Poetry Reading, Fall 1998
Beowolf, 539-553
| Hæfdon swurd nacod, / þa wit on sund reon, | We held naked swords / as we swam on the sea, |
| heard on handa; / wit unc wið hron-fixas | hard in our hands; / thought to protect us |
| werian þohton. / No he wiht fram me | from whales' tusks. / He could not swim |
| flod-yþum feor / fleotan meahte, | farther from me, / nor able to float away |
| hraþor on holme, / no ic fram him wolde. | on the heaving waves, / nor would I from him. |
| Ða wit ætsomne / On sæ wæron | When we together, / swam on the sea |
| fif nihta fyrst, / oþþæt unc flod todraf | five nights at first, / until sea drove us apart |
| wado weallende, / wedera cealdost, | in its churning woad, / that coldest weather, |
| nipende niht, / ond norþan-wind | darkening night, / and north-wind |
| heaðo-grin ondhwearf. / Hreo wæron yþa, | turned fierce against us. / Rough were the waves, |
| wæs mere-fixa / mod onhrered; | and angry sea-beasts / had been stirred up; |
| þær me wið laðum / lic-syrce min, | Then against their attack / my body-armor, |
| heard, hond-locen, / helpe gefremede, | hard, hand-linked, / did help me, |
| beado-hrægl broden / on breostum læg | my chain-metal war-shirt / lay on my breast |
| golde gegyrwed. | adorned with gold. |
 [Table of Contents] |
 [Previous reading] |
 [Next reading] |