Beowulf (Old English)

Performed by Jefferson Reardon “We have heard of the glory of the nation-kings of the Spear-Danes in days of yore, how those princelings carried out deeds of courage!“ - Beowulf, lines 1-3 Beowulf is preserved in only one copy, in the Nowell Codex, which was bound to the back of another codex to make the present manuscript, ’British Library, Cotton Vitellius “ which is dated to the year 1000. Here, Jefferson performs the first 25 lines of the epic in Old English. Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning. ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, geong in geardum, þone god sende folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat þe hie ær drugon aldorlease lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf; Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang, Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in. Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean, fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme, þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume, leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal in mægþa gehwære man geþeon. Thank you for watching! Share this Video ➳ Watch more medieval performances ➳