XXII. BEÓWULF SEEKS THE MONSTER IN THE HAUNTS OF THE NIXIES.
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"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
"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,
"ne on gyfenes grund, gâ þær he wille.
"weána gehwylces, swâ ic þe wêne tô!"
Âhleóp þâ se gomela, gode þancode,
mihtigan drihtne, þäs se man gespräc.
Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre hors gebæted,
geatolîc gengde; gum-fêða stôp
äfter wald-swaðum wîde gesýne,
gang ofer grundas; gegnum fôr þâ
ofer myrcan môr, mago-þegna bär
þâra þe mid Hrôðgâre hâm eahtode.
steáp stân-hliðo, stîge nearwe,
neowle nässas, nicor-hûsa fela;
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,
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
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
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,
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,
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,
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,
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
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;
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,
þät hit ellen-weorc äfnan scolde.
eafoðes cräftig, þät he ær gespräc
wîne druncen, þâ he þäs wæpnes onlâh
sêlran sweord-frecan: selfa ne dorste
under ýða gewin aldre genêðan,
driht-scype dreógan; þær he dôme forleás,
ellen-mærðum. Ne wäs þäm ôðrum swâ,