"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,