- Beowulf, lines 1-11, with Roy Liuzza's translation
Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu þa æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas. Syþþan ærest wearþ
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, weorþmyndum þah,
oþþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning! / Listen! We have heard of the glory in bygone days
of the folk-kings of the spear-Danes,
how those noble lords did lofty deeds.
Often Scyld Scefing seized the mead-benches
from many tribes, troops of enemies,
struck fear into earls. Though he first was
found a waif, he awaited solace for that -
he grew under heaven and prospered in honor
until every one of the encircling nations
over the whale's-riding had to obey him,
grant him tribute. That was a good king!
2. SGGK, lines 130-150, with James Wilhelm's translation
Now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more,For vch wyȝe may wel wit no wont þat þer were.
An oþer noyse ful newe neȝed biliue,
Þat þe lude myȝt haf leue liflode to cach;
For vneþe watz þe noyce not a whyle sesed,
And þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely serued,
Þer hales in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster,
On þe most on þe molde on mesure hyghe;
Fro þe swyre to þe swange so sware and so þik,
And his lyndes and his lymes so longe and so grete,
Half etayn in erde I hope that he were,
Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene,
And þat þe myriest in his muckel þat myȝt ride;
For of bak and of brest al were his bodi sturne,
Both his wombe and his wast were worthily smale,
And alle his fetures folȝande, in forme þat he hade,
ful clene;
For wonder of his hwe men hade,
Set in his semblaunt sene;
He ferde as freke were fade,
And oueral enker-grene. / Now of the service I'll supply no further details,
But well you might wager that there was no want there.
Then another noise, all new, drew suddenly nigh
That now might allow noble Arthur to gather some nurture.
For scarcely had the music ceased for a single second
And the first course been courteously doled around to the court,
When there rushed through the door an extremely awesome rider,
One of the greatest on earth, in measure enormous,
From his neck to his natest looking nearly square and thick,
While his loins and his limbs were long and very huge.
Half a giant from the ground up I'd guess him to be,
But still wholly human I'd have to declare him-
The grandest master in girth who ever galloped!
For the back and the breast of his body were very broad,
Though his stomach and his waistline were supremely slim;
And his facial features were like his figure - very neat
and clean.
Yet one truly wondered at the hue
Of the countenance when seen;
for he acted like a thing bewitched
and was, head to toe, ink-green.