XXIII.
THE WANDERER
[Preserved in the Exeter MS.]
Oft him ānhaga āre gebīdeð,
Metudes miltse, þēah þe he mōdcearig
geond lagulāde longe sceolde
hrēran mid hǫndum hrīmcealde sǣ,
5wadan wræclāstas: wyrd bið ful ārǣd![5]
Swā cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
wrāþra wælsleahta, winemǣga hryre:
‘Oft ic sceolde āna ūhtna gehwylce
mīne ceare cwīþan; nis nū cwicra nān,
10þe ic him mōdsefan mīnne durre[10]
sweotule āsęcgan. Ic tō sōþe wāt
þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þēaw,
þæt hē his ferðlocan fæste binde,
healde[1] his hordcofan, hycge swā hē wille;
15ne mæg wērig mōd wyrde wiðstǫndan[15]
nē sē hrēo hyge helpe gefręmman:
for ðon dōmgeorne drēorigne oft
in hyra brēostcofan bindað fæste.
Swā ic mōdsefan mīnne sceolde,
20oft earmcearig, ēðle bidǣled,[20]
frēomǣgum feor feterum sǣlan,
siþþan gēara iū goldwine mīnne[2]
