ways_ (the navigation) _had
become easy to them_, 228; ne wäs þät êðe sîð, _no pleasant way_, 2587; näs
þät ýðe ceáp, _no easy purchase_, 2416; nô þät ýðe byð tô befleónne, _not
easy_ (as milder expression for _in no way, not at all_), 1003.
eáðe, ýðe, adv., _easily_. eáðe, 478, 2292, 2765.
eáð-fynde, adj., _easy to find_: nom. sg. 138.
eáge, w. n., _eye_: dat. pl. him of eágum stôd leóht unfäger, _out of his
eyes came a terrible gleam_, 727; þät ic ... eágum starige, _see with eyes,
behold_, 1782; similarly, 1936; gen. pl. eágena bearhtm, 1767.
eágor-streám, st. m., _sea-stream sea_: acc. sg. 513.
eá-land, st. n., _land surrounded by water_ (of the land of the Geátas):
acc. sg. eá-lond, 2335; _island_.
eám, st. m., _uncle, mothers brother_: nom. sg. 882.
eástan, adv., _from the east_, 569.
eáwan, w. v., _to disclose, to show, to prove_: pres. sg. III. eáweð ...
uncûðne nîð, _shows evil enmity_, 276. See eówan, ýwan.
ge-eáwan, _to show, to offer_: pret. part. him wäs ... wunden gold êstum
ge-eáwed, _was graciously presented_, 1195.
EO
eode. See gangan.
eodor, st. m., _fence, hedge, railing_. Among the old Germans, an estate
was separated by a fence from the property of others. Inside of this fence
the laws of peace and protection held good, as well as in the house itself.
Hence eodor is sometimes used instead of _house_: acc. pl. hêht eahta
mearas on flet teón, in under eoderas, _gave orders to lead eight steeds
into the hall, into the house_, 1038.--2) figuratively, _lord, prince_, as
protector: nom. sg. eodor, 428, 1045; eodur, 664.
eofoð, st. n., _strength_: acc. pl. eofoðo, 2535. See eafoð.
eofer, st. m.: 1) _boar_, here of the metal boar-image upon the helmet:
nom. sg. eofer îrenheard, 1113.--2) figuratively, _bold hero, brave
fighter_ (O.N. iöfur): nom. pl. þonne ... eoferas cnysedan, _when the
heroes rushed upon each other_, 1329, where eoferas and fêðan stand in the
same relation to each other as cnysedan and hniton.
eofor-lîc, st. n. _boar-image_ (on the helmet): nom. pl. eofor-lîc scionon,
303.
eofor-spreót, st. m., _boar-spear_: dat. pl. mid eofer-spreótum
heóro-hôcyhtum, _with hunting-spears which were provided with sharp hooks_,
1438.
eoguð, ioguð. See geogoð.
eolet, st. m. n., _sea_(?): gen. sg. eoletes, 224.
eorclan-stân, st. m., _precious stone_: acc. pl. -stânas, 1209.
eorð-cyning, st. m., _king of the land_: gen. sg. eorð-cyninges (Finn),
1156.
eorð-draca, w. m., _earth-drake, dragon that lives in the earth_: nom. sg.
2713, 2826.
eorðe, w. f.: 1) _earth_ (in contrast with heaven), _world_: acc. sg.
älmihtiga eorðan worhte, 92; wîde geond eorðan, _far over the earth,
through the wide world_, 266; dat. sg. ofer eorðan, 248, 803; on eorðan,
1823, 2856, 3139; gen. sg. eorðan, 753.--2) _earth, ground_: acc. sg. he
eorðan gefeóll, _fell to the ground_, 2835; forlêton eorla gestreón eorðan
healdan, _let the earth hold the nobles' treasure_, 3168; dat. sg. þät hit
on eorðan läg, 1533; under eorðan, 2416; gen. sg. wið eorðan fäðm (_in the
bosom of the earth_), 3050.
eorð-reced, st. n., _hall in the earth, rock-hall_: acc. sg. 2720.
eorð-scräf, st. n., _earth-cavern, cave_: dat. sg. eorð-[scräfe], 2233;
gen. pl. eorð-scräfe, 3047.
eorð-sele, st. m., _hall in the earth, cave_: acc. sg. eorð-sele, 2411; dat
sg. of eorðsele, 2516.
eorð-weall, st. m., _earth-wall_: acc. sg. (Ongenþeów) beáh eft under
eorðweall, _fled again under the earth-wall_ (into his fortified camp),
2958; þâ me wäs ... sîð âlýfed inn under eorðweall, _then the way in, under
the earth-wall was opened to me_ (into the dragon's cave), 3091.
eorð-weard, st. m., _land-property, estate_: acc. sg. 2335.
eorl, st. m., _noble born man, a man of the high nobility_: nom. sg. 762,
796, 1229, etc.; acc. sg. eorl, 573, 628, 2696; gen. sg. eorles, 690, 983,
1758, etc.; acc. pl. eorlas, 2817; dat. pl. eorlum, 770, 1282, 1650, etc.;
gen. pl. eorla, 248, 357, 369, etc.--Since the king himself is from the
stock of the eorlas, he is also called eorl, 6, 2952.
eorl-gestreón, st. n., _wealth of the nobles_: gen. pl. eorl-gestreóna ...
hardfyrdne dæl, 2245.
eorl-gewæde, st. n., _knightly dress, armor_: dat. pl. -gewædum, 1443.
eorlîc (i.e. eorl-lîc), adj., _what it becomes a noble born man to do,
chivalrous_: acc. sg. eorlîc ellen, 638.
eorl-scipe, st. m., _condition of being noble born, chivalrous nature,
nobility_: acc. sg. eorl-scipe, 1728, 3175; eorl-scipe efnan, _to do
chivalrous deeds_, 2134, 2536, 2623, 3008.
eorl-weorod, st. n., _followers of nobles_: nom. sg. 2894.
eormen-cyn, st. n., _very extensive race, mankind_: gen. sg. eormen-cynnes,
1958.
eormen-grund, st. m., _immensely wide plains, the whole broad earth_: acc.
sg. ofer eormen-grund, 860.
eormen-lâf, st. f., _enormous legacy_: acc. sg. eormen-lâfe äðelan cynnes
(_the treasures of the dragon's cave_) 2235.
eorre, adj., _angry, enraged_: gen. sg. eorres, 1448.
eoton, st. m.: 1) _giant_: nom. sg. eoten (Grendel), 762; dat. sg.
uninflected, eoton (Grendel), 669; nom. pl. eotenas, 112.--2) Eotens,
subjects of Finn, the N. Frisians: 1073, 1089, 1142; dat. pl. 1146. See
List of Names, p. 114.
eotonisc, adj., _gigantic, coming from giants_: acc. sg. eald sweord
eotenisc (eotonisc), 1559, 2980, (etonisc, MS.) 2617.
EÓ
eóred-geatwe, st. f. pl., _warlike adornments_: acc. pl., 2867.
eówan, w. v., _to show, to be seen_: pres. sg. III. ne gesacu ôhwær,
ecghete eóweð, _nowhere shows itself strife, sword-hate_, 1739. See eáwan,
ýwan.
eówer: 1) gen. pl. pers. pron., vestrum: eówer sum, _that one of you_
(namely, Beówulf), 248; fæhðe eówer leóde, _the enmity of the people of
you_ (of your people), 597; nis þät eówer sîð ... nefne mîn ânes, 2533.--2)
poss. pron., _your_, 251, 257, 294, etc.
F
ge-fandian, -fondian, w. v., _to try, to search for, to find out, to
experience_: w. gen. pret. part. þät häfde gumena sum goldes gefandod,
_that a man had discovered the gold_, 2302; þonne se ân hafað þurh deâðes
nýd dæda gefondad, _now the one_ (Herebeald) _has with death's pang
experienced the deeds_ (the unhappy bow-shot of Hæðcyn), 2455.
fara, w. m., _farer, traveller_: in comp. mere-fara.
faran, st. v., _to move from one place to another, to go, to wander_: inf.
tô hâm faran, _to go home_, 124; lêton on geflît faran fealwe mearas, _let
the fallow horses go in emulation_, 865; cwom faran flotherge on Fresna
land, _had come to Friesland with a fleet_, 2916; com leóda dugoðe on lâst
faran, _came to go upon the track of the heroes of his people_, i.e. to
follow them, 2946; gerund wæron äðelingas eft tô leódum fûse tô farenne,
_the nobles were ready to go again to their people_, 1806; pret. sg. gegnum
fôr [þâ] ofer myrcan môr, _there had_ (Grendel's mother) _gone away over
the dark fen_, 1405; sægenga fôr, _the seafarer_ (the ship) _drove along_,
1909; (wyrm) mid bæle fôr, (the dragon) _fled away with fire_, 2309; pret.
pl. þät ... scawan scîrhame tô scipe fôron, _that the visitors in
glittering attire betook themselves to the ship_, 1896.
gefaran, _to proceed, to act_: inf. hû se mânsceaða under færgripum gefaran
wolde, _how he would act in his sudden attacks_, 739.
ût faran, _to go out_: w. acc. lêt of breóstum ... word ût faran, _let
words go out of his breast, uttered words_, 2552.
faroð, st. m., _stream, flood of the sea_: dat. sg. tô brimes faroðe, 28;
äfter faroðe, _with the stream_, 580; ät faroðe, 1917.
faru, st. f., _way, passage, expedition_: in comp. âd-faru.
fâcen-stäf (elementum nequitiae), st. m., _wickedness, treachery, deceit_.
acc. pl. fâcen-stafas, 1019.
fâh, fâg, adj., _many-colored, variegated, of varying color_ (especially
said of the color of gold, of bronze, and of blood, in which the beams of
light are refracted): nom. sg. fâh (_covered with blood_), 420; blôde fâh,
935; âtertânum fâh (sc. îren) [This is the MS reading; emmended to
âterteárum in text--KTH], 1460; sadol searwum fâh (_saddle artistically
ornamented with gold_), 1039; sweord swâte fâh, 1287; brim blôde fâh, 1595;
wäldreóre fâg, 1632; (draca) fýrwylmum fâh (_because he spewed flame_),
2672; sweord fâh and fäted, 2702; blôde fâh, 2975; acc. sg. dreóre fâhne,
447; goldsele fättum fâhne, 717; on fâgne flôr treddode, _trod the shining
floor_ (of Heorot), 726; hrôf golde fâhne, _the roof shining with gold_,
928; nom. pl. eoforlîc ... fâh and fýr-beard, 305; acc. pl. þâ hilt since
fâge, 1616; dat. pl. fâgum sweordum, 586.--Comp. bân-, blôd-, brûn-,
dreór-, gold-, gryre-, searo-, sinc-, stân-, swât-, wäl-, wyrm-fâh.
fâh, fâg, fâ, adj.: 1) _hostile_: nom. sg. fâh feónd-scaða, 554; he wäs fâg
wið god (Grendel), 812; acc. sg. fâne (_the dragon_), 2656; gen. pl. fâra,
578, 1464.--2) _liable to pursuit, without peace, outlawed_: nom. sg. fâg,
1264; mâne fâh, _outlawed through crime_, 979; fyren-dædum fâg,
1002.--Comp. nearo-fâh.
fâmig-heals, adj., _with foaming neck_: nom. sg. flota fâmig-heals, 218;
(sægenga) fâmig-heals, 1910.
fäc, st. n., _period of time_: acc. sg. lytel fäc, _during a short time_,
2241.
fäder, st. m., _father_: nom. sg. fäder, 55, 262, 459, 2609; of God, 1610;
fäder alwalda, 316; acc. sg. fäder, 1356; dat. sg. fäder, 2430; gen. sg.
fäder, 21, 1480; of God, 188--Comp.: ær, eald-fäder.
fädera, w. m., _father's brother_ in comp. suhter-gefäderan.
fäder-äðelo, st. n. pl., _paternus principatus_ (?): dat. pl. fäder-äðelum,
912.
fäderen-mæg, st. m., _kinsman descended from the same father,
co-descendant_: dat. sg. fäderen-mæge, 1264.
fäðm, st. m.: 1) _the outspread, encircling arms_: instr. pl. feóndes
fäð[mum], 2129.--2) _embrace, encircling_: nom. sg. lîges fäðm, 782; acc.
sg. in fýres fäðm, 185.--3) _bosom, lap_: acc. sg. on foldan fäðm, 1394;
wið eorðan fäðm, 3050; dat. pl. tô fäder (God's) fäðmum, 188.--4) _power,
property_: acc. in Francna fäðm, 1211.--Cf. sîd-fäðmed, sîð-fäðme.
fäðmian, w. v., _to embrace, to take up into itself_: pres. subj. þät minne
lîchaman ... glêd fäðmie, 2653; inf. lêton flôd fäðmian frätwa hyrde, 3134.
ge-fäg, adj., _agreeable, desirable_ (Old Eng., fawe, _willingly_): comp.
ge-fägra, 916.
fägen, adj., _glad, joyous_: nom. pl. ferhðum fägne, _the glad at heart_,
1634.
fäger, adj., _beautiful, lovely_: nom. sg. fäger fold-bold, 774; fäger
foldan bearm, 1138; acc. sg. freoðoburh fägere, 522; nom. pl. þær him
fold-wegas fägere þûhton, 867.--Comp. un-fäger.
fägere, fägre, adv., _beautifully, well, becomingly, according to
etiquette_: fägere geþægon medoful manig, 1015; þâ wäs flet-sittendum
fägere gereorded, _becomingly the repast was served_, 1789; Higelâc ongan
... fägre fricgean, 1986; similarly, 2990.
fär, st. n., _craft, ship_: nom. sg., 33.
fäst, adj., _bound, fast_: nom. sg. bið se slæp tô fäst, 1743; acc. sg.
freóndscipe fästne, 2070; fäste frioðuwære, 1097.--The prep. on stands to
denote the where or wherein: wäs tô fäst on þâm (sc. on fæhðe and fyrene),
137; on ancre fäst, 303. Or, oftener, the dative: feónd-grâpum fäst,
_(held) fast in his antagonist's clutch_, 637; fýrbendum fäst, _fast in the
forged hinges_, 723; handa fäst, 1291, etc.; hygebendum fäst (beorn him
langað), _fast (shut) in the bonds of his bosom, the man longs for_ (i.e.
in secret), 1879.--Comp: âr-, blæd-, gin-, sôð-, tîr-, wîs-fäst.
fäste, adv., _fäst_ 554, 761, 774, 789, 1296.--Comp. fästor, 143.
be-fästan, w. v., _to give over_: inf. hêt Hildeburh hire selfre sunu
sweoloðe befästan, _to give over to the flames her own son_, 1116.
fästen, st. n., _fortified place, or place difficult of access_: acc. sg.
leóda fästen, _the fastness of the Geátas_ (with ref. to 2327), 2334;
fästen (Ongenþeów's castle or fort), 2951; fästen (Grendel's house in the
fen-sea), 104.
fäst-ræd, adj., _firmly resolved_: acc. sg. fäst-rædne geþôht, _firm
determination_, 611.
fät, st. m., _way, journey_: in comp. sîð-fät.
fät, st. n., _vessel; vase, cup_: acc. pl. fyrn-manna fatu, _the
(drinking-) vessels of men of old times_, 2762.--Comp.: bân-, drync-,
mâððum-, sinc-, wundor-fät.
fät, st. n. (?), _plate, sheet of metal_, especially _gold plate_ (Dietrich
Hpt. Ztschr. XI. 420): dat. pl. gold sele ... fättum fâhne, _shining with
gold plates_ (the walls and the inner part of the roof were partly covered
with gold), 717; sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde fätum befeallen (sc.
wesan), _the gold ornaments shall fall away from it_, 2257.
fäted, fätt, part., _ornamented with gold beaten into plate-form_: gen. sg.
fättan goldes, 1094, 2247; instr. sg. fättan golde, 2103. Elsewhere,
_covered, ornamented with gold plate_: nom. sg. sweord ... fäted, 2702;
acc. sg. fäted wæge, 2254, 2283; acc. pl. fätte scyldas, 333; fätte beágas,
1751. [fæted, etc.]
fäted-hleór, adj., phaleratus gena (Dietr.): acc. pl. eahta mearas
fäted-hleóre (_eight horses with bridles covered with plates of gold_),
1037.
fät-gold, st. n., _gold in sheets_ or _plates_: acc. sg., 1922.
fæge, adj.: 1) _forfeited to death, allotted to death by fate_: nom. sg.
fæge, 1756, 2142, 2976; fæge and ge-flýmed, 847; fûs and fæge, 1242; acc.
sg. fægne flæsc-homan, 1569; dat. sg. fægum, 2078; gen. sg. fæges,
1528.--2) _dead_: dat. pl. ofer fægum (_over the warriors fallen in the
battle_), 3026.--Comp.: deáð-, un-fæge.
fæhð (_state of hostility_, see fâh), st. f., _hostile act, feud, battle_:
nom. sg. fæhð, 2404, 3062; acc. sg. fæhðe, 153, 459, 470, 596, 1334, etc.;
also of the unhappy bowshot of the Hrêðling, Hæðcyn, by which he killed his
brother, 2466; dat. sg. fore fæhðe and fyrene, 137; nalas for fæhðe mearn
(_did not recoil from the combat_), 1538; gen. sg, ne gefeah he þære fæhðe,
109; gen. pl. fæhða gemyndig, 2690.--Comp. wäl-fæhð.
fæhðo, st. f., same as above: nom. sg. sió fæhðo, 3000; acc. fæhðo, 2490.
fælsian, w. v., _to bring into a good condition, to cleanse_: inf. þät ic
môte ... Heorot fælsian (from the plague of Grendel), 432; pret. Hrôðgâres
... sele fælsode, 2353.
ge-fælsian, w. v., same as above: pret. part. häfde gefælsod ... sele
Hrôðgâres, 826; Heorot is gefælsod, 1177; wæron ýð-gebland eal gefælsod,
1621.
fæmne, w. f., _virgin, recens nupta_: dat. sg. fæmnan, 2035; gen. sg.
fæmnan, 2060, both times of Hrôðgâr's daughter Freáware.
fær, st. m., _sudden, unexpected attack_: nom. sg. (attack upon Hnäf's band
by Finn's), 1069, 2231.
fær-gripe, st. m., _sudden, treacherous gripe, attack_: nom. sg. fær-gripe
flôdes, 1517; dat. pl. under færgripum, 739.
fær-gryre, st. m., _fright caused by a sudden attack_: dat. pl. wið
fær-gryrum (against the inroads of Grendel into Heorot), 174.
færinga, adv., _suddenly, unexpectedly_, 1415, 1989.
fær-nîð, st. m., _hostility with sudden attacks_: gen. pl. hwät me Grendel
hafað ... færnîða gefremed, 476.
feðer-gearwe, st. f. pl. _(feather-equipment), the feathers of the shaft of
the arrow_: dat. (instr.) pl. sceft feðer-gearwum fûs, 3120.
fel, st. n., _skin, hide_: dat. pl. glôf ... gegyrwed dracan fellum, _made
of the skins of dragons_, 2089.
fela, I., adj. indecl., _much, many_: as subst.: acc. sg. fela fricgende,
2107. With worn placed before: hwät þu worn fela ... ymb Brecan spræce,
_how very much you spoke about Breca_, 530.--With gen. sg.: acc. sg. fela
fyrene, 810; wyrm-cynnes fela, 1426; worna fela sorge, 2004; tô fela micles
... Denigea leóde, _too much of the race of the Danes_, 695; uncûðes fela,
877; fela lâðes, 930; fela leófes and lâðes, 1061.--With gen. pl.: nom. sg.
fela mâdma, 36; fela þæra wera and wîfa, 993, etc.; acc. sg. fela missera,
153; fela fyrena, 164; ofer landa fela, 311; mâððum-sigla fela (falo, MS.),
2758; ne me swôr fela âða on unriht, _swore no false oaths_, 2739, etc.;
worn fela mâðma, 1784; worna fela gûða, 2543.--Comp. eal-fela.
II., adverbial, _very_, 1386, 2103, 2951.
fela-hrôr, adj., valde agitatus, _very active against the enemy, very
warlike_, 27.
fela-môdig, adj., _very courageous_: gen. pl. -môdigra, 1638, 1889.
fela-synnig, adj., _very criminal, very guilty_: acc. sg. fela-sinnigne
secg (in MS., on account of the alliteration, changed to simple sinnigne),
1380.
feólan, st. v., _to betake one's self into a place, to conceal one's self_:
pret. siððan inne fealh Grendles môdor (in Heorot), 1282; þær inne fealh
secg syn-bysig (in the dragon's cave), 2227.--_to fall into, undergo,
endure_: searonîðas fealh, 1201.
ät-feólan, w. dat., insistere, adhærere: pret. nô ic him þäs georne ätfealh
_(held him not fast enough_, 969.
fen, st. n., _fen, moor_: acc. sg. fen, 104; dat. sg. tô fenne, 1296;
fenne, 2010.
fen-freoðo, st. f., _refuge in the fen_: dat. sg. in fen-freoðo, 852.
feng, st. m., _gripe, embrace_: nom. sg. fýres feng, 1765; acc. sg. fâra
feng (of the hostile sea-monsters), 578.--Comp. inwit-feng.
fengel (probably _he who takes possession_, cf. tô fôn, 1756, and fôn tô
rîce, _to enter upon the government_), st. m., _lord, prince, king_: nom.
sg. wîsa fengel, 1401; snottra fengel, 1476, 2157; hringa fengel, 2346.
fen-ge-lâd, st. n., _fen-paths, fen with paths_: acc. pl. frêcne fengelâd
(_fens difficult of access_), 1360.
fen-hlið, st. n., _marshy precipice_: acc. pl. under fen-hleoðu, 821.
fen-hop, st. n., _refuge in the fen_: acc. pl. on fen-hopu, 765.
ferh, st. m. n., _life_; see feorh.
ferh, st. m., _hog, boar_, here of the boar-image on the helmet: nom. sg.,
305.
ferhð, st. m., _heart, soul_: dat. sg. on ferhðe, 755, 949, 1719; gehwylc
hiora his ferhðe treówde, þät ..., _each of them trusted to his_
(Hûnferð's) _heart, that_ ..., 1167; gen. sg. ferhðes fore-þanc, 1061; dat.
pl. (adverbial) ferhðum fägne, _happy at heart_, 1634; þät mon ... ferhðum
freóge, _that one ... heartily love_, 3178.--Comp.: collen-, sarig-,
swift-, wide-ferhð.
ferhð-frec, adj., _having good courage, bold, brave_: acc. sg. ferhð-frecan
Fin, 1147.
ferhð-genîðla, w. m., _mortal enemy_: acc. sg. ferhð-genîðlan, of the
drake, 2882.
ferian, w. v. w. acc., _to bear, to bring, to conduct_: pres. II. pl.
hwanon ferigeað fätte scyldas, 333; pret. pl. tô scypum feredon eal
ingesteald eorðcyninges, 1155; similarly, feredon, 1159, 3114.
ät-ferian, _to carry away, to bear off_: pret. ic þät hilt þanan feóndum
ätferede, 1669.
ge-ferian, _bear, to bring, to lead_: pres. subj. I. pl. þonne (we)
geferian freán ûserne, 3108; inf. geferian ... Grendles heáfod, 1639; pret.
þät hi ût geferedon dýre mâðmas, 3131; pret. part. her syndon geferede
feorran cumene ... Geáta leóde, _men of the Geátas, come from afar, have
been brought hither_ (by ship), 361.
ôð-ferian, _to tear away, to take away_: pret. sg. I. unsôfte þonan feorh
ôð-ferede, 2142.
of-ferian, _to carry off, to take away, to tear away_: pret. ôðer swylc ût
offerede, _took away another such_ (sc. fifteen), 1584.
fetel-hilt, st. n., _sword-hilt_, with the gold chains fastened to it: acc.
(sg. or pl.?), 1564. (See "Leitfaden f. nord. Altertumskunde," pp.45, 46.)
fetian, w. v., _to bring near, bring_: pres. subj. nâh hwâ ... fe[tige]
fäted wæge, _bring the gold-chased tankard_, 2254; pret. part. hraðe wäs tô
bûre Beówulf fetod, 1311.
ge-fetian, _to bring_: inf. hêt þâ eorla hleó in gefetian Hrêðles lâfe,
_caused Hrêðel's sword to be brought_, 2191.
â-fêdan, w. v., _to nourish, to bring up_: pret. part. þær he âfêded wäs,
694.
fêða (O.H.G. fendo), w. m.: 1) _foot-soldiers_: nom. pl. fêðan, 1328,
2545.--2) collective in sing., _band of foot-soldiers, troop of warriors_:
nom. fêða eal gesät, 1425; dat. on fêðan, 2498, 2920.--Comp. gum-fêða.
fêðe, st. n., _gait, going, pace_: dat. sg. wäs tô foremihtig feónd on
fêðe, _the enemy was too strong in going_ (i.e. could flee too fast), 971.
fêðe-cempa, w. m., _foot-soldier_: nom. sg., 1545, 2854.
fêðe-gäst, st. m., _guest coming on foot_: dat. pl. fêðe-gestum, 1977.
fêðe-lâst, st. m., _signs of going, footprint_: dat. pl. fêrdon forð þonon
fêðe-lâstum, _went forth from there upon their trail_, i.e. by the same way
that they had gone, 1633.
fêðe-wîg, st. m., _battle on foot_: gen. sg. nealles Hetware hrêmge þorfton
(sc. wesan) fêðe-wîges, 2365.
fêl (= feól), st. f. _file_: gen. pl. fêla lâfe, _what the files have left
behind_ (that is, the swords), 1033.
fêran, w. v., iter (A.S. fôr) facere, _to come, to go, to travel_: pres.
subj. II. pl. ær ge ... on land Dena furður fêran, _ere you go farther into
the land of the Danes_, 254; inf. fêran on freán wære (_to die_), 27;
gewiton him þâ fêran (_set out upon their way_), 301; mæl is me tô fêran,
316; fêran ... gang sceáwigan, _go, so as to see the footprints_, 1391;
wîde fêran, 2262; pret. fêrdon folctogan ... wundor sceáwian, _the princes
came to see the wonder_, 840; fêrdon forð, 1633.
ge-fêran: 1) adire, _to arrive at_: pres. subj. þonne eorl ende gefêre
lîfgesceafta, _reach the end of life_, 3064; pret. part. häfde æghwäðer
ende gefêred lænan lîfes, _frail life's end had both reached_, 2845.--2)
_to reach, to accomplish, to bring about_: pret. hafast þu gefêred þät ...,
1222, 1856.--3) _to behave one's self, to conduct one's self_: pret. frêcne
gefêrdon, _had shown themselves daring_, 1692.
feal, st. m., _fall_: in comp. wäl-feal.
feallan, st. v., _to fall, to fall headlong_: inf. feallan, 1071; pret. sg.
þät he on hrusan ne feól, _that it_ (the hall) _did not fall to the
ground_, 773; similarly, feóll on foldan, 2976; feóll on fêðan (dat. sg.),
_fell in the band_ (of his warriors), 2920; pret. pl. þonne walu feóllon,
1043.
be-feallen, pret. part. w. dat. or instr., _deprived of, robbed_: freóndum
befeallen, _robbed of friends_, 1127; sceal se hearda helm ... fätum
befeallen (sc. wesan), _be robbed of its gold mountings_ (the gold mounting
will fall away from it moldering), 2257.
ge-feallan, _to fall, to sink down_: pres. sg. III. þät se lîc-homa ...
fæge gefealleð, _that the body doomed to die sinks down_, 1756.--Also, with
the acc. of the place whither: pret. meregrund gefeóll, 2101; he eorðan
gefeóll, 2835.
fealu, adj., _fallow, dun-colored, tawny_: acc. sg. ofer fealone flôd
(_over the sea_), 1951; fealwe stræte (with reference to 320), 917; acc.
pl. lêton on geflît faran fealwe mearas, 866.--Comp. äppel-fealo.
feax, st. n., _hair, hair of the head_: dat. sg. wäs be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles heáfod, _was carried by the hair into the hall_, 1648; him ...
swât ... sprong forð under fexe, _the blood sprang out under the hair of
his head_, 2968.--Comp.: blonden-, gamol-, wunden-feax.
ge-feá, w. m., _joy_: acc. sg. þære fylle gefeán, _joy at the abundant
repast_, 562; ic þäs ealles mäg ... gefeán habban (_can rejoice at all
this_), 2741.
feá, adj., _few_ dat. pl. nemne feáum ânum, _except some few_, 1082; gen.
pl. feára sum, _as one of a few, with a few_, 1413; feára sumne, _one of a
few (some few)_, 3062. With gen. following: acc. pl. feá worda cwäð, _spoke
few words_, 2663, 2247.
feá-sceaft, adj., _miserable, unhappy, helpless_: nom. sg. syððan ærest
wearð feásceaft funden, 7; feásceaft guma (Grendel), 974; dat. sg.
feásceaftum men, 2286; Eádgilse ... feásceaftum, 2394; nom. pl. feásceafte
(the Geátas robbed of their king, Hygelâc), 2374.
feoh, feó, st. n., (_properly cattle, herd_) here, _possessions, property,
treasure_: instr. sg. ne wolde ... feorh-bealo feó þingian, _would not
allay life's evil for treasure_ (tribute), 156; similarly, þâ fæhðe feó
þingode, 470; ic þe þâ fæhðe feó leánige, 1381.
ge-feohan, ge-feón, st. v. w. gen. and instr., _to enjoy one's self, to
rejoice at something_: a) w. gen.: pret. sg. ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, 109;
hilde gefeh, beado-weorces, 2299; pl. fylle gefægon, _enjoyed themselves at
the bounteous repast_, 1015; þeódnes gefêgon, _rejoiced at_ (the return of)
_the ruler_, 1628.--b) w. instr.: niht-weorce gefeh, ellen-mærðum, 828;
secg weorce gefeh, 1570; sælâce gefeah, mägen-byrðenne þâra þe he him mid
häfde, _rejoiced at the gift of the sea, and at the great burden of that_
(Grendel's head and the sword-hilt) _which he had with him_, 1625.
feoh-gift, -gyft, st. f., _bestowing of gifts_ or _treasures_: gen. sg.
þære feoh-gyfte, 1026; dat. pl. ät feohgyftum, 1090; fromum feohgiftum,
_with rich gifts_, 21.
feoh-leás, adj., _that cannot be atoned for through gifts_: nom. sg. þät
wäs feoh-leás gefeoht, _a deed of arms that cannot be expiated_ (the
killing of his brother by Hæðcyn), 2442.
ge-feoht, st. n., _combat; warlike deed_: nom. sg. (the killing of his
brother by Hæðcyn), 2442; dat. sg. mêce þone þîn fader tô gefeohte bär,
_the sword which thy father bore to the combat_, 2049.
ge-feohtan, st. v., _to fight_: inf. w. acc. ne mehte ... wîg Hengeste wiht
gefeohtan (_could by no means offer Hengest battle_), 1084.
feohte, w. f., _combat_: acc. sg. feohtan, 576, 960. See were-fyhte.
feor, adj., _far, remote_: nom. sg. nis þät feor heonon, 1362; näs him feor
þanon tô gesêcanne sinces bryttan, 1922; acc. sg. feor eal (_all that is
far, past_), 1702.
feor, adv., _far, far away_: a) of space, 42, 109, 809, 1806, 1917; feor
and (oððe) neáh, _far and (or) near_, 1222, 2871; feorr, 2267.--b) of time:
ge feor hafað fæhðe gestæled (_has placed us under her enmity henceforth_),
1341.
Comparative, fyr, feorr, and feor: fyr and fästor, 143; fyr, 252; feorr,
1989; feor, 542.
feor-bûend, pt., _dwelling far away_: nom. pl. ge feor-bûend, 254.
feor-cýð, st. f., _home of those living far away, distant land_: nom, pl.
feor-cýððe beóð sêlran gesôhte þäm þe him selfa deáh, _foreign lands are
better sought by him who trusts to his own ability_, 1839.
feorh, ferh (Goth. fairhvu-s, _world_), st. m. and n., _life, principle of
life, soul_: nom. sg. feorh, 2124; nô þon lange wäs feorh äðelinges flæsce
bewunden, _not for much longer was the soul of the prince enveloped in the
body_ (he was near death), 2425; ferh ellen wräc, _life expelled the
strength_ (i.e. with the departing life the strength disappeared also),
2707; acc. sg. feorh ealgian, 797, 2656, 2669; feorh gehealdan, _preserve
his life_, 2857; feorh âlegde, _gave up his life_, 852; similarly, ær he
feorh seleð, 1371; feorh oðferede, _tore away her life_, 2142; ôð þät hie
forlæddan tô þam lindplegan swæse gesîðas ond hyra sylfra feorh, _till in
an evil hour they carried into battle their dear companions and their
lives_ (i.e. led them to their death), 2041; gif þu þîn feorh hafast, 1850;
ymb feorh sacan (_to fight for life_), 439; wäs in feorh dropen, _was
wounded into his life_, i.e. mortally, 2982; wîdan feorh, as temporal acc.,
_through a wide life_, i.e. always, 2015; dat. sg. feore, 1294, 1549; tô
wîdan feore, _for a wide life_, i.e. at all times, 934; on swâ geongum
feore (_at a so youthful age_), 1844; as instr., 578, 3014; gen. sg.
feores, 1434, 1943; dat. pl. bûton ... feorum gumena, 73; freónda feorum,
1307.--Also, _body, corpse_: þâ wäs heal hroden feónda feorum (_the hall
was covered with the slain of the enemy_), 1153; gehwearf þâ in Francna
fäðm feorh cyninges, _then the body of the king_ (Hygelâc) _fell into the
power of the Franks_, 1211. --Comp. geogoð-feorh.
feorh-bana, w. m., _(life-slayer), man-slayer, murderer_: dat. sg.
feorh-bonan, 2466.
feorh-ben, st. f., _wound that takes away life, mortal wound_: dat.
(instr.) pl. feorh-bennum seóc, 2741.
feorh-bealu, st. n., _evil destroying life, violent death_: nom. sg., 2078,
2251, 2538; acc. sg., 156.
feorh-cyn, st. n., _race of the living, mankind_: gen. pl. fela
feorh-cynna, 2267.
feorh-genîðla, w. m., _he who seeks life, life's enemy_ (N.H.G. Tod-feind),
_mortal enemy_: acc. sg. -genîðlan, 1541; dat. sg. -genîðlan, 970; acc. sg.
brægd feorh-genîðlan, 1541; acc. pl. folgode feorh-genîðlan, (Ongenþeów)
_pursued his mortal enemies_, 2934.
feorh-lagu, st. f., _the life allotted to anyone, life determined by fate_:
acc. sg. on mâðma hord mine (mînne, MS.) bebohte frôde feorh-lege, _for the
treasure-hoard I sold my old life_, 2801.
feorh-lâst, st. m., _trace of (vanishing) life, sign of death _: acc. pl.
feorh-lâstas bär, 847.
feorh-seóc, adj., _mortally wounded_: nom. sg., 821.
feorh-sweng, st. m., _(stroke robbing of life), fatal blow_: acc. sg.,
2490.
feorh-wund, st. f., _mortal wound, fatal injury_: acc. sg. feorh-wunde
hleát, 2386.
feorm, st. f., _subsistence, entertainment_: acc. sg. nô þu ymb mînes ne
þearft lîces feorme leng sorgian, _thou needest no longer have care for the
sustenance of my body_, 451.--2) _banquet_: dat. on feorme (or feorme,
MS.), 2386.
feormend-leás, adj., _wanting the. cleanser_: acc. pl. geseah ...
fyrn-manna fatu feormend-leáse, 2762.
feormian, w. v., _to clean, to cleanse, to polish_: pres. part. nom pl.
feormiend swefað (feormynd, MS.), 2257.
ge-feormian, w. v., _to feast, to eat_; pret. part. sôna häfde unlyfigendes
eal gefeormod fêt and folma, 745.
feorran, w. v., w. acc., _to remove_: inf. sibbe ne wolde wið manna hwone
mägenes Deniga feorh-bealo feorran, feó þingian, (Grendel) _would not from
friendship free any one of the men of the Danes of life's evil, nor allay
it for tribute_, 156.
feorran, adv., _from afar_: a) of space, 361, 430, 826, 1371, 1820, etc.;
siððan äðelingas feorran gefricgean fleám eówerne, _when noble men afar
learn of your flight_ (when the news of your flight reaches distant lands),
2890; fêrdon folctogan feorran and neán, _from far and from near_, 840;
similarly, neán and feorran þu nu [friðu] hafast, 1175; wäs þäs wyrmes wîg
wîde gesýne ... neán and feorran, _visible from afar, far and near_,
2318.--b) temporal: se þe cûðe frumsceaft fira feorran reccan (_since
remote antiquity_), 91; similarly, feorran rehte, 2107.
feorran-cund, adj., _foreign-born_: dat. sg. feorran-cundum, 1796.
feor-weg, st. m., _far way_: dat. pl. mâdma fela of feorwegum, _many
precious things from distant paths_ (from foreign lands), 37.
ge-feón. See feohan.
feónd, st. m., _enemy_: nom. sg., 164, 726, 749; feónd on helle (Grendel),
101; acc. sg., 279, 1865, 2707; dat. sg. feónde, 143, 439; gen. sg.
feóndes, 985, 2129, 2290; acc, pl. feónd, 699; dat. pl. feóndum, 420, 1670;
gen. pl. feonda 294, 809, 904.
feónd-grâp, st. f., _foe's clutch_: dat. (instr.) pl. feónd-grâpum fäst,
637.
feónd-sceaða, w. m., _one who is an enemy and a robber_: nom. sg. fâh
feónd-scaða (_a hostile sea-monster_), 554.
feónd-scipe, st. m., _hostility_: nom. sg., 3000.
feówer, num., _four_: nom. feówer bearn, 59; feówer mearas, 2164; feówer,
as substantive, 1638; acc. feówer mâðmas, 1028.
feówer-tyne, num., _fourteen_: nom. with following gen. pl. feówertyne
Geáta, 1642.
findan, st. v., _to find, to invent, to attain_: a) with simple object in
acc.: inf. þâra þe he cênoste findan mihte, 207; swylce hie at Finnes-hâm
findan meahton sigla searo-gimma, 1157; similarly, 2871; mäg þær fela
freónda findan, 1839; wolde guman findan, 2295; swâ hyt weorðlîcost
fore-snotre men findan mihton, _so splendidly as only very wise men could
devise it_, 3164; pret. sg. healþegnas fand, 720; word ôðer fand, _found
other words_, i.e. went on to another narrative, 871; grimne gryrelîcne
grund-hyrde fond, 2137; þät ic gôdne funde beága bryttan, 1487; pret. part.
syððan ærest wearð feásceaft funden (_discovered_), 7.--b) with acc. and
pred. adj.: pret. sg. dryhten sînne driórigne fand, 2790.--c) with acc. and
inf.: pret. fand þâ þær inne äðelinga gedriht swefan, 118; fand wäccendne
wer wîges bîdan, 1268; hord-wynne fond opene standan, 2271; ôð þät he
fyrgen-beámas ... hleonian funde, 1416; pret. pl. fundon þâ sâwulleásne
hlim-bed healdan, 3034.--d) with dependent clause: inf. nô þý ær feásceafte
findan meahton ät þam äðelinge þät he Heardrêde hlâford wære (_could by no
means obtain it from the prince_), 2374.
on-findan, _to be sensible of, to perceive, to notice_: a) w. acc.: pret.
sg. landweard onfand eftsîð eorla, _the coast-guard observed the return of
the earls_, 1892; pret. part. þâ heó onfunden wäs (_was discovered_),
1294.--b) w. depend, clause: pret. sg. þâ se gist onfand þät se beado-leóma
bîtan nolde, _the stranger_ (Beówulf) _perceived that the sword would not
cut_, 1523; sôna þät onfunde, þät ..., _immediately perceived that_...,
751; similarly, 810, 1498.
finger, st. m., _finger_: nom. pl. fingras, 761; acc. pl. fingras, 985;
dat. (instr.) pl. fingrum, 1506; gen. pl. fingra, 765.
firas, fyras (O.H.G. firahî, i.e. _the living_; cf. feorh), st. m., only in
pl., _men_: gen. pl. fira, 91, 2742; monegum fira, 2002; fyra gehwylcne
leóda mînra, 2251; fira fyrngeweorc, 2287.
firen, fyren, st. f., _cunning waylaying, insidious hostility, malice,
outrage_: nom. sg. fyren, 916; acc. sg. fyrene and fæhðe, 153; fæhðe and
fyrene, 880, 2481; firen' ondrysne, 1933; dat. sg. fore fæhðe and fyrene,
137; gen. pl. fyrena, 164, 629; and fyrene, 812; fyrena hyrde (of Grendel),
751. The dat. pl., fyrenum, is used adverbially in the sense of
_maliciously_, 1745, or _fallaciously_, with reference to Hæðcyn's killing
Herebeald, which was done unintentionally, 2442.
firen-dæd, st. f., _wicked deed_: acc. pl. fyren-dæda, 1670; instr. pl.
fyren-dædum, 1002; both times of Grendel and his mother, with reference to
their nocturnal inroads.
firen-þearf, st. f., _misery through the malignity of enemies_: acc. sg.
fyren-þearfe, 14.
firgen-beám, st. m., _tree of a mountain-forest_: acc. pl. fyrgen-beámas,
1415.
firgen-holt, st. m., _mountain-wood, mountain-forest_: acc. sg. on
fyrgen-holt, 1394.
firgen-streám, st. m., _mountain-stream_: nom. sg. fyrgen-streám, 1360;
acc. sg. under fyrgen-streám (marks the place where the mountain-stream,
according to 1360, empties into Grendel's sea), 2129.
fisc, st. m., _fish_: in comp. hron-, mere-fisc.
fîf, num., _five_: uninflect. gen. fîf nihta fyrst, 545; acc. fîfe (?),
420.
fîfel-cyn (O.N. fîfl, stultus and gigas), st. n., _giant-race_: gen. sg.
fîfelcynnes eard, 104.
fîf-tene, fîf-tyne, num., _fifteen_: acc. fýftyne, 1583; gen. fîftena sum,
207.
fîf-tig, num., _fifty_: 1) as substantive with gen. following; acc. fîftig
wintra, 2734; gen. se wäs fîftiges fôt-gemearces lang, 3043.--2) as
adjective: acc. fîftig wintru, 2210.
flân, st. m., _arrow_: dat. sg. flâne, 3120; as instr., 2439.
flân-boga, w. m., _bow which shoots the flân, bow_: dat. sg. of flân-bogan,
1434, 1745.
flæsc, st. n., _flesh, body in contrast with soul_: instr. sg. nô þon lange
wäs feorh äðelinges flæsce bewunden, _not much longer was the son of the
prince contained in his body_, 2425.
flæsc-hama, w. m., _clothing of flesh_, i.e. the body: acc. sg.
flæsc-homan, 1569.
flet, st. n.: 1) _ground, floor of a hall_: acc. sg. heó on flet gebeáh,
_fell to the ground_, 1541; similarly, 1569.--2) _hall, mansion_: nom. sg.
1977; acc. sg. flet, 1037, 1648, 1950, 2018, etc.; flett, 2035; þät hie him
ôðer flet eal gerýmdon, _that they should give up entirely to them another
hall_, 1087; dat. sg. on flette, 1026.
flet-räst, st. f., _resting-place in the hall_: acc. sg. flet-räste gebeág,
_reclined upon the couch in the hall_, 1242.
flet-sittend, pres. part., _sitting in the hall_: acc. pl -sittende, 2023;
dat. pl. -sittendum, 1789.
flet-werod, st. n., _troop from the hall_: nom. sg., 476.
fleám, st. m., _flight_: acc. sg. on fleám gewand, _had turned to flight_,
1002; fleám eówerne, 2890.
fleógan, st. v., _to fly_: prs. sg. III. fleógeð, 2274.
fleón, st. v., _to flee_: inf. on heolster fleón, 756; fleón on fenhopu,
765; fleón under fen-hleoðu, 821; pret. hete-swengeas fleáh, 2226.
be-fleón, w. acc., _to avoid, to escape_: gerund nô þät ýðe byð tô
befleónne, _that is not easy_ (i.e. not at all) _to be avoided_, 1004.
ofer-fleón, w. acc., _to flee from one, to yield_: inf. nelle ic beorges
weard oferfleón fôtes trem, _will not yield to the warder of the mountain_
(the drake) _a foot's breadth_, 2526.
fleótan, st. v., _to float upon the water, to swim_: inf. nô he wiht fram
me flôd-ýðum feor fleótan meahte. hraðor on helme, _no whit, could he swim
from me farther on the waves_ (regarded as instrumental, so that the waves
marked the distance), _more swiftly in the sea_, 542; pret. sægenga fleát
fâmigheals forð ofer ýðe, _floated away over the waves_, 1910.
fliht. See flyht.
flitme. See un-flitme.
flîtan, st. v., _to exert one's self, to strive, to emulate_: pres. part.
flîtende fealwe stræte mearum mæton (_rode a race_), 917; pret. sg. II.
eart þu se Beówulf, se þe wið Brecan ... ymb sund flite, _art thou the
Beówulf who once contended with Breca for the prize in swimming?_ 507.
ofer-flîtan, _to surpass one in a contest, to conquer, to overcome_: pret.
w. acc. he þe ät sunde oferflât (_overcome thee in a swimming-wager_), 517.
ge-flît, st. n., _emulation_: acc. sg. lêton on geflît faran fealwe mearas,
_let the fallow horses go in emulation_, 866.
floga, w. m., _flyer_; in the compounds: gûð-, lyft-, uht-, wîð-floga.
flota (see fleótan), w. m., _float, ship, boat_: nom. sg., 210, 218, 301;
acc. sg. flotan eówerne, 294.--Comp. wæg-flota.
flot-here, st. m., _fleet_: instr. sg. cwom faran flotherge on Fresna land,
2916.
flôd, st. m., _flood, stream, sea-current_: nom. sg., 545, 580, 1362, etc.;
acc. sg. flôd, 3134; ofer fealone flôd, 1951; dat. sg. tô flôde, 1889; gen.
pl. flôda begong, _the region of floods_, i.e. the sea, 1498, 1827; flôda
genipu, 2809.
flôd-ýð, st. f., _flood-wave_: instr. pl. flôd-ýðum, 542.
flôr, st. m., _floor, stone-floor_: acc. sg. on fâgne flôr (the floor was
probably a kind of mosaic, made of colored flags), 726; dat. sg. gang þâ
äfter flôre, _along the floor_ (i.e. along the hall), 1317.
flyht, fliht, st. m., _flight_: nom. sg. gâres fliht, _flight of the
spear_, 1766.
ge-flýman, w. v., _to put to flight_: pret. part. geflýmed, 847, 1371.
folc, st. n., _troop, band of warriors; folk_, in the sense of the whole
body of the fighting men of a nation: acc. sg. folc, 522, 694, 912; Sûðdene
folc, 464; folc and rîce, 1180; dat. sg. folce, 14, 2596; folce Deninga,
465; as instr. folce gestepte ofer sæ sîde, _went with a band of warriors
over the wide sea_, 2394; gen. sg. folces, 1125; folces Denigea, 1583.--The
king is called folces hyrde, 611, 1833, 2645, 2982; freáwine folces, 2358;
or folces weard, 2514. The queen, folces cwên, 1933.--The pl., in the sense
of _warriors, fighting men_: nom. pl. folc, 1423, 2949; dat. pl. folcum,
55, 262, 1856; gen. pl. freó- (freá-) wine folca, _of the king_, 430, 2430;
friðu-sibb folca, _of the queen_, 2018.--Comp. sige-folc.
folc-âgend, pres. part., _leader of a band of warriors_: nom. pl.
folc-âgende, 3114.
folc-beorn, st. m., _man of the multitude, a common man_: nom. sg.
folc-beorn, 2222.
folc-cwên, st. f., _queen of a warlike host_: nom. sg., of Wealhþeów, 642.
folc-cyning, st. m., _king of a warlike host_: nom. sg., 2734, 2874.
folc-ræd, st. m, _what best serves a warlike host_: acc. sg., 3007.
folc-riht, st. n., _the rights of the fighting men of a nation_: gen. pl.
him ær forgeaf ... folcrihta gehwylc, swâ his fäder âhte, 2609.
folc-scearu, st. f., _part of a host of warriors, nation_: dat. sg.
folc-scare, 73.
folc-stede, st. m., _position of a band of warriors, place where a band of
warriors is quartered_: acc. sg. folcstede, of the hall, Heorot, 76;
folcstede fâra (_the battle-field_), 1464.
folc-toga, w. m., _leader of a body of warriors, duke_: nom. pl., powerful
liege-men of Hrôðgâr are called folc-togan, 840.
fold-bold, st. n., _earth-house_ (i.e. a house on earth in contrast with a
dwelling in heaven): nom. sg. fäger fold-bold, of the hall, Heorot, 774.
fold-bûend, pres. part. _dweller on earth, man_: nom. pl. fold-bûend, 2275;
fold-bûende, 1356; dat. pl. fold-bûendum, 309.
folde, w. f., _earth, ground_: acc. sg. under foldan, 1362; feóll on
foldan, 2976; gen. sg. foldan bearm, _the bosom of the earth_, 1138; foldan
sceátas, 96; foldan fäðm, 1394.--Also, _earth, world_: dat. sg. on foldan,
1197.
fold-weg, st. m., _field-way, road through the country_: acc. sg. fold-weg,
1634; acc. pl. fold-wegas, 867.
folgian, w. v.: 1) _to perform vassal-duty, to serve, to follow_: pret. pl.
þeáh hie hira beággyfan banan folgedon, _although they followed the
murderer of their prince_, 1103.--2) _to pursue, to follow after_: folgode
feorh-genîðlan (acc. pl.) 2934.
folm, st. f, _hand_: acc. sg. folme, 971, 1304; dat. sg. mid folme, 743;
acc. pl. fêt and folma, _feet and hands_, 746; dat. pl. tô banan folmum,
158; folmum (instr.), 723, 993.--Comp.: beado-, gearo-folm.
for, prep. w. dat., instr., and acc.: 1) w. dat. local, _before_, ante: þät
he for eaxlum gestôd Deniga freán, 358; for hlâwe, 1121.--b) _before_,
coram, in conspectu: no he þære feohgyfte for sceótendum scamigan þorfte,
_had no need to be ashamed of the gift before the warriors_, 1027; for þäm
werede, 1216; for eorlum, 1650; for duguðe, _before the noble band of
warriors_, 2021.--Causal, a) to denote a subjective motive, _on account of,
through, from_: for wlenco, _from bravery, through warlike courage_, 338,
1207; for wlence, 508; for his wonhýdum, 434; for onmêdlan, 2927, etc.--b)
objective, partly denoting a cause, _through, from, by reason of_: for
metode, _for the creator, on account of the creator_, 169; for þreánýdum,
833; for þreánêdlan, 2225; for dolgilpe, _on account of, in accordance with
the promise of bold deeds_ (because you claimed bold deeds for yourself),
509; him for hrôfsele hrînan ne mehte fær-gripe flôdes, _on account of the
roofed hall the malicious grasp of the flood could not reach him_, 1516;
lîg-egesan wäg for horde, _on account of_ (the robbing of) _the treasure_,
2782; for mundgripe mînum, _on account of, through the gripe of my hand_,
966; for þäs hildfruman hondgeweorce, 2836; for swenge, _through the
stroke_, 2967; ne meahte ... deóp gedýgan for dracan lêge, _could not hold
out in the deep on account of the heat of the drake_, 2550. Here may be
added such passages as ic þäm gôdan sceal for his môdþräce mâðmas beódan,
_will offer him treasures on account of his boldness of character, for his
high courage_, 385; ful-oft for lässan leán teohhode, _gave often reward
for what was inferior_, 952; nalles for ealdre mearn, _was not uneasy about
his life_, 1443; similarly, 1538. Also denoting purpose: for ârstafum, _to
the assistance_, 382, 458.--2) w. instr. causal, _because of, for_: he hine
feor forwräc for þý mane, 110.--3) w. acc., _for, as, instead of_: for sunu
freógan, _love as a son_, 948; for sunu habban, 1176; ne him þäs wyrmes wîg
for wiht dyde, _held the drake's fighting as nothing_, 2349.
foran, adv., _before, among the first, forward_: siððan ... sceáwedon
feóndes fingras, foran æghwylc (_each before himself_), 985; þät wäs ân
foran ealdgestreóna, _that was one among the first of the old treasures_,
i.e. a splendid old treasure, 1459; þe him foran ongeán linde bæron, _bore
their shields forward against him_ (went out to fight against him), 2365.
be-foran: 1) adv., local, _before_: he ... beforan gengde, _went before_,
1413; temporal, _before, earlier_, 2498.--2) prep. w. acc. _before_, in
conspectu: mære mâððum-sweord manige gesâwon beforan beorn beran, 1025.
ford, st. m., _ford, water-way_: acc. sg. ymb brontne ford, 568.
forð: 1) local, _forth, hither, near_: forð near ätstôp, _approached
nearer_, 746; þâ cwom Wealhþeó forð gân, 1163; similarly, 613; him seleþegn
forð wîsade, _led him_ (Beówulf) _forth_ (to the couch that had been
prepared for him in Heorot), 1796; þät him swât sprong forð under fexe,
_forth under the hair of his head_, 2968. _Forward, further_: gewîtað forð
beran wæpen and gewædu, 291; he tô forð gestôp, 2290; freoðo-wong þone forð
ofereodon, 2960. _Away, forth_, 45, 904; fyrst forð gewât, _the time_ (of
the way to the ship) _was out_, i.e. they had arrived at the ship, 210; me
... forð-gewitenum, _to me the departed_, 1480; fêrdon forð, _went forth_
(from Grendel's sea), 1633; þonne he forð scile, _when he must (go) forth_,
i.e. die, 3178; hine mihtig god ... ofer ealle men forð gefremede, _carried
him forth, over all men_, 1719.--2) temporal, _forth, from now on_: heald
forð tela niwe sibbe, 949; ic sceal forð sprecan gen ymbe Grendel, _shall
from now on speak again of Grendel_, 2070. See furðum and furðor.
forð-gerîmed, pres. part., _in unbroken succession_, 59.
forð-gesceaft, st. f., _that which is determined for farther on, future
destiny_: acc. sg. he þâ forð-gesceaft forgyteð and forgýmeð, 1751.
forð-weg, st. m., _road that leads away, journey_: he of ealdre gewât frôd
on forð-weg (_upon the way to the next world_), 2626.
fore, prep. w. dat., local, _before_, coram, in conspectu: heó fore þäm
werede spräc, 1216. Causal, _through, for, because of_: nô mearn fore fæhðe
and fyrene, 136; fore fäder dædum, _because of the father's deeds_,
2060,--Allied to this is the meaning, _about_, de, super: þær wäs sang and
swêg samod ätgädere fore Healfdenes hildewîsan, _song and music about
Healfdene's general_ (the song of Hnäf), 1065.
fore-mære, adj., _renowned beyond (others)_, præclarus: superl. þät wäs
fore-mærost foldbûendum receda under roderum, 309.
fore-mihtig, adj., _able beyond (others)_, præpotens: nom. sg. wäs tô
foremihtig feónd on fêðe, _the enemy was too strong in going_ (could flee
too rapidly), 970.
fore-snotor, adj., _wise beyond (others)_, sapientissimus: nom. pl.
foresnotre men, 3164.
fore-þanc, st. m., _forethought, consideration, deliberation_: nom. sg.,
1061.
forht, adj., _fearful, cowardly_: nom. sg. forht, 2968; he on môde wearð
forht on ferhðe, 755.--Comp. unforht.
forma, adj., _foremost, first_: nom. sg. forma sîð (_the first time_), 717,
1464, 1528, 2626; instr. sg. forman sîðe, 741, 2287; forman dôgore, 2574.
fyrmest, adv. superl., _first of all, in the first place_: he fyrmest läg,
2078.
forst, st. m., _frost, cold_: gen. sg. forstes bend, 1610.
for-þam, for-þan, for-þon, adv. and conj., _therefore, on that account,
then_: forþam, 149; forþan, 418, 680, 1060; forþon þe, _because_, 503.
fôn, st. v., _to catch, to grasp, to take hold, to take_: prs. sg. III.
fêhð ôðer tô, _another lays hold_ (takes possession), 1756; inf. ic mid
grâpe sceal fôn wið feónde, 439; pret. sg. him tôgeánes fêng, _caught at
him, grasped at him_, 1543; w. dat. he þâm frätwum fêng, _received the rich
adornments_ (Ongenþeów's equipment), 2990.
be-fôn, _to surround, to ensnare, to encompass, to embrace_: pret. part.
hyne sâr hafað ... nearwe befongen balwon bendum, 977; heó äðelinga ânne
häfde fäste befangen (_had seized him firmly_), 1296; helm ... befongen
freáwrâsnum (_encircled by an ornament like a diadem_), 1452; fenne
bifongen, _surrounded by the fen_, 2010; (draca) fýre befongen, _encircled
by fire_, 2275, 2596; häfde landwara lîge befangen, _encompassed by fire_,
2322.
ge-fôn, w. acc., _to seize, to grasp_: pret. he gefêng slæpendne rinc, 741;
gûðrinc gefêng atolan clommum, 1502; gefêng þâ be eaxle ... Gûðgeáta leód
Grendles môdor, 1538; gefêng þâ fetelhilt, 1564; hond rond gefêng, geolwe
linde, 2610; ic on ôfoste gefêng micle mid mundum mägen-byrðenne, _hastily
I seized with my hands the enormous burden_, 3091.
on-fôn, w. dat., _to receive, to accept, to take_: pres. imp. sg. onfôh
þissum fulle, _accept this cup_, 1170; inf. þät þät þeódnes bearn ...
scolde fäder-äðelum onfôn, _receive the paternal rank_, 912; pret. sg. hwâ
þäm hläste onfêng, _who received the ship's lading_, 52; hleór-bolster
onfêng eorles andwlitan, _the pillow received the nobleman's face_, 689;
similarly, 853, 1495; heal swêge onfêng, _the hall received the loud
noise_, 1215; he onfêng hraðe inwit-þancum, _he_ (Beówulf) _at once
clutched him_ (Grendel) _devising malice_, 749.
þurh-fôn, w. acc., _to break through with grasping, to destroy by
grasping_: inf. þät heó þone fyrd-hom þurh-fôn ne mihte, 1505.
wið-fôn, w. dat., _(to grasp at), to seize, to lay hold of_: pret. sg. him
fäste wið-fêng, 761.
ymbe-fôn, w. acc., _to encircle_: pret. heals ealne ymbefêng biteran bânum,
_encircled his_ (Beówulf's) _whole neck with sharp bones_ (teeth), 2692.
fôt, st. m., _foot_: gen. sg. fôtes trem (_the measure of a foot, a foot
broad_), 2526; acc. pl. fêt, 746; dat. pl. ät fôtum, _at the feet_, 500,
1167.
fôt-gemearc, st. n., _measure, determining by feet, number of feet_: gen.
sg. se wäs fîftiges fôtgemearces lang (_fifty feet long_), 3043.
fôt-lâst, st. m., _foot-print_: acc. sg. (draca) onfand feóndes fôt-lâst,
2290.
fracod, adj., _objectionable, useless_. nom. sg. näs seó ecg fracod
hilde-rince, 1576.
fram, from, I. prep. w. dat. loc. _away from something_: þær fram sylle
âbeág medubenc monig, 776, 1716; þanon eft gewiton ealdgesîðas ... fram
mere, 856; cyning-balde men from þäm holmclife hafelan bæron, 1636;
similarly, 541, 543, 2367. Standing after the dat.: he hine feor forwräc
... mancynne fram, 110; similarly, 1716. Also, _hither from something_: þâ
ic cwom ... from feóndum, 420; æghwäðrum wäs ... brôga fram ôðrum,
2566.--Causal with verbs of saying and hearing, _of, about, concerning_:
sägdest from his sîðe, 532; nô ic wiht fram þe swylcra searo-nîða secgan
hýrde, 581; þät he fram Sigemunde secgan hyrde, 876. II adv., _away,
thence_: nô þý ær fram meahte, 755; _forth, out_: from ærest cwom oruð
aglæcean ût of stâne, _the breath of the dragon came forth first from the
rock_ 2557.
fram, from, adj.: 1) _directed forwards, striving forwards_; in comp.
sîð-fram.--2) _excellent, splendid_, of a man with reference to his warlike
qualities: nom. sg. ic eom on môde from, 2528; nom. pl. frome fyrd-hwate,
1642, 2477. Of things: instr. pl. fromum feoh-giftum, 21.--Comp. un-from;
see freme, forma.
ge-frägen. See frignan.
frätwe, st. f. pl., _ornament, anything costly_, originally _carved
objects_ (cf. Dietrich in Hpts. Ztschr. X. 216 ff.), afterwards of any
costly and artistic work: acc. pl. frätwe, 2920; beorhte frätwe, 214;
beorhte frätwa, 897; frätwe.. eorclan-stânas, 1208; frätwe,...
breóst-weorðunge, 2504, both times of Hygelâc's collar; frätwe and
fät-gold, 1922; frätwe (Eanmund's sword and armor), 2621; dat. instr. pl.
þâm frätwum, 2164; on frätewum, 963; frätwum (Heaðobeard sword) hrêmig,
2055; frätwum, of the drake's treasures, 2785; frätwum (Ongenþeów's armor),
2990; gen. pl. fela ... frätwa, 37; þâra frätwa (drake's treasure), 2795;
frätwa hyrde (drake), 3134.
frätwan, w. v., _to supply with ornaments, to adorn_: inf. folc-stede
frätwan, 76.
ge-frätwian, w. v., _to adorn_: pret. sg. gefrätwade foldan sceátas leomum
and leáfum, 96; pret. part. þâ wäs hâten Heort innanweard folmum gefrätwod,
993.
ge-fræge, adj., _known by reputation, renowned_: nom. sg. leód-cyning ...
folcum gefræge, 55; swâ hyt gefræge wäs, 2481.
ge-fræge, st. n., _information through hearsay_: instr. sg. mine gefræge
(_as I learned through the narrative of others_), 777, 838, 1956, etc.
ge-frægnian, w. v., _to become known through hearsay_: pret. part. fylle
gefrægnod (of Grendel's mother, who had become known through the carrying
off of Äschere), 1334?
freca, w. m., properly _a wolf_, as one that breaks in, robs; here a
designation of heroes: nom. sg. freca Scildinga, of Beówulf, 1564.--Comp.:
gûð-, hilde-, scyld-, sweord-, wîg-freca; ferð-frec (adj.).
fremde, adj., properly _distant, foreign_; then _estranged, hostile_: nom
sg. þät wäs fremde þeód êcean dryhtne, of the giants, 1692.
freme, adj., _excellent, splendid_: nom. sg. fem. fremu folces cwên, of
Þryðo, 1933(?).
fremman, w. v., _to press forward, to further_, hence: 1) in general, _to
perform, to accomplish, to do, to make_: pres. subj. without an object,
fremme se þe wille, _let him do (it) whoever will_, 1004. With acc.: imp.
pl. fremmað ge nu leóda þearfe, 2801; inf. fyrene fremman, 101; säcce
fremman, 2500; fæhðe ... mærðum fremman, 2515, etc.; pret. sg. folcræd
fremede (_did what was best for his men_, i.e. ruled wisely), 3007; pl. hû
þâ äðelingas ellen fremedon, 3; feohtan fremedon, 960; nalles fâcenstafas
... þenden fremedon, 1020; pret. subj. þät ic ... mærðo fremede, 2135. --2)
_to help on, to support_: inf. þät he mec fremman wile wordum and worcum
(to an expedition), 1833.
ge-fremman, w. acc., _to do, to make, to render_: inf. gefremman eorlîc
ellen, 637; helpan gefremman, _to give help_, 2450; äfter weáspelle wyrpe
gefremman, _to work a change after sorrow_ (to give joy after sorrow),
1316; gerund, tô gefremmanne, 174, 2645; pret. sg. gefremede, 135, 165,
551, 585, etc.; þeáh þe hine mihtig god ... ofer ealle men forð gefremede,
_placed him away, above all men_, i.e. raised him, 1719; pret. pl.
gefremedon, 1188, 2479; pret. subj. gefremede, 177; pret. part. gefremed,
476; fem, nu scealc hafað ... dæd gefremede, 941; absolutely, þu þe self
hafast dædum gefremed, þät ..., _hast brought it about by thy deeds that_,
955.
fretan, st. v., _to devour, to consume_: inf. þâ (the precious things)
sceal brond fretan, 3015; nu sceal glêd fretan wîgena strengel, 3115; pret.
sg. (Grendel) slæpende frät folces Denigea fýftyne men, 1582.
frêcne, adj., _dangerous, bold_: nom. sg. frêcne fýr-draca, 2690;
feorh-bealo frêcne, 2251, 2538; acc. sg. frêcne dæde, 890; frêcne fengelâd,
1360; frêcne stôwe, 1379; instr. sg. frêcnan spræce (_through provoking
words_), 1105.
frêcne, adv., _boldly, audaciously_, 960, 1033, 1692.
freá, w. m., _ruler, lord_, of a temporal ruler: nom. sg. freá, 2286; acc.
sg. freán, 351, 1320, 2538, 3003, 3108; gen. sg. freán, 359, 500, 1167,
1681; dat. sg. freán, 271, 291, 2663. Of a husband: dat. sg. eode ... tô
hire freán sittan, 642. Of God: dat. sg. freán ealles, _the Lord of all_,
2795; gen. sg. freán, 27.-- Comp.: âgend-, lîf-, sin-freá.
freá-dryhten, st. m., _lord, ruling lord_: gen. sg. freá-drihtnes, 797.
freá-wine, st. m., _lord and friend, friendly ruler_: nom. sg. freá-wine
folces (folca), 2358, 2430; acc. sg. his freá-wine, 2439.
freá-wrâsn, st. f., _encircling ornament like a diadem_: instr. pl. helm
... befongen freáwrâsnum, 1452; see wrâsn.
freoðu, friðu, f., _protection, asylum, peace_: acc. sg. wel bið þäm þe môt
... tô fäder fäðmum freoðo wilnian, _who may obtain an asylum in God's
arms_, 188; neán and feorran þu nu [friðu] hafast, 1175.--Comp. fen-freoðo.
freoðo-burh, st. f., _castle, city affording protection_: acc. sg.
freoðoburh fägere, 522.
freoðo-wong, st. m., _field of peace, field of protection_: acc. sg., 2960;
seems to have been the proper name of a field.
freoðo-wær, st. f., _peace-alliance, security of peace_: acc. sg. þâ hie
getrûwedon on twâ healfa fäste frioðu-wære, 1097; gen. sg. frioðowære bäd
hlâford sînne, _entreated his lord for the protection of peace_ (i.e. full
pardon for his delinquency), 2283.
freoðo-webbe, w. f., _peace-weaver_, designation of the royal consort
(often one given in marriage as a confirmation of a peace between two
nations): nom. sg., 1943.
freó-burh, st. f., = freá-burg (?), _ruler's castle_ (?) (according to
Grein, arx ingenua): acc. sg. freóburh, 694.
freód, st. f., _friendship_: acc. sg. freóde ne woldon ofer heafo healdan,
2477; gen. sg. näs þær mâra fyrst freóde tô friclan, _was no longer time to
seek for friendship_, 2557; --_favor, acknowledgement_: acc. sg. ic þe
sceal mîne gelæstan freóde (_will show myself grateful_, with reference to
1381 ff.), 1708.
freó-dryhten (= freá-dryhten), st. m., _lord, ruler_; according to Grein,
dominus ingenuus vel nobilis: nom. sg. as voc. freó-drihten min! 1170; dat.
sg. mid his freó-dryhtne, 2628.
freógan, w. v., _to love; to think of lovingly_: pres. subj. þät mon his
wine-dryhten ... ferhðum freóge, 3178; inf. nu ic þec ... me for sunu wylle
freógan on ferhðe, 949.
freó-lîc, adj., _free, free-born_ (here of the lawful wife in contrast with
the bond concubine): nom. sg. freólîc wîf, 616; freólîcu folc-cwên, 642.
freónd, st. m., _friend_: acc. sg. freónd, 1386, 1865; dat. pl. freóndum,
916, 1019, 1127; gen. pl. freónda, 1307, 1839.
freónd-laðu, st. f., _friendly invitation_: nom. sg. him wäs ful boren and
freónd-laðu (_friendly invitation to drink_) wordum bewägned, 1193.
freónd-lâr, st. f., _friendly counsel_: dat. (instr.) pl. freónd-lârum,
2378.
freónd-lîce, adv., _in a friendly manner, kindly_: compar. freónd-lîcor,
1028.
freónd-scipe, st. m., _friendship_: acc. sg. freónd-scipe fästne, 2070.
freó-wine, st. m. (see freáwine), _lord and friend, friendly ruler_;
according to Grein, amicus nobilis, princeps amicus: nom. sg. as voc.
freó-wine folca! 430.
fricgean, w. v., _to ask, to inquire into_: inf. ongan sînne geseldan fägre
fricgean hwylce Sæ-Geáta sîðas wæron, 1986; pres. part, gomela Scilding
fela fricgende feorran rehte, _the old Scilding, asking many questions_
(having many things related to him), _told of old times_ (the conversation
was alternate), 2107.
ge-fricgean, _to learn, to learn by inquiry_: pres. pl. syððan hie
ge-fricgeað freán ûserne ealdorleásne, _when they learn that our lord is
dead_, 3003; pres. subj. gif ic þät gefricge, þät..., 1827; pl. syððan
äðelingas feorran gefricgean fleám eówerne, 2890.
friclan (see freca), w. v. w. gen., _to seek, to desire, to strive for_:
inf. näs þær mâra fyrst freóde tô friclan, 2557.
friðo-sib, st. f., _kin for the confirming of peace_, designation of the
queen (see freoðo--webbe), _peace-bringer_: nom. sg. friðu-sibb folca,
2018.
frignan, fringan, frinan, st. v., _to ask, to inquire_: imp. ne frin þu
äfter sælum, _ask not after the well-being!_ 1323; inf. ic þäs wine Deniga
frinan wille ... ymb þînne sîð, 351; pret. sg. frägn, 236, 332; frägn gif
..., _asked whether_ ..., 1320.
ge-frignan, ge-fringan, ge-frinan, _to find out by inquiry, to learn by
narration._ pret. sg. (w. acc.) þät fram hâm gefrägn Higelâces þegn
Grendles dæda, 194; nô ic gefrägn heardran feohtan, 575; (w. acc. and inf.)
þâ ic wîde gefrägn weorc gebannan, 74; similarly, 2485, 2753, 2774; ne
gefrägen ic þâ mægðe mâran weorode ymb hyra sincgyfan sêl gebæran, _I never
heard that any people, richer in warriors, conducted itself better about
its chief_, 1012; similarly, 1028; pret. pl. (w. acc.) we þeódcyninga þrym
gefrunon, 2; (w. acc. and inf.) geongne gûðcyning gôdne gefrunon hringas
dælan, 1970; (parenthetical) swâ guman gefrungon, 667, (after þonne)
medo-ärn micel (_greater_) ... þone yldo bearn æfre gefrunon, 70; pret.
part. häfde Higelâces hilde gefrunen, 2953; häfdon gefrunen þät..., _had
learned that_ ..., 695; häfde gefrunen hwanan sió fæhð ârâs, 2404;
healsbeága mæst þâra þe ic on foldan gefrägen häbbe, 1197.
from, See fram.
frôd, adj.: 1) ætate provectus, _old, gray_: nom. sg. frôd, 2626, 2951;
frôd cyning, 1307, 2210; frôd folces weard, 2514; wintrum frôd, 1725, 2115,
2278; se frôda, 2929; ac. sg. frôde feorhlege (_the laying down of my old
life_), 2801; dat. sg. frôdan fyrnwitan (may also, from its meaning, belong
under No. 2), 2124.--2) mente excellentior, _intelligent, experienced,
wise_: nom. sg. frôd, 1367; frôd and gôd, 279; on môde frôd, 1845.--Comp.:
in-, un-frôd.
frôfor, st. f., _consolation, compensation, help_: nom. sg. frôfor, 2942;
acc. sg. frôfre, 7, 974; fyrena frôfre, 629; frôfre and fultum, 1274;
frôfor and fultum, 699; dat. sg. tô frôfre, 14, 1708; gen. sg. frôfre, 185.
fruma (see forma), w. m., _the foremost_, hence: l) _beginning_: nom. sg.
wäs se fruma egeslîc leódum on lande, swâ hyt lungre wearð on hyra
sincgifan sâre geendod (_the beginning of the dragon-combat was terrible,
its end distressing through the death of Beówulf_), 2310.--2) _he who
stands first, prince_; in comp. dæd-, hild-, land-, leód-, ord-, wîg-fruma.
frum-cyn, st. n., (genus primitivum), _descent, origin_: acc. sg. nu ic
eówer sceal frumcyn witan, 252.
frum-gâr, st. m., primipilus, _duke, prince_: dat. sg. frumgâre (of
Beówulf), 2857.
frum-sceaft, st. f., prima creatio, _beginning_: acc. sg. se þe cûðe
frumsceaft fira feorran reccan, _who could tell of the beginning of mankind
in old times_, 91; dat. sg. frum-sceafte, _in the beginning_, i.e at his
birth, 45.
fugol, st. m., _bird_: dat. sg. fugle gelîcost, 218; dat. pl. [fuglum] tô
gamene, 2942.
ful, adj., _full, filled_: nom. sg. w. gen. pl. se wäs innan full wrätta
and wîra, 2413.--Comp.: eges-, sorh-, weorð-ful.
ful, adv., plene, _very_: ful oft, 480; ful-oft, 952.
ful, st. n., _cup, beaker_: nom. sg., 1193; acc. sg. ful, 616, 629, 1026;
ofer ýða ful, _over the cup of the waves_ (the basin of the sea filled with
waves), 1209; dat. sg. onfôh þissum fulle, 1170.--Comp.: medo-, sele-full.
fullæstian, w. v. w. dat, _to give help_: pres. sg. ic þe fullæstu, 2669.
fultum, st. m., _help, support, protection_: acc. sg. frôfor (frôfre) and
fultum, 699, 1274; mägenes fultum, 1836; on fultum, 2663.--Comp.
mägen-fultum.
fundian, w. v., _to strive, to have in view_: pres. pl. we fundiað Higelâc
sêcan, 1820; pret. sg. fundode of geardum, 1138.
furðum, adv., primo, _just, exactly; then first_: þâ ic furðum weóld folce
Deninga, _then first governed the people of the Danes_ (had just assumed
the government), 465; þâ hie tô sele furðum ... gangan cwômon, 323; ic þær
furðum cwom tô þam hringsele, 2010;--_before, previously_: ic þe sceal mîne
gelæstan freóde, swâ wit furðum spræcon, 1708.
furður, adv., _further, forward, more distant_, 254, 762, 3007.
fûs, adj., _inclined to, favorable, ready_: nom. sg. nu ic eom sîðes fûs,
1476; leófra manna fûs, _prepared for the dear men_, i.e. expecting them,
1917; sigel sûðan fûs, _the sun inclined from the south_ (midday sun),
1967; se wonna hrefn fûs ofer fægum, _eager over the slain_, 3026; sceft
... feðer-gearwum fûs, 3120; nom. pl. wæron ... eft to leódum fûse tô
farenne, 1806.--Sometimes fûs means _ready for death_, moribundus: fûs and
fæge, 1242.--Comp.: hin-, ût-fûs.
fûs-lîc, adj., _prepared, ready_: acc. sg. fûs-lîc f[yrd]-leóð, 1425;
fyrd-searo fûs-lîc, 2619; acc. pl. fyrd-searu fûs-lîcu, 232.
fyl, st. m., _fall_: nom. sg. fyll cyninges, _the fall of the king_ (in the
dragon-fight), 2913; dat. sg. þät he on fylle wearð, _that he came to a
fall, fell_, 1545.--Comp. hrâ-fyl.
fylce (collective form from folc), st. n., _troop, band of warriors_: in
comp. äl-fylce.
ge-fyllan (see feal), w. v., _to fell, to slay in battle_: inf. fâne
gefyllan, _to slay the enemy_, 2656; pret. pl. feónd gefyldan, _they had
slain the enemy_, 2707.
â-fyllan (see ful), w. v., _to fill_: pret. part. Heorot innan wäs freóndum
âfylled (_was filled with trusted men_), 1019.
fyllo, st. f. (_plenty, abundant meal_: dat. (instr.) sg. fylle gefrægnod,
1334; gen. sg. näs hie þære fylle gefeán häfdon, 562; fylle gefægon,
1015.--Comp.: wäl-, wist-fyllo.
fyl-wêrig, adj., _weary enough to fall, faint to death_, moribundus: acc.
sg. fyl-wêrigne, 963.
fyr. See feor.
fyrian, w. v. w. acc. (= ferian) _to bear, to bring, carry_: pret. pl. þâ
þe gif-sceattas Geáta fyredon þyder tô þance, 378.
fyras. See firas.
fyren. See firen.
fyrde, adj., _movable, that can be moved_.--Comp. hard-fyrde.--Leo.
fyrd-gestealla, w. m., _comrade on an expedition, companion in battle_:
dat. pl. fyrd-gesteallum, 2874
fyrd-ham, st. m., _war-dress, coat of mail_: acc. sg. þone fyrd-hom, 1505.
fyrd-hrägl, st. n., _coat of mail, war-dress_: acc. sg. fyrd-hrägl, 1528.
fyrd-hwät, adj., _sharp, good in war, warlike_: nom. pl. frome fyrd-hwate,
1642, 2477.
fyrd-leóð, st. n., _war-song, warlike music_: acc. sg. horn stundum song
fûslîc f[yrd]leoð, 1425.
fyrd-searu, st. n., _equipment for an expedition_: acc. sg. fyrd-searu
fûslîc, 2619; acc. pl. fyrd-searu fûslîcu, 232.
fyrd-wyrðe, adj., _of worth in war, excellent in battle_: nom. sg.
fyrd-wyrðe man (Beówulf), 1317.
ge-fyrðran (see forð), w. v., _to bring forward, to further_: pret. part.
âr wäs on ôfoste, eftsîðes georn, frätwum gefyrðred, _he was hurried
forward by the treasure_ (i.e. after he had gathered up the treasure, he
hasted to return, so as to be able to show it to the mortally-wounded
Beówulf), 2785.
fyrmest. See forma.
fyrn-dagas, st. m. pl., _by-gone days_: dat. pl. fyrndagum (_in old
times_), 1452.
fyrn-geweorc, st. n., _work, something done in old times_: acc. sg. fira
fyrn-geweorc (the drinking-cup mentioned in 2283), 2287.
fyrn-gewin, st. n., _combat in ancient times_: gen. sg. ôr fyrn-gewinnes
(_the origin of the battles of the giants_), 1690.
fyrn-man, st. m., _man of ancient times_: gen. pl. fyrn-manna fatu, 2762.
fyrn-wita, w. m., _counsellor ever since ancient times, adviser for many
years_: dat. sg. frôdan fyrnwitan, of Äschere, 2124.
fyrst, st. m., _portion of time, definite time, time_: nom. sg. näs hit
lengra fyrst, ac ymb âne niht ..., 134; fyrst forð gewât, _the time_ (of
going to the harbor) _was past_, 210; näs þær mâra fyrst freóde tô friclan,
2556; acc. sg. niht-longne fyrst, 528; fîf nihta fyrst, 545; instr. sg. þý
fyrste, 2574; dat. sg. him on fyrste gelomp ..., _within the fixed time_,
76.
fyr-wit, -wet, -wyt, st. n., _prying spirit, curiosity_: nom. sg. fyrwyt,
232; fyrwet, 1986, 2785.
ge-fýsan (fûs), w. v., _to make ready, to prepare_: part. winde gefýsed
flota, _the ship provided with wind_ (for the voyage), 217; (wyrm) fýre
gefýsed, _provided with fire_, 2310; þâ wäs hringbogan (of the drake)
heorte gefýsed säcce tô sêceanne, 2562; with gen., in answer to the
question, for what? gûðe gefýsed, _ready for battle, determined to fight_,
631.
fýr, st. n., _fire_: nom. sg., 1367, 2702, 2882; dat. sg. fýre, 2220; as
instr. fýre, 2275, 2596; gen. sg. fýres fäðm, 185; fýres feng, 1765.--
Comp.: âd-, bæl-, heaðu-, wäl-fýr.
fýr-bend, st. m., _band forged in fire_: dat. pl. duru ... fýr-bendum fäst,
723.
fýr-draca, w. m., _fire-drake, fire-spewing dragon_: nom. sg., 2690.
fýr-heard, adj., _hard through fire, hardened in fire_: nom. pl. (eoforlîc)
fâh and fýr-heard, 305.
fýr-leóht, st. n., _fire-light_: acc. sg., 1517.
fýr-wylm, st. m., _wave of fire, flame-wave_: dat. pl. wyrm ... fýrwylmum
fâh, 2672.
G
galan, st. v., _to sing, to sound_: pres. sg. sorh-leóð gäleð, 2461; inf.
gryre-leóð galan, 787; bearhtm ongeâton, gûðhorn galan, _heard the clang,
the battle-trumpet sound_, 1433.
â-galan, _to sing, to sound_: pret. sg. þät hire on hafelan hringmæl âgôl
grædig gûðleóð, _that the sword caused a greedy battle-song to sound upon
her head_, 1522.
gamban, or, according to Bout., gambe, w. f., _tribute, interest_: acc. sg.
gomban gyldan, 11.
gamen, st. n., _social pleasure, rejoicing, joyous doings_: nom. sg. gamen,
1161; gomen, 2460; gomen gleóbeámes, _the pleasure of the harp_, 2264; acc.
sg. gamen and gleódreám, 3022; dat. sg. gamene, 2942; gomene, 1776.--Comp.
heal-gamen.
gamen-wâð, st. f., _way offering social enjoyment, journey in joyous
society_: dat. sg. of gomen-wâðe, 855.
gamen-wudu, st. m., _wood of social enjoyment_, i.e. harp: nom. sg. þær wäs
... gomenwudu grêted, 1066; acc. sg. gomenwudu grêtte, 2109.
gamol, gomol, gomel, adj., _old_; of persons, _having lived many years,
gray_: gamol, 58, 265; gomol, 3096; gomel, 2113, 2794; se gomela, 1398;
gamela (gomela) Scylding, 1793, 2106; gomela, 2932; acc. sg. þone gomelan,
2422; dat. sg. gamelum rince, 1678; gomelum ceorle, 2445; þam gomelan,
2818; nom. pl. blondenfeaxe gomele, 1596.--Also, _late, belonging to former
time_: gen. pl. gomelra lâfe (_legacy_), 2037.--Of things, _old, from old
times_: nom. sg. sweord ... gomol, 2683; acc. sg. gomele lâfe, 2564; gomel
swyrd, 2611; gamol is a more respectful word than eald.
gamol-feax, adj., _with gray hair_: nom. sg., 609.
gang, st. m.: 1) _gait, way_: dat. sg. on gange, 1885; gen. sg. ic hine ne
mihte ... ganges ge-twæman, _could not keep him from going_, 969.--2)
_step, foot-step_: nom. sg. gang (the foot-print of the mother of Grendel),
1405; acc. sg. uton hraðe fêran Grendles mâgan gang sceáwigan, 1392.--Comp.
in-gang.
be-gang, bi-gang, st. m., (_so far as something goes_), _extent_: acc. sg.
ofer geofenes begang, _over the extent of the sea_, 362; ofer flôda begang,
1827; under swegles begong, 861, 1774; flôda begong, 1498; sioleða bigong,
2368.
gangan. See under gân.
ganot, st. m., _diver_, fulica marina: gen. sg. ofer ganotes bäð (i.e. the
sea), 1862.
gâd, st. n., _lack_: nom. sg. ne bið þe wilna gâd (_thou shalt have no lack
of desirable_ [valuable] _things_), 661; similarly, 950.
gân, _expanded =_ gangan, st. v., _to go_: pres. sg. III. gæð â Wyrd swâ
hió scel, 455; gæð eft ... tô medo, 605; þonne he ... on flett gæð, 2035;
similarly, 2055; pres. subj. III. sg. gâ þær he wille, _let him go whither
he will_, 1395; imp. sg. II. gâ nu tô setle, 1783; nu þu lungre geong, hord
sceáwian, under hârne stân, 2744; inf. in gân, _to go in_, 386, 1645 'forð
gân, _to go forth, to go thither_, 1164; þat hie him tô mihton gegnum
gangan, _to go towards, to go to_, 314; tô sele ... gangan cwômon, 324; in
a similar construction, gongan, 1643; nu ge môton gangan ... Hrôðgâr
geseón, 395; þâ com of môre ... Grendel gongan, _there came Grendel (going)
from the fen_, 712; ongeán gramum gangan, _to go to meet the enemy, to go
to the war_, 1035; cwom ... tô hofe gongan, 1975; wutun gangan tô, _let us
go thither_, 2649.--As preterite, serve, 1) geóng or gióng: he tô healle
geóng, 926; similarly, 2019; se þe on orde geóng, _who went at the head,
went in front, _3126; on innan gióng, _went in_, 2215; he ... gióng tô þäs
þe he eorðsele ânne wisse, _went thither, where he knew of that earth-hall,
_2410; þâ se äðeling, gióng, þät he bî wealle gesät, _then went the prince_
(Beówulf) _that he might sit down by the wall_, 2716.--2) gang: tô healle
gang Healfdenes sunu, 1010; similarly, 1296; gang þâ äfter flôre, _went
along the floor, along the hall_, 1317.--3) gengde (Goth. gaggida): he ...
beforan gengde ..., wong sceáwian, _went in front to inspect the fields_,
1413; gengde, also of riding, 1402.--4) from another stem, eode (Goth.
iddja): eode ellenrôf, þät he for eaxlum gestôd Deniga freán, 358;
similarly, 403; [wið duru healle Wulfgâr eode], _went towards the door of
the hall_, 390; eode Wealhþeów forð, _went forth_, 613; eode tô hire freán
sittan, 641; eode yrremôd, _went with angry feeling_, 727; eode ... tô
sele, 919; similarly, 1233; eode ... þær se snottra bâd, 1313; eode weorð
Denum äðeling tô yppan, _the prince_ (Beówulf), _honored by the Danes, went
to the high seat_, 1815; eode ... under inwit-hrôf, 3124; pl. þær
swîðferhðe sittan eodon, 493; eodon him þâ tôgeánes, _went to meet him_,
1627; eodon under Earna näs, 3032.
â-gangan, _to go out, to go forth, to befall_: pret. part. swâ bit âgangen
wearð eorla manegum (_as it befell many a one of the earls_), 1235.
full-gangan, _to emulate, to follow after_: pret. sg. þonne ... sceft nytte
heóld, feðer-gearwum fûs flâne full-eode, _when the shaft had employment,
furnished with feathers it followed the arrow, did as the arrow_, 3120.
ge-gân, ge-gangan: 1) _to go, to approach_: inf. (w. acc.) his môdor ...
gegân wolde sorhfulne sîð, 1278; se þe gryre-sîðas gegân dorste, _who dared
to go the ways of terror_ (to go into the combat), 1463; pret. sg. se maga
geonga under his mæges scyld elne geeode, _went quickly under his kinsman's
shield_, 2677; pl. elne geeodon tô þäs þe ..., _went quickly thither where_
..., 1968; pret. part. syððan hie tô-gädre gegân häfdon, _when they_
(Wîglâf and the drake) _had come together_, 2631; þät his aldres wäs ende
gegongen, _that the end of his life had come_, 823; þâ wäs endedäg gôdum
gegongen, þät se gûðcyning ... swealt, 3037.--2) _to obtain, to reach_:
inf. (w. acc.) þonne he ät gûðe gegân þenceð longsumne lof, 1536; ic mid
elne sceall gold gegangan, 2537; gerund, näs þät ýðe ceáp tô gegangenne
gumena ænigum, 2417; pret. pl. elne geeodon ... þät se byrnwîga bûgan
sceolde, 2918; pret. part. häfde ... gegongen þät, _had attained it, that_
..., 894; hord ys gesceáwod, grimme gegongen, 3086.--3) _to occur, to
happen_: pres. sg. III. gif þät gegangeð þät ..., _if that happen, that_
..., 1847; pret. sg. þät geiode ufaran dôgrum hilde-hlämmum, _it happened
in later times to the warriors_ (the Geátas), 2201; pret. part. þâ wäs
gegongen guman unfrôdum earfoðlîce þät, _then it had happened to the young
man in sorrowful wise that_ ..., 2822.
ôð-gangan, _to-go thither_: pret. pl. oð þät hi ôðeodon ... in Hrefnesholt,
2935.
ofer-gangan, w. acc., _to go over_: pret. sg. ofereode þâ äðelinga bearn
steáp stân-hliðo, _went over steep, rocky precipices_, 1409; pl.
freoðo-wong þone forð ofereodon, 2960.
ymb-gangan, w. acc., _to go around_: pret. ymb-eode þâ ides Helminga duguðe
and geogoðe dæl æghwylcne, _went around in every part, among the superior
and the inferior warriors_, 621.
gâr, st. m., _spear, javelin, missile_: nom. sg., 1847, 3022; instr. sg.
gâre, 1076; blôdigan gâre, 2441; gen. sg. gâres fliht, 1766; nom. pl.
gâras, 328; gen. pl., 161(?).--Comp.: bon-, frum-gâr.
gâr-cêne, adj., _spear-bold_: nom. sg., 1959.
gâr-cwealm, st. m., _murder, death by the spear_: acc. sg. gâr-cwealm
gumena, 2044.
gâr-holt, st. n., _forest of spears_, i.e. crowd of spears: acc. sg., 1835.
gâr-secg, st. m. (cf. Grimm, in Haupt l. 578), _sea, ocean_: acc. sg. on
gâr-secg, 49, 537; ofer gâr-secg, 515.
gâr-wîga, w. m., _one who fights with the spear_: dat. sg. geongum
gâr-wîgan, of Wîglâf, 2675, 2812.
gâr-wîgend, pres. part., _fighting with spear, spear-fighter_: acc. pl.
gâr-wîgend, 2642.
gâst, gæst, st. m., _ghost, demon_: acc. sg. helle gâst (Grendel), 1275;
gen. sg. wergan gâstes (of Grendel), 133; (of the tempter), 1748; gen. pl.
dyrnra gâsta (Grendel's race), 1358; gæsta gîfrost (_flames consuming
corpses_), 1124.--Comp.: ellor-, geó-sceaft-gâst; ellen-, wäl-gæst.
gâst-bana, w. m., _slayer of the spirit_, i.e. the devil: nom. sg.
gâst-bona, 177.
gädeling, st. m., _he who is connected with another, relation, companion_:
gen. sg. gädelinges, 2618; dat. pl. mid his gädelingum, 2950.
ät-gädere, adv., _together, united_: 321, 1165, 1191; samod ätgädere, 329,
387, 730, 1064.
tô-gadere, adv., _together_, 2631.
gäst, gist, gyst, st. m., _stranger, guest_: nom. sg. gäst, 1801; se gäst
(the drake), 2313; se grimma gäst (Grendel), 102; gist, 1139, 1523; acc.
sg. gryre-lîcne gist (the nixy slain by Beówulf), 1442; dat. sg. gyste,
2229; nom. pl. gistas, 1603; acc. pl. gäs[tas], 1894.--Comp.: fêðe-,
gryre-, inwit-, nîð-, sele-gäst (-gyst).
gäst-sele, st. m., _hall in which the guests spend their time, guest-hall_:
acc. sg., 995.
ge, conj., _and_, 1341; ge ... ge ..., _as well ... as ..._, 1865; ge ...
ge ..., ge ..., 1249; ge swylce, _and likewise, and moreover_, 2259.
ge, pron., _ye, you_, plur. of þu, 237, 245, etc.
gegn-cwide, st. m., _reply_: gen. pl. þînra gegn-cwida, 367.
gegnum, adv., _thither, towards, away_, with the prep, tô, ofer, giving the
direction: þät hie him tô mihton gegnum gangan (_that they might go
thither_), 314; gegnum fôr [þâ] ofer myrcan môr, _away over the dark moor_,
1405.
gehðu, geohðu, st. f., _sorrow, care_: instr. sg. giohðo mænde, 2268; dat.
sg. on gehðo, 3096; on giohðe, 2794.
gen (from gegn), adv., _yet, again_. ne wäs hit lenge þâ gen, þät ..., _it
was not then long before_ ..., 83; ic sceal forð sprecan gen ymb Grendel,
_shall from now on speak again of Grendel_, 2071; nô þý ær ût þâ gen ...
gongan wolde (_still he would not yet go out_), 2082; gen is eall ät þe
lissa gelong (_yet all my favor belongs to thee_), 2150; þâ gen, _then
again_, 2678, 2703; swâ he nu gen dêð, _as he still does_, 2860; furður
gen, _further still, besides_, 3007; nu gen, _now again_, 3169; ne gen, _no
more, no farther_: ne wäs þät wyrd þâ gen, _that was no more fate_ (fate no
longer willed that), 735.
gena, _still_: cwico wäs þâ gena, _was still living_, 3094.
genga, w. m., _goer_; in comp. in-, sæ-, sceadu-genga.
gengde. See gân(3).
genge. See ûð-genge.
genunga (from gegnunga), adv., _precisely, completely_, 2872.
gerwan, gyrwan, w. v.: 1) _to prepare, to make ready, to put in condition_:
pret. pl. gestsele gyredon, 995.--2) _to equip, to arm for battle_: pret.
sg. gyrede hine Beówulf eorl-gewædum (_dressed himself in the armor_),
1442.
ge-gyrwan: 1) _to make, to prepare_: pret. pl. him þâ gegiredan Geáta leóde
âd ... unwâclîcne, 3138; pret. part. glôf ... eall gegyrwed deófles cräftum
and dracan fellum, 2088.--2) _to fit out, to make ready_: inf. ceól
gegyrwan hilde-wæpnum and heaðowædum, 38; hêt him ýðlidan gôdne gegyrwan,
_had (his) good ship fitted up for him_, 199. Also, _to provide warlike
equipment_: pret. part. syððan he hine tô gûðe gegyred häfde, 1473.--3) _to
endow, to provide, to adorn_: pret. part. nom. sg. beado-hrägl ... golde
gegyrwed, 553; acc. sg. lâfe ... golde gegyrede, 2193; acc. pl. mâdmas ...
golde gegyrede, 1029.
getan, w. v., _to injure, to slay_: inf., 2941.
be-gête, adj., _attainable_; in comp. êð-begête.
geador, adv., _unitedly, together, jointly_, 836; geador ätsomne, 491.
on-geador, adv., _unitedly, together_, 1596.
gealdor, st. n.: 1) _sound_: acc. sg. býman gealdor, 2944.--2) _magic song,
incantation, spell_: instr. sg. þonne wäs þät yrfe ... galdre bewunden
(_placed under a spell_), 3053.
gealga, w. m., _gallows_: dat. sg. þät his byre rîde giong on galgan, 2447.
gealg-môd, adj., _gloomy_: nom. sg. gîfre and galgmôd, 1278.
gealg-treów, st. n., _gallows_: dat. pl. on galg-treówu[m], 2941.
geard, st. m., _residence_; in Beówulf corresponding to the house-complex
of a prince's residence, used only in the plur.: acc. in geardas (_in
Finn's castle_), 1135; dat. in geardum, 13, 2460; of geardum, 1139; ær he
on weg hwurfe ... of geardum, _before he went away from his
dwelling-place_, i.e. died, 265.--Comp. middan-geard.
gearo, adj., properly, _made, prepared_; hence, _ready, finished,
equipped_: nom. sg. þät hit wearð eal gearo, heal-ärna mæst, 77; wiht
unhælo ... gearo sôna wäs, _the demon of destruction was quickly ready, did
not delay long_, 121; Here-Scyldinga betst beadorinca wäs on bæl gearu,
_was ready for the funeral-pile_ (for the solemn burning), 1110; þeód (is)
eal gearo, _the warriors are altogether ready, always prepared_, 1231;
hraðe wäs ät holme hýð-weard gearo (geara, MS.), 1915; gearo gûð-freca,
2415; sîe sió bær gearo ädre geäfned, _let the bier be made ready at once_,
3106. With gen.: gearo gyrnwräce, _ready for revenge for harm done_, 2119,
acc. sg. gearwe stôwe, 1007; nom. pl. beornas gearwe, 211; similarly, 1814.
gearwe, gearo, geare, adv., _completely, entirely_: ne ge ... gearwe ne
wisson, _you do not know at all_ ..., 246; similarly, 879; hine gearwe
geman witena welhwyle (_remembers him very well_), 265; wisse he gearwe þät
..., _he knew very well that_ ..., 2340, 2726; þät ic ... gearo sceáwige
swegle searogimmas (_that I may see the treasures altogether, as many as
they are_), 2749; ic wât geare þät ..., 2657.--Comp. gearwor, _more
readily, rather_, 3077.--Superl. gearwost, 716.
gearo-folm, adj., _with ready hand_, 2086.
gearwe, st. f., _equipment, dress_; in comp. feðer-gearwe.
geat, st. n., _opening, door_; in comp. ben-, hilde-geat.
geato-lîc, adj., _well prepared, handsome, splendid_: of sword and armor,
215, 1563, 2155; of Heorot, 308. Adv.: wîsa fengel geatolîc gengde, _passed
on in a stately manner_, 1402.
geatwe, st. f. pl., _equipment, adornment_: acc. recedes geatwa, _the
ornaments of the dragon's cave_ (its treasures), 3089.--Comp.: eóred-,
gryre-, gûð-, hilde-, wîg-geatwe.
geán (from gegn), adv. in
on-geán, adv. and prep., _against, towards_: þät he me ongeán sleá, 682;
ræhte ongeán feónd mid folme, 748; foran ongeán, _forward towards_, 2365.
With dat.: ongeán gramum, _against the enemy_, 1035.
tô-geánes, tô-genes, prep, _against, towards_: Grendle tôgeánes, _towards
Grendel, against Grendel_, 667; grâp þâ tôgeánes, _she grasped at_
(Beówulf), 1502; similarly, him tôgeánes fêng, 1543; eodon him þâ tôgeánes,
_went towards him_, 1627; hêt þâ gebeódan ... þät hie bæl-wudu feorran
feredon gôdum tôgênes, _had it ordered that they should bring the wood from
far for the funeral-pyre towards the good man_ (i.e. to the place where the
dead Beówulf lay), 3115.
geáp, adj., _roomy, extensive, wide_: nom. sg. reced ... geáp, _the roomy
hall_, 1801; acc. sg. under geápne hrôf, 837.--Comp.: horn-, sæ-geáp.
geâr, st. n., _year_: nom. sg., 1135; gen. pl. geâra, in adverbial sense,
olim, _in former times_, 2665. See un-geâra.
geâr-dagas, st. m. pl., _former days_: dat. pl. in (on) geâr-dagum, 1,
1355.
geofe. See gifu.
geofon, gifen, gyfen (see Kuhn Zeitschr. I. 137), st. n., _sea, flood_:
nom. sg. geofon, 515; gifen geótende, _the streaming flood_, 1691; gen. sg.
geofenes begang, 362; gyfenes, 1395.
geogoð, st. f.: 1) _youth, time of youth_: dat. sg. on geogoðe, 409, 466,
2513; on giogoðe, 2427; gen. gioguðe, 2113.--2) contrasted with duguð, _the
younger warriors of lower rank_ (about as in the Middle Ages, the squires
with the knights): nom. sg. geogoð, 66; giogoð, 1191; acc. sg. geogoðe,
1182; gen. duguðe and geogoðe, 160; duguðe and iogoðe (geogoðe), 1675, 622.
geoguð-feorh, st. n., _age of youth_, i.e. age in which one still belongs
in the ranks of the geogoð: on geogoð- (geoguð-) feore, 537, 2665.
geohðo. See gehðo.
geolo, adj., _yellow_: acc. sg. geolwe linde (_the shield of yellow linden
bark_), 2611.
geolo-rand, st. m., _yellow shield_ (shield with a covering of interlaced
yellow linden bark): acc. sg., 438.
geond, prep. w. acc., _through, throughout, along, over_: geond þisne
middangeard, _through the earth, over the earth_, 75; wide geond eorðan,
266, 3100; fêrdon folctogan ... geond wîd-wegas, _went along the ways
coming from afar_, 841; similarly, 1705; geond þät säld, _through the hall,
through the extent of the hall_, 1281; similarly, 1982, 2265.
geong, adj., _young, youthful_: nom. sg., 13, 20, 855, etc.; giong, 2447;
w. m. se maga geonga, 2676; acc. sg. geongne gûðcyning, 1970; dat. sg.
geongum, 1949, 2045, 2675, etc.; on swâ geongum feore, _at a so youthful
age_, 1844; geongan cempan, 2627; acc. pl. geonge, 2019; dat. pl. geongum
and ealdum, 72.--Superl. gingest, _the last_: nom. sg. w. f. gingeste word,
2818.
georn, adj., _striving, eager_, w. gen. of the thing striven for: eft sîðes
georn, 2784.--Comp. lof-georn.
georne, adv., _readily, willingly_: þät him wine-mâgas georne hýrdon, 66;
georne trûwode, 670.--_zealously, eagerly_: sôhte georne äfter grunde,
_eagerly searched over the ground_, 2295.--_carefully, industriously_: nô
ic him þäs georne ätfealh (_held him not fast enough_), 969.--_completely,
exactly_: comp. wiste þê geornor, 822.
geó, iú, adv., _once, formerly, earlier_, 1477; gió, 2522; iú, 2460.
geóc, st. f., _help, support_: acc. sg. geóce gefremman, 2675; þät him
gâst-bona geóce gefremede wið þeód-þreáum, 177; geóce gelýfde, _believed in
the help_ (of Beówulf), 609; dat. sg. tô geóce, 1835.
geócor, adj., _ill, bad_: nom. sg., 766.--See Haupt's Zeitschrift 8, p. 7.
geó-man, iú-man, st. m., _man of former times_: gen. pl. iú-manna, 3053.
geó-meowle, w. f., (_formerly a virgin), wife_: acc. sg. ió-meowlan, 2932.
geômor, adj., _with depressed feelings, sad, troubled_: nom. sg. him wäs
geômor sefa, 49, 2420, 2633, 2951; môdes geômor, 2101; fem. þät wäs geômuru
ides, 1076.
geômore, adv., _sadly_, 151.
geômor-gid, st. n., _dirge_: acc. sg. giômor-gyd, 3151.
geômor-lîc, adj., _sad, painful_: swâ bið geômorlîc gomelum ceorle tô
gebîdanne þät..., _it is painful to an old man to experience it, that ..._,
2445.
geômor-môd, adj., _sad, sorrowful_: nom. sg., 2045, 3019; giômor-môd, 2268.
geômrian, w. v., _to complain, to lament_: pret. sg. geômrode giddum, 1119.
geó-sceaft, st. f., (_fixed in past times), fate_: acc. sg. geósceaft
grimme, 1235.
geósceaft-gâst, st. m., _demon sent by fate_: gen. pl. fela
geósceaft-gâsta, of Grendel and his race, 1267.
geótan, st. v. intrans., _to pour, to flow, to stream_: pres. part. gifen
geótende, 1691.
gicel, st. m., _icicle_: in comp. hilde-gicel.
gid, gyd, st. n., _speech, solemn alliterative song_: nom. sg. þær wäs ...
gid oft wrecen, 1066; leóð wäs âsungen, gleómannes gyd, _the song was sung,
the gleeman's lay_, 1161; þær wäs gidd and gleó, 2106; acc. sg. ic þis gid
âwräc, 1724; gyd âwräc, 2109; gyd äfter wräc, 2155; þonne he gyd wrece,
2447; dat. pl. giddum, 151, 1119; gen. pl. gidda gemyndig, 869.--Comp.:
geômor-, word-gid.
giddian, w. v., _to speak, to speak in alliteration_: pret. gyddode, 631.
gif, conj.: 1) _if_, w. ind., 442, 447, 527, 662, etc.; gyf, 945, etc. With
subj., 452, 594, 1482, etc.; gyf, 280, 1105, etc.--2) _whether_, w. ind.,
272; w. subj., 1141, 1320.
gifa, geofa, w. m., _giver_; in comp. gold-, sinc-, wil-gifa (-geofa).
gifan, st. v., _to give_: inf. giofan, 2973; pret. sg. nallas beágas geaf
Denum, 1720; he me [mâðmas] geaf, 2147; and similarly, 2174, 2432, 2624,
etc.; pret. pl. geâfon (hyne) on gârsecg, 49; pret. part. þâ wäs Hrôðgâre
here-spêd gyfen, 64; þâ wäs gylden hilt gamelum rince ... on hand gyfen,
1679; syððan ærest wearð gyfen ... geongum cempan (_given in marriage_),
1949.
â-gifan, _to give, to impart_: inf. andsware ... âgifan, _to give an
answer_, 355; pret. sg. sôna him se frôda fäder Ôhtheres ... ondslyht âgeaf
(_gave him a counter-blow_), (_hand-blow_?), 2930.
for-gyfan, _to give, to grant_: pret. sg. him þäs lîf-freá ... worold-âre
forgeaf, 17; þäm tô hâm forgeaf Hrêðel Geáta ângan dôhtor (_gave in
marriage_), 374; similarly, 2998; he me lond forgeaf, _granted me land_,
2493; similarly, 697, 1021, 2607, 2617; mägen-ræs forgeaf hilde-bille, _he
gave with his battle-sword a mighty blow_, i.e. he struck with full force,
1520.
of-gifan, (_to give up_), _to leave_: inf. þät se mæra maga Ecgþeówes
grund-wong þone ofgyfan wolde (_was fated to leave the earth-plain_), 2589;
pret. sg. þâs worold ofgeaf gromheort guma, 1682; similarly, gumdreám
ofgeaf, 2470; Dena land ofgeaf, 1905; pret. pl. näs ofgeâfon hwate
Scyldingas, _left the promontory_, 1601; þät þâ hildlatan holt ofgêfan,
_that the cowards left the wood_ (into which they had fled), 2847; sg.
pret. for pl. þâra þe þis [lîf] ofgeaf, 2252.
gifeðe, adj., _given, granted_: Gûðfremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið þät...,
_to such a warrior is it granted that_..., 299; similarly, 2682; swâ me
gifeðe wäs, 2492; þær me gifeðe swâ ænig yrfeweard äfter wurde, _if an
heir_, (living) _after me, had been given me_, 2731.--Neut. as subst.: wäs
þät gifeðe tô swîð, þe þone [þeóden] þyder ontyhte, _the fate was t