126
BEOWULF.
gealdor ongēaton, þā se gōda cōm
2945lēoda dugoðe on lāst faran.
XLI.
Wæs sīo swāt-swaðu Sw[ē]ona[1] ond Gēata,
wæl-rǣs weora, wīde gesȳne,
hū ðā folc mid him fǣhðe tōwehton.
Gewāt him ðā se gōda mid his gædelingum,
2950frōd, fela-gēomor, fæsten sēcean,
eorl Ongenþīo ufor oncirde;
hæfde Higelāces hilde gefrūnen,
wlonces wīg-cræft; wiðres ne trūwode,
þæt hē sǣ-mamium onsacan mihte,
2955hēaðo-līðendum, hord forstandan,
bearn ond brȳde; bēah eft þonan
eald under eorð-weall. Þā wæs ǣht boden
Swēona lēodum, segn Higelāce[s];[2]
freoðo-wong þone forð[3] oferēodon,
2960syððan Hrēðlingas tō hagan þrungon.
Þǣr wearð Ongenðīow ecgum sweorda,[4]
blonden-fexa, on bīd wrecen,
þæt se þēod-cyning ðafian sceolde
- ↑ 2946. MS. ‘swona.’
- ↑ 2958. Grein and Heyne retain the MS. reading; the latter explains: “Das auf der Flucht entrissene Banner der Schweden kam in Hygelācs Hände.” But it is a far cry from giving chase to the capture of the banner, not to mention the violent zeugma in boden. Bugge supports Kemble’s emendation, adopted in the text: “Das erhobene banner ist das merkmal der verfolgung.”
- ↑ 2959. MS. ‘ford.’ Heyne thinks freoðo-wong may be a proper name. Would it, in that case, be followed by ðone?
- ↑ 2961. MS. ‘sweordū.’
