The Battle of Finnsburh
Verse Indeterminate Unknown
...nas byrnað?"
Hnæf hleoþrode ða,
heaþogeong cyning:
"Ne ðis ne dagað eastan, ne
her draca ne fleogeð,
ne her ðisse healle hornas ne byrnað.
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Ac her forþ berað; fugelas singað,
gylleð græghama, guðwudu hlynneð,
scyld scefte oncwyð. Nu scyneð þes mona
waðol under wolcnum. Nu arisað weadæda
ðe ðisne folces nið fremman willað.
10
Ac onwacnigeað nu, wigend mine,
habbað eowre linda, hicgeaþ
on ellen,
winnað on orde, wesað onmode!"
ða aras mænig goldhladen ðegn, gyrde
hine his swurde.
ða to dura eodon drihtlice cempan,
15
Sigeferð and Eaha, hyra sword getugon,
and æt oþrum durum Ordlaf and Guþlaf,
and Hengest sylf hwearf him on laste.
ða gyt Garulf Guðere styrde
ðæt he swa freolic feorh forman siþe
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to ðære healle durum hyrsta ne bære,
nu hyt niþa heard anyman wolde,
ac he frægn ofer eal undearninga,
deormod hæleþ, hwa ða duru heolde.
"Sigeferþ is min nama," cweþ he, "ic eom
Secgena leod,
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wreccea wide cuð; fæla ic
weana gebad,
heardra hilda. ðe is gyt her witod
swæþer ðu sylf to me secean wylle."
ða wæs on healle wælslihta gehlyn;
sceolde cellod bord
cenum on handa,
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banhelm berstan (buruhðelu dynede),
oð æt ðære guðe Garulf gecrang,
ealra ærest eorðbuendra,
Guðlafes sunu, ymbe hyne godra fæla,
hwearflicra hræw.
Hræfen wandrode,
35
sweart and sealobrun. Swurdleoma stod,
swylce eal Finnsburuh fyrenu wære.
Ne gefrægn ic næfre wurþlicor æt
wera hilde
sixtig sigebeorna sel gebæran,
ne nefre swetne medo sel forgyldan
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ðonne Hnæfe guldan his hægstealdas.
Hig fuhton fif dagas, swa hyra nan ne feol
drihtgesiða, ac hig ða duru heoldon.
ða gewat him wund hæleð on wæg
gangan,
sæde þæt his byrne abrocen wære,
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heresceorp unhror, and eac wæs
his helm ðyrel.
ða hine sona frægn folces hyrde,
hu ða wigend hyra wunda genæson,
oððe hwæþer ðæra hyssa
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