The First 25 Lines of Beowulf

With thanks to Professor Justin A. Jackson of Hillsdale College for his superb reading. ↗

  1. Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum,
  2. þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
  3. hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
  4. Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
  5. monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,
  6. egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð
  7. feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
  8. weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,
  9. oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
  10. ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
  11. gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning.
  12. ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned,
  13. geong in geardum, þone god sende
  14. folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat
  15. þe hie ær drugon aldorlease
  16. lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea,
  17. wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf;
  18. Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang,
  19. Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
  20. Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean,
  21. fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme,
  22. þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
  23. wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,
  24. leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal
  25. in mægþa gehwære man geþeon.

The Lithographs

Old English text and translations ↑
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Prints from Rockwell Kent’s Beowulf series are held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s collection.

Rockwell Kent, Genealogical Tree, lithograph
01

Genealogical Tree

“Famed was this Beowulf: far flew the boast of him,
son of Scyld, in the Scandian lands.”
Rockwell Kent, View of Scandinavia, lithograph
02

View of Scandinavia

“Then moved o’er the waters by might of the wind
that bark like a bird with breast of foam,”
Rockwell Kent, Hand Holding Sword, lithograph
03

Hand Holding Sword

“Seized then its chain-hilt the Scyldings’ chieftain,
bold and battle-grim, brandished the sword,”
Rockwell Kent, Beowulf, lithograph depicting Beowulf holding Grendel’s severed arm
04

Beowulf

“when the hardy-in-fight a hand laid down,
arm and shoulder, — all, indeed,
of Grendel’s gripe, — ’neath the gabled roof.”
Rockwell Kent, Beowulf and Grendel’s Mother, lithograph
05

Beowulf and Grendel’s Mother

“Seized then by shoulder, shrank not from combat,
the Geatish war-prince Grendel’s mother.”
Rockwell Kent, Beowulf and the Dragon, lithograph
06

Beowulf and the Dragon

“So had they killed it, kinsmen both,
athelings twain: thus an earl should be
in danger’s day!”
Rockwell Kent, Funeral Pyre, lithograph
07

Funeral Pyre

“and they laid amid it the mighty chieftain,
heroes mourning their master dear.”
Rockwell Kent, Colophon, lithograph
08

Colophon

“Then about that barrow the battle-keen rode,
atheling-born, a band of twelve,
lament to make, to mourn their king,
chant their dirge, and their chieftain honor.”