Beowulf the Prologue

Pop Haydn reads the first 18 lines of the Prologue to Beowulf in the original Anglo-Saxon.

Modern English:

Now! We Spear-Danes, in ages gone,
Days of the clan-kings, knew glory.
How those princes did mighty deeds.
Shield Sheafson seized mead-benches
From many a man, among his enemies;
That terror of warriors flourished later,
After his first rescue as foundling,
Waxed under heaven, grew in honor,
Till near tribes, over the whale-road,
Had to yield to him, forced to submit,
Offer him tribute. That was a fine king!

Anglo-Saxon:

Hwæt! Wé Gárdena in geárdagum
þéodcyninga þrym gefrúnon,
hú ðá æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scéfing sceaþena þréatum,
monegum mǽgþum, meodosetla oftéah,
egsode eorlas. Syððan ǽrest wearð
féasceaft funden, hé þæs frófre gebád,
wéox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þáh,
oðþæt him ǽghwylc þára ymbsittendra
ofer hronráde hýran scolde,
gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs gód cyning!