XXXIV.
Sē ðæs lēod-hryres lēan gemunde
uferan dōgrum; Ēadgilse wearð
fēa-sceaftum frēond, folce gestēpte[1]
ofer sǣ sīde sunu Ōhteres,
2395wigum ond wǣpnum; hē gewræc syððan
cealdum cear-sīðum, cyning ealdre binēat.
Swā hē nīða gehwane genesen hæfde,
slīðra geslyhta, sunu Ecgðīowes,
ellen-weorca, oð ðone ānne dæg,
2400þe hē wið þām wyrme gewegan sceolde.
Gewāt þā twelfa[2] sum, torne gebolgen,
dryhten Gēata dracan scēawian;
hæfde þā gefrūnen, hwanan sīo fǣhð ārās,
bealo-nīð biorna; him tō bearme *cwōmFol. 183b.
2405māþðum-fæt mǣre þurh ðæs meldan hond.
Sē wæs on ðām ðrēate þreottēoþa secg,
sē ðæs orleges ōr onstealde;
hæft hyge-gīomor sceolde hēan ðonon
wong wīsian. Hē ofer willan gīong,
2410tō ðæs ðe hē eorð-sele ānne wisse,
hlǣw under hrūsan holm-wylme nēh,
ȳð-gewinne, sē wæs innan full
wrætta ond wīra. Weard unhīore,
- ↑ 2393. Heyne ‘fēond, folce gestepte,’ with a different interpretation of the whole passage: sunu (2394) nom., cyning (2396) = Eadgils. With the MS. reading, retained in the text, sunu is accus., and cyning = Onela. By supporting the exiled Eadgils against Onela, Beowulf obtains his revenge on the Swedes. See Bugge, “Beit.” xii. 11 ff., and Eadgils in Index of Persons and Places.
- ↑ 2401. MS. ‘.xii.a’
