Beowulf: Translations by A. Sullivan & T. Murphy (2004)
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Click for a larger version (900 pixels high) Beowulf. Pearson Longman, New York, 2004. ISBN: 0-32110-720-9. ...also contains 140 pages of "Contexts," which provide interesting background information, sort of like extended footnotes
Buy this book at: Amazon.com Chapters/Indigo WHSmith(UK)
There are also Beowulf books available at www.chegg.com/search/beowulf/

[lines 194-224a in section III and 8th line from the bottom of folio 134r to 4th line from the bottom of folio 134v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.

    {Beowulf hears about Grendel and decides to travel from his home in Geatland (southern Sweden) to Heorot (in northeast Denmark) to see if he can help out. }
A thane of Hygelac heard in his homeland
of Grendel's deeds. Great among Geats,
this man was more mighty than any then living.
He summoned and stocked a swift wave-courser,
and swore to sail over the swan-road
as one warrior should for another in need.
His elders could find no fault with his offer,
and awed by the omens, they urged him on.
He gathered the bravest of Geatish guardsmen.
One of fifteen, the skilled sailor
strode to his ship at the ocean's edge.
   
He was keen to embark: his keel was beached
under the cliff where sea-currents curled
surf against sand; his soldiers were ready.
Over the bow they boarded in armor,
bearing their burnished weapons below,
their gilded war-gear to the boat's bosom.
Other men shoved the ship from the shore,
and off went the band, their wood-braced vessel
bound for the venture with wind on the waves
and foam under bow, like a fulmar in flight.
   
On the second day their upswept prow
slid into sight of steep hillsides,
bright cliffs, wide capes at the close of their crossing,
the goal of their voyage gained in good time.


[lines 791-819a in section XII and 8th line from the top of folio 147r to 13th line from the top of folio 147v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.

    {At this moment Beowulf and Grendel are fighting and Grendel is howling and screaming and wishing to escape but Beowulf has grabbed Grendel's arm and is using his incredible hand-strength to hold on to him. }
That shielder of men meant by no means
to let the death-dealer leave with his life,
a life worthless to anyone elsewhere.
Then the young soldiers swung their old swords
again and again to save their guardian,
their kingly comrade, however they could.
Engaging with Grendel and hoping to hew him
from every side, they scarcely suspected
that blades wielded by worthy warriors
never would cut to the criminal's quick.
The spell was spun so strongly about him
that the finest iron of any on earth,
the sharpest sword-edge left him unscathed.
Still he was soon to be stripped of his life
and sent on a sore sojourn to Hell.
The strength of his sinews would serve him no more;
no more would he menace mankind with his crimes,
his grudge against God, for the high-hearted kinsman
of King Hygelac had hold of his hand.
Each found the other loathsome in life;
but the murderous man-bane got a great wound
as tendons were torn, shoulder shorn open,
and bone-locks broken.  


[lines 1537-1569 in sections XXII and XXIII and 5th line from the bottom of folio 163v, through folio 164r to 4th line from the top of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here. Note: there is a discussion of the word eaxle in line 1537a on my page on Shoulder Grabbing vs. Hair Pulling

    {At this moment Beowulf has just failed to hurt Grendel's mother with the sword Hrunting and he tries to wrestle her as he had done with Grendel. }
Grabbing the tresses of Grendel's mother,
the Geats' battle-chief, bursting with wrath,
wrestled her down: no deed to regret
but a favor repaid as fast as she fell.
With her grim grasp she grappled him still.
Weary, the warrior stumbled and slipped;
the strongest foot-soldier fell to the foe.
Astraddle the hall-guest, she drew her dagger,
broad and bright-bladed, bent on avenging
her only offspring. His mail-shirt shielded
shoulder and breast. Barring the entry
of edge or point, the woven war-shirt
saved him from harm. Ecgtheow's son,
the leader of Geats, would have lost his life
under Earth's arch but for his armor
and heaven's favor furnishing help.
The Ruler of All readily aided
the righteous man when he rose once more.
   
He beheld in a hoard of ancient arms
a battle-blessed sword with strong-edged blade,
a marvelous weapon men might admire
though over-heavy for any to heft
when finely forged by giants of old.
The Scyldings' shielder took hold of the hilt
and swung up the sword, though despairing of life.
He struck savagely, hit her hard neck
and broke the bone-rings, cleaving clean through
her fated flesh. She fell to the floor;
the sword sweated; the soldier rejoiced.


[lines 1584b-1590 in section XXIII and 7th line from the bottom of folio 164v to first half of the last line of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.

    {At this moment Beowulf has just discovered Grendel's lifeless body lying in the cave. }
He paid their price to the fierce prince,
who looked on the ground where Grendel lay limp,
wound-weary, defeated in war.
The lifeless one lurched at the stroke of the sword
that cleaved his corpse and cut off his head.


[lines 2672b-2708a in sections XXXVI and XXXVII and 8th line from the bottom of folio 189A197r, through folio 189A197v to 3rd line from the top of folio 189r on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.

    {At this moment, Wiglaf has just run into the flames to be by Beowulf's side and the dragon has charged at them both, incinerating Wiglaf's shield. }
His dreadful fire-wind drove in a wave,
charring young Wiglaf's shield to the boss,
nor might a mail-shirt bar that breath
from burning the brave spear-bearer's breast.
Wiglaf took cover close to his kinsman,
shielded by iron when linden was cinder.
Then the war-king, recalling past conquests,
struck with full strength straight at the head.
His battle-sword, Naegling, stuck there and split,
shattered in combat, so sharp was the shock
to Beowulf's great gray-banded blade.
He never was granted the gift of a sword
as hard and strong as the hand that held it.
I have heard that he broke blood-hardened brands,
so the weapon-bearer was none the better.
   
The fearful fire-drake, scather of strongholds,
flung himself forward a final time,
wild with wounds yet wily and sly.
In the heat of the fray, he hurtled headlong
to fasten his fangs in the foe's throat.
Beowulf's life-blood came bursting forth
on those terrible tusks. Just then, I am told,
the second warrior sprang from his side,
a man born for battle proving his mettle,
keen to strengthen his kinsman in combat.
He took no heed of the hideous head
scorching his hand as he hit lower down.
The sword sank in, patterned and plated;
the flames of the foe faltered, faded.
Quick-witted still, the king unsheathed
the keen killing-blade he kept in his corselet.
Then the Geats' guardian gutted the dragon,
felling that fiend with the help of his friend,
two kinsmen together besting the terror.
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