Hwæt, we Gar-Dena in geardagum. 129
þeodcyninga þrym gefrunon.
Hu ða æþelingas elle(n) fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþen(a) þreatum
monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorl, syððan ærest wear(ð)
feasceaft funden. He þæs frofre geba(d),
weox under wolcnum weorðmyndum þah.
Oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning.
Ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone God sende
folce to frofre. Fyrenðearfe ongeat;
þæt hie ær drugon aldor (le)ase.
lange hwile; him þæs Liffrea,
wuldres Wealdend woroldare forgeaf.
Beowulf wæs breme. blæd wide sprang
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
Swa sceal ge(ong g)uma gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftum on fæder....

| ... [bea](r)me, |129v
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wi(l )gesiþas, þonne wig cume.
leode gelæsten; lof dædum sceal
in mægþa gehwære man geþeon.
Him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile
felahror feran on Frean wære.
Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe,
swæse gesiþas. Swa he selfa bæd,
þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga,
leof landfruma lange ahte.
Þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna
isig ∧ utfus, æþelinges fær.
Aledon þa leofne þeoden,
beaga bryttan on bearm scipes,
mærne be mæste. Þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum frætwa gelæded.
Ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceolge gyrwan
hildewæpnum ∧ heaðo wædum,
billum ∧ byrnum; him on bearme læg
madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum, þonne (þ)a d(y)don,
þe hine ætfrumsceafte forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe umbor we|sende. |130r
Þa gyt hie him asetton segen g(e)[l]denne
heah ofer heafod, leton holm ber(an),
geafon on garsecg. Him wæs geomor sefa,
murnende mod. Men ne cunnon
secgan t(o) soðe, selerædenne,
hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.

.I.
ÐA wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga,
leo(f) leodcyning longe þrage
folcum gefræge -- fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde -- oþ þæt him eft onwoc
heah Healfdene; heold þenden lifde
gamol ∧ guðreouw glæde Scyldingas.
Ðæm feower bearn forðgerimed
in worold wocun, weoroda ræswa,
Heorogar. ∧ Hroðgar ∧ Halga til.
Hyrde ic þæt elancwen,
Heaðo-Scilfingas healsgebedda [wæs].
Þa wæs Hroðgare heresped gyfen,
wiges weorðmynd, þæt him his winemagas
georne hyrdon, oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox,
magodriht micel. Him on mod bearn,
þæt healreced hatan wolde.

|[medo]ærn micel men gewyrcean 130v
þone (yldo) (b)earn æfre gefrunon,
∧ þær on innan eall (g)edælan
geongum ∧ ealdum, swylc him God sealde
buton folcscare ∧ feorum gumena.
Ð)a ic wide gefrægn weorc gebannan
manigre mægþe geond þisne middangeard,
folcstede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp,
ædre mid yldum, þæt hit wearð ealgearo,
healærna mæst; scop him Heort naman,
se þe his wordes geweald wide hæfde.
He beot ne aleh, beagas dælde,
sinc æt symle. Sele hlifade,
heah ∧ horngeap; heaðowylma bad,
laðan liges. Ne wæs hit lenge þa gen,
þæt se secghete aþum swerian
æfter wælniðe wæcnan scolde.
Ða se ellengæst earfoðlice
þrage geþolode, se þe in þystrum bad,
þæt he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde
hludne in healle; þær wæs hearpan sweg,
swutol sang scopes. Sægde se þe cuþe
frumsceaft fira feorran reccan ..,