breóst-gehygdum, ær he bæl cure, 2820 hâte heaðo-wylmas: him of hreðre gewât sâwol sêcean sôð-fästra dôm. XXXIX. THE COWARD-THANES. Þâ wäs gegongen guman unfrôdum earfoðlîce, þät he on eorðan geseah þone leófestan lîfes ät ende 2825 bleáte gebæran. Bona swylce läg, egeslîc eorð-draca, ealdre bereáfod, bealwe gebæded: beáh-hordum leng wyrm woh-bogen wealdan ne môste, ac him îrenna ecga fornâmon, 2830 hearde heaðo-scearpe homera lâfe, þät se wîd-floga wundum stille hreás on hrusan hord-ärne neáh, nalles äfter lyfte lâcende hwearf middel-nihtum, mâðm-æhta wlonc 2835 ansýn ýwde: ac he eorðan gefeóll for þäs hild-fruman hond-geweorce. Hûru þät on lande lyt manna þâh mägen-âgendra mîne gefræge, þeáh þe he dæda gehwäs dyrstig wære, 2840 þät he wið âttor-sceaðan oreðe geræsde, oððe hring-sele hondum styrede, gif he wäccende weard onfunde bûan on beorge. Biówulfe wearð dryht-mâðma dæl deáðe forgolden; 2845 häfde æghwäðer ende gefêred lænan lîfes. Näs þâ lang tô þon, þät þâ hild-latan holt ofgêfan, tydre treów-logan tyne ätsomne, þâ ne dorston ær dareðum lâcan 2850 on hyra man-dryhtnes miclan þearfe; ac hy scamiende scyldas bæran, gûð-gewædu, þær se gomela läg: wlitan on Wîglâf. He gewêrgad sät, fêðe-cempa freán eaxlum neáh, 2855 wehte hyne wätre; him wiht ne speów; ne meahte he on eorðan, þeáh he ûðe wel, on þam frum-gâre feorh gehealdan, ne þäs wealdendes willan wiht oncirran; wolde dôm godes dædum rædan 2860 gumena gehwylcum, swâ he nu gen dêð. Þâ wäs ät þam geongan grim andswaru êð-begête þâm þe ær his elne forleás. Wîglâf maðelode, Weohstânes sunu, secg sârig-ferð seah on unleófe: 2865 "Þät lâ mäg secgan, se þe wyle sôð sprecan, "þät se mon-dryhten, se eów þâ mâðmas geaf, "eóred-geatwe, þe ge þær on standað, "þonne he on ealu-bence oft gesealde "heal-sittendum helm and byrnan, 2870 "þeóden his þegnum, swylce he þryðlîcost "ôhwær feor oððe neáh findan meahte, "þät he genunga gûð-gewædu "wrâðe forwurpe. Þâ hyne wîg beget, "nealles folc-cyning fyrd-gesteallum 2875 "gylpan þorfte; hwäðre him god ûðe, "sigora waldend, þät he hyne sylfne gewräc "âna mid ecge, þâ him wäs elnes þearf, "Ic him lîf-wraðe lytle meahte "ätgifan ät gûðe and ongan swâ þeáh 2880 "ofer mîn gemet mæges helpan: "symle wäs þý sæmra, þonne ic sweorde drep "ferhð-genîðlan, fýr unswîðor "weóll of gewitte. Wergendra tô lyt "þrong ymbe þeóden, þâ hyne sió þrag becwom.