þǣr swīð-ferhþesittan ēodon,
þrȳðum dealle.Þegn nytte behēold,
495sē þe on handa bærhroden ealo-wǣge,
scencte scīr wered.Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote;þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unlȳtelDena ond Wedera.
VIII.
Unferð[1] maþelode,Ecglāfes bearn,
500þe æt fōtum sætfrēan Scyldinga,
onband beadu-rūne(wæs him Bēowulfes sið,
mōdges mere-faran,micel æf-þunca,
forþon þe hē ne ūþe,þæt ǣnig ōðer man
ǣfre *mǣrða þon māmiddan-geardesFol. 141b.
505gehēdde under heofenumþonne hē sylfa):
“Eart þū se Bēowulf,sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
on sīdne sǣymb sund flite,
ðǣr git for wlencewada cunnedon,
ond for dol-gilpeon dēop wæter
510aldrum nēþdon?Ne inc ǣnig mon,
ne lēof nē lāð,belēan mihte
sorh-fullne sīð,þā git on sund rēon;
þǣr git ēagor-strēamearmum þehton,
mǣton mere-strǣta,mundum brugdon,
515glidon ofer gār-secg;geofon ȳþum wēol,
wintrys wyhn.[2]Git on wæteres ǣht
