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;

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

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,

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,

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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,

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

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

se þe manna wäs mägene strengest

on þäm däge þysses lîfes.