Beowulf

Question 1

Com on wanre niht

scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,

þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,

ealle buton anum.

Answer 1

In (2) the dark (3) night (4) came (1)

gliding (5) the shadow-walker (6). The warriors (7) slept (8),

those (9) who (10) ought (13) to defend (12) the gabled hall (11),

all (14) but (15) one (16).

Question 2

Þæt wæs yldum cuþ

þæt hie ne moste, þa metod nolde,

se s[c]ynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;

Answer 2

It (1) was (2) known (4) to men (3)

that (5) they (6) could (8) not (7), when (9) the maker (10) did not wish it (11)

be drawn (16) under (14) the shadows (15) by the (12) demonic ravager (13)

Question 3

ac he wæccende wraþum on andan

bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.

Answer 3

but (1) he (2), watching (3) hostile (4) in (5) anger (6),

awaited (7) enraged (8) the outcome (9) of battle (8)

Question 4

Ða com of more under misthleoþum

Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær;

mynte se manscaða manna cynnes

sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.

Answer 4

Then (1) came (2) from (3) the moor (4) under (5) the misty hills (6)

Grendel (7) striding (8), he bore (11) God’s (9) wrath (10)

the (12) ravager (13) intended (11) to ensnare (17)

one (16) of man (14) kind (15) in (18) the (20) high (21) hall (19).

Question 5

Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced

goldsele gumena, gearwost wisse,

fættum fahne.

Answer 5

He (7) advanced (1) under (2) clouds (3) to (4) that (5-6) wine-hall (8),

the gold-hall (9) of men (10) he most clearly (11) recognised (12),

gleaming (14) with gold plating (13).

Question 6

Ne wæs þæt forma sið

þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;

næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan

heardranhæle, healðegnas fand.

Answer 6

Nor (1) was (2) that (3) the first (4) time (5)

that (6) he (7) had visited (10) Hrothgar’s (8) home (9);

never (11) had he (12) in (13) the days of his life (14) before (15) nor (16) since (17),

found (20) harder fortune (18) or hall-thanes (19).