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119
BEOWULF.
[1](ecg wæs īren)  eald-hlāfordes[2]

þām ðāra māðma  mund-bora wæs
2780longe hwīle,  līg-egesan wæg
hātne for horde,  hioro-weallende
middel-nihtum,  *oð þæt hē morðre swealt.⁠Fol. 190b.
Ār wæs on ofoste,  eft-sīðes georn,
frætwum gefyrðred;  hyne fyrwet bræc,
2785hwæðer collen-ferð  cwicne gemētte
in ðām wong-stede  Wedra þēoden,
ellen-sīocne,  þǣr hē hine ǣr forlēt.
Hē ðā mid þām māðmum  mǣrne þīoden,
dryhten sīnne,  drīorigne fand
2790ealdres æt ende;  hē hine eft ongon
wæteres weorpan,  oð þæt wordes ord
brēost-hord þurhbræc.  [Bēowulf maðelode,][3]
gomel on giohðe[4]  gold scēawode:
“Ic ðāra frætwa  Frēan ealles ðanc,
2795Wuldur-cyninge,  wordum secge,
ēcum Dryhtne,  þe ic hēr on starie,

þæs ðe ic mōste  mīnum lēodum
  1. ↑ brass. This has the support of Thorpe and Grein, but lacks analogy; for the reading in the text cf. l. 1587, and ll. 1615, 2562, and 2973.
  2. ↑ 2778. Rieger ‘eald-hlāforde’ ( = the dragon), supported by Earle. The MS. reading, ‘eald-hlāfordes,’ is understood by Bugge and Heyne of Beowulf, by Müllenhoff and Wülcker of the former possessor of the hoard. The reading of the latter is:
    ⁠  “segn eac genom,
    beacna beorhtost,  bill ærgescod
    (ecg wæs iren)  ealdhlafordes,
    þam etc.”
    That ll. 2780—82 refer to the dragon, and are inconsistent with what we are told of the former owner, will be seen by a comparison with ll. 2231—70.
  3. ↑ 2792. No gap in MS.
  4. ↑ 2793. MS. ‘giogoðe’; Thorpe ‘giohðe.
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