Classic Poem

1. THE BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH

Her Æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten,
beorna beahgifa, and his broþor eac,
Eadmund aeþeling, ealdorlangne tir
geslogon aet saecce sweorda ecgum
ymbe Brunanburh. Bordweal clufan,
heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan,
afaran Eadweardes, swa him geaeþele waes
from cneomaegum, þaet hi aet campe oft
wiþ laþra gehwaene land ealgodon,
hord and hamas. Hettend crungun,
Sceotta leoda and scipflotan
faege feollan, feld daennede
secga swate, si├░þan sunne up
on morgentid, maere tungol,
glad ofer grundas, godes condel beorht,
eces drihtnes, o├░ sio aeþele gesceaft
sah to setle. þaer laeg secg maenig
garum ageted, guma norþerna
ofer scild scoten, swilce Scittisc eac,
werig, wiges saed. Wesseaxe for├░
ondlongne daeg eorodcistum
on last legdun laþum þeodum,
heowan herefleman hindan þearle
mecum mylenscearpan. Myrce ne wyrndon
heardes hondplegan haeleþa nanum
þaera þe mid Anlafe ofer aera gebland
on lides bosme land gesohtun,
faege to gefeohte. Fife laegun
on þam campstede cyningas giunge,
sweordum aswefede, swilce seofene eac
eorlas Anlafes, unrim heriges,
flotan and Sceotta. þaer geflemed wear├░
Nor├░manna bregu, nede gebeded,
to lides stefne litle weorode;
cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat
on fealene flod, feorh generede.
Swilce þaer eac se froda mid fleame com
on his cyþþe nor├░, Costontinus,
har hilderinc, hreman ne þorfte
maeca gemanan; he waes his maega sceard,
freonda gefylled on folcstede,
beslagen aet saecce, and his sunu forlet
on waelstowe wundun forgrunden,
giungne aet gu├░e. Gelpan ne þorfte
beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes,
eald inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma;
mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun
þaet heo beaduweorca beteran wurdun
on campstede cumbolgehnastes,
garmittinge, gumena gemotes,
waepengewrixles, þaes hi on waelfelda
wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan.
Gewitan him þa Norþmen naegledcnearrum,
dreorig dara├░a laf, on Dinges mere
ofer deop waeter Difelin secan,
eft Iraland, aewiscmode
Swilce þa gebroþer begen aetsamne,
cyning and aeþeling, cyþþe sohton,
Wesseaxena land, wiges hremige.
Letan him behindan hraew bryttian
saluwigpadan, þone sweartan hraefn,
hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan,
earn aeftan hwit, aeses brucan,
graedigne gu├░hafoc and þaet graege deor,
wulf on wealde. Ne wear├░ wael mare
on þis eiglande aefre gieta
folces gefylled beforan þissum
sweordes ecgum, þaes þe us secga├░ bec,
ealde u├░witan, siþþan eastan hider
Engle and Seaxe up becoman,
ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan,
wlance wigsmiþas, Wealas ofercoman,
eorlas arhwate eard begeatan.