The Finnesburgh Fragment

Old English original

...nas byrnað?"

Hnæf hleoþrode ða, heaþogeong cyning:

"Ne ðis ne dagað eastan, ne her draca ne fleogeð,

ne her ðisse healle hornas ne byrnað.

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.

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,

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

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,

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,

banhelm berstan (buruhðelu dynede),

oð æt ðære guðe Garulf gecrang,

ealra ærest eorðbuendra,

Guðlafes sunu, ymbe hyne godra fæla,

hwearflicra hræw. Hræfen wandrode,

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

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,

heresceorp unhror, and eac wæs his helm ðyrel.

ða hine sona frægn folces hyrde,

hu ða wigend hyra wunda genæson,

oððe hwæþer ðæra hyssa...

Translation by Kevin Crossley-Holland

..... 'the gables are not burning.'

Then the king, a novice in battle, said:

'This is not dawn from the east, no dragon

flies here, the gables of the hall are not burning,

but men are making an attack. Birds of battle screech,

the grey wolf howls, spears rattle,

shield answers shaft. The wandering moon gleams

under the clouds; evil deeds will now

be done, bringing grief to this people.

But rouse yourself now, my warriors!

Grasp your shields, steel yourselves,

fight at the front and be brave!'

Then many a thegn, laden in gold, buckled his sword-belt.

Then the stout warriors, Sigeferth and Eaha,

went to one door and unsheathed their swords;

Ordlaf and Guthlaf went to guard the other,

and Hengest himself followed in their footsteps.

When he saw this, Guthere said to Garulf

that he would be unwise to go to the hall doors

in the first rush, risking his precious life,

for fearless Sigeferth was set upon his death.

But that daring man drowned the other voices

and demanded openly who held the door.

'I am Sigeferth, a prince of the Secgan

and a well-known warrior; I've braved many trials,

tough combats. Even now it is decreed

for you what you can expect of me here.'

Then the din of battle broke out in the hall;

the hollow shield called for men's hands,

helmets burst; the hall floor boomed.

Then Garulf, son of Guthlaf, gave his life

in the fight, first of all the warriors

living in that land, and many heroes fell around him,

the corpses of brave men. The raven wheeled,

dusky, dark brown. The gleaming swords so shone

it seemed as if all Finnesburh were in flames.

I have never heard of sixty warriors

who bore themselves more bravely in the fight

and never did retainers better repay

glowing mead than those men repaid Hnæf.

They fought for five days and not one of the followers

fell, but they held the doors firmly.

Then Guthere withdrew, a wounded man;

he said that his armour was almost useless,

his corselet broken, his helmet burst open.

The guardian of those people asked him at once

how well the warriors had survived their wounds

or which of the young men .....