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.

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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,

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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,

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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