The Battle of Pelennor Fields: A Couple Pages from "Return of the King" in Old English

Stiernmód nú wæs Éomer, and eft ferhðclǽne. Bebéad hornas tó bláwenne, tó gegadrienne ealle menn tó his fanan þá þe cúðon þider cuman, for þæt hé áþóhte tó wyrcenne gréatne bordweall in ende, and standenne, and þǽr on fóte feohtenne oþ þæt ealle féollon, and wóþlíc gúþweorc tó wyrcenne on Pelennores Feldum, éac gif nán Westan cwicra nǽron to gemunenne þone endenéhstan Mearccyning. Swá rád hé oþ gréne hlinc, and þǽr sette his gúþfanan, and se Hwít Mearh rann mid windýðodre mana.	Stern now was Éomer's mood, and his mind clear again. He let blow the horns to rally all men to his banner that could come thither; for he thought to make a great shield-wall at the last, and stand, and fight there on foot till all fell, and do deeds of song on the fields of Pelennor, though no man should be left in the West to remember the last King of the Mark. So he rode to a green hillock and there set his banner and the White Horse ran rippling in the wind.
Ic of þíostrá and dwolan   tó dægwóman singænd in sunnan   sweordǽ nacudǽ rád oþ heorthryrǽ,   hyhtæs endi: nú oþ wrǽþþǽ and wræc   and wælglómung	Out of doubt, out of dark   to the day's rising I came singing in the sun,   sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode   and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin   and a red nightfall!
Þás léoðustafas cwæþ, ac hlóh þá híe cwæþ. For þæt eft ofer hine ġéng beadulust, and hé gíet ungesceþþed wæs, and wæs geong, and wæs cyning: felahrórra léoda þengel. And lá! Eallswá hé ormódnesse ahlóh, hé út beseah eft on þá blacan scipu, and úp árǽrde his sweorde ongean híe tó gánne. And wundor in hine gehréas, and micel wynn, and hé his sweorde úp áwearp and sang swá hé hit geféng. And eall éagan folgodon his gorettung, and lá, on þám forþmestan scipe ásprang gréat seġnfana, and wind hine ætéowde þá hit hwearf on þone Harlond. Þǽr bléow Hwít Tréow, and þæt bícnode Gondor. Ac Seofon Steorran wǽron abútan him, and héah béah bufan. Þás wǽron Elendiles tácnu, þæt nán hláford wæs acenned nú for unrimum géarum. And þá steorran blicon in sunnanléohte, for þæt híe wǽron gimmum geworhte of Arwen, Elrondes dehter, and se béah wæs beorht in mergne, for þæt hé wæs of græglíxe and golde geworht.	These staves he spoke, yet he laughed as he said them. For once more lust of battle was on him; and he was still unscathed, and he was young, and he was king: the lord of a fell people. And lo! even as he laughed at despair he looked out again on the black ships, and he lifted up his sword to defy them. And then wonder took him, and a great joy; and he cast his sword up in the sunlight and sang as he caught it. And all eyes followed his gaze, and behold! upon the foremost ship a great standard broke, and the wind displayed it as she turned towards the Harlond. There flowered a White Tree, and that was for Gondor; but Seven Stars were about it, and a high crown above it, the signs of Elendil that no lord had borne for years beyond count. And the stars flamed in the sunlight, for they were wrought of gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond; and the crown was bright in the morning, for it was wrought of mithril and gold.
Þus cwóm Aragorn, Araðornes sunu, Elessar Ylfa Stán, Isildures lástweard, forþ of þára Déadra Wega, on winde geboren fram þám sǽ tó Gondorríce; and þára Éorlinga dréam wæs hleahtra burna and sweordléoma, and þǽre Byrig wundor and wynn wæs hornglíw and bellhring. Ac Mordores beaduþréat wearþ mid gedréfednesse gefangen. Géa him þúhte micel drýcræft þæt hira ágenu scipu weorðen mid hira féondum gefylled. And híe forcwóm blæc egsa, for híe gecnéowon þæt wyrd hæfde hire þrǽd wiþ híe gehwierfed, and hira metodsceaft wæs gehende.	Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur's heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the kingdom of Gondor; and the mirth of the Rohirrim was a torrent of laughter and a flashing of swords, and the joy and wonder of the City was a music of trumpets and a ringing of bells. But the hosts of Mordor were seized with bewilderment, and a great wizardry it seemed to them that their own ships should be filled with their foes; and a black dread fell on them, knowing that the tides of fate had turned against them and their doom was at hand.
Éastrihte ridon Amroþbeorges éoredmæcgas þone féond drífende him onforan: Trollmenn and Wǽriangas and Orcas þá þe sunnanléoht hatiaþ. Súþrihte onette Éomer and men flugon for his andwlitan, sticodon fæste betwéoh hamore and anfilte. For men nú hléopon of scipum on Harlondes hwearfas, norþrihte swá storm forswápene. Cwóm Legolas, and Gimli his æx gewealdende, and Halbarad mid gúþfanan, and Elladan and Elrohir mid steorrum on brúwe, and þá handstyrnan Dúnedæġn, Norðlanda Wídrincas lǽdende micelne þrymm þára þéoda of Lebennin and Lamedon, and súðernan landára. Ac eallum beforan éode Aragorn mid Westlanda Líge, Andúril, swá níwfýr inǽled, Narsil eft gesmiðod swá déaþbǽre swá on géardagum: and on his brúwe, se Steorra Elendiles.	East rode the knights of Dol Amroth driving the enemy before them: troll-men and Variags and orcs that hated the sunlight. South strode Éomer and men fled before his face, and they were caught between the hammer and the anvil. For now men leaped from the ships to the quays of the Harlond and swept north like a storm. There came Legolas, and Gimli wielding his axe, and Halbarad with the standard, and Elladan and Elrohir with stars on their brow, and the dour-handed Dúnedain, Rangers of the North, leading a great valour of the folk of Lebennin and Lamedon and the fiefs of the South. But before all went Aragorn with the Flame of the West, Andúril like a new fire kindled, Narsil re-forged as deadly as of old: and upon his brow was the Star of Elendil.
And swá on lengþe Éomer and Aragorn gerunnon on middan gefeohte, and sweordum hleonodon wiðer, and lócodon ægðer on óðre, and glæde wǽron.	And so at length Éomer and Aragorn met in the midst of the battle, and they leaned on their swords and looked on one another and were glad.
"Swá wé gerinnen eft, þeah þe ealle gúþhergas Mordores lágen be ús twéonan" cwæþ Aragorn. "Hú, ne cwæþ ic swá æt þám Hornbyrig?"	'Thus we meet again, though all the hosts of Mordor lay between us,' said Aragorn. 'Did I not say so at the Hornburg?'
"Húru swé cwédi þú" cwæþ Éomer "ac hopá oft alíhþ, and ic ni wistǽ þæt þú sum forwitig mann wéri. Ac twíéadig biþ sío help þe is ungisóht, and nǽfrǽ wæs fríondá géancymi blíðrá" and híe híe hæfdon be handum. "ni tó sóðǽ áléƀidrum tídum" cwæþ Éomer. "Cymst náwiht tó hraðǽ, fríond. Feolá sorgá and byrstas bicómun oƀær ús."	'So you spoke,' said Éomer, 'but hope oft deceives, and I knew not then that you were a man foresighted. Yet twice blessed is help unlooked for, and never was a meeting of friends more joyful.' And they clasped hand in hand. 'Nor indeed more timely,' said Éomer. 'You come none too soon, my friend. Much loss and sorrow has befallen us.'
"Ac úton gewreccan þæt, ǽr þonne wé be him sprǽcen!" cwæþ Aragorn, and híe eft ridon tó þám gefeohte tógædere.	'Then let us avenge it, ere we speak of it!' said Aragorn, and they rode back to battle together.
Heard baduweorc and langu bysgu wǽron him gýt gehende, forþon þá Súþmenn wǽron bolde and grimme, felafrécne in onwénnesse. Þá Éasterlingas wǽron strange and hildehearde and gebǽdon nán earmung. And swá on þisse and þǽre stówe, bí gebærnedne húse oþþe bernhúse, on hyllum and beorgum, under wealle oþþe on felde, gýt híe cwómon tósomne and áhófon heafod úp and mægnu gadrodon and fuhton in wǽpna wedre oþþæt se dæg forwisnode. Þá séo sunne on lást éode Mindolluin behindan and áfylde þone heofon eallan mid bráde bærninge, for þæt þá hylla and beorgas wǽron gedéagod swylce mid blóde. Fýr in stréame gléow, and Pelennores græs læg réad in ǽfenléohte. And in þǽre beorhthwíle endode se micel gefeoht Gondores Felda. Næs tó láfe nán cwic féond in Rammas hringe. Ealle feollon geslagen bútan þám þe forflugon tó dréosenne, oþþe tó adrecenne in brimfáme þæs stréames. Féa cwómon eft wiþéastan tó Morgul oþþe Mordor. And tó þǽm lande þára Haradrim cwóm spell feorran fór án: hlísa Gondores brynes and brógan.	Hard fighting and long labour they had still; for the Southrons were bold men and grim, and fierce in despair; and the Easterlings were strong and war-hardened and asked for no quarter. And so in this place and that, by burned homestead or barn, upon hillock or mound, under wall or on field, still they gathered and rallied and fought until the day wore away. Then the Sun went at last behind Mindolluin and filled all the sky with a great burning, so that the hills and the mountains were dyed as with blood; fire glowed in the River, and the grass of the Pelennor lay red in the nightfall. And in that hour the great Battle of the field of Gondor was over; and not one living foe was left within the circuit of the Rammas. All were slain save those who fled to die, or to drown in the red foam of the River. Few ever came eastward to Morgul or Mordor; and to the land of the Haradrim came only a tale from far off: a rumour of the wrath and terror of Gondor.
On bæc wiþ þæs Géates Mundbyrg ridon Aragorn and Éomer and Imrahil, and híe wǽron nú gúþwérige ofer ǽlcne dréam and sorge. Þás þréo ungesceþþed wǽron, forþon swylce wæs heora wyrd, and mægen and miht hira sigewǽpna. Féa tó sóðe dorston híe þyldian oþþe him nebb onlócian in íerrehwíle heora. Ac manige wǽron gesceþþed oþþe limlǽwed oþþe déade on wælfelde. Æxe forcurfon Forlong þá hwíle þe hé feaht tó láfe behorsod. Duilin Morðonding and his bróðor éac fortreden wǽron tó ǽrdéaðe mid þý þe híe éhton þára Grendolfenda, néahlǽdende heora scyttan þám déoreotenum éagan to útscéotenne. Ne Hirluin Híwlic þanon eft cwóm tó Pinnaþ Gelin, ne Grimbold tó Grimaslǽde, ne Halbarad se handstyrna Wídrinc tó Norþlandum. Nealles féa féollon, nówðer ne namcúðra ne namléasre, ne fyrdmanna ne fyrdwísena. Forðon hit wæs micel gefeoht, þæs getæl nán talu ne atealde. Swá lang siþþan maðelode sum léoþwyrhta in Riddenamearce in léoðe be Moldærnum Mundbyrg.	Aragorn and Éomer and Imrahil rode back towards the Gate of the City, and they were now weary beyond joy or sorrow. These three were unscathed, for such was their fortune and the skill and might of their arms, and few indeed had dared to abide them or look on their faces in the hour of their wrath. But many others were hurt or maimed or dead upon the field. The axes hewed Forlong as he fought alone and unhorsed; and both Duilin of Morthond and his brother were trampled to death when they assailed the mûmakil, leading their bowmen close to shoot at the eyes of the monsters. Neither Hirluin the fair would return to Pinnath Gelin, nor Grimbold to Grimslade, nor Halbarad to the Northlands, dour-handed Ranger. No few had fallen, renowned or nameless, captain or soldier; for it was a great battle and the full count of it no tale has told. So long afterward a maker in Rohan said in his song of the Mounds of Mundburg:
Hwæt wé on hyllum gihlynn    horná gifrugnun Sweord scínændí    in Súþrícǽ. Wicg tó Stánlandǽ    on weg gistigun swé wind úhtæs.    Wíg wæs onǽlid. Þér Þéodæn féoll,    Þængling mæhtig se þe tó his goldselum    and grœ́nlǽswum    Norðwǫngum in    nallæs eft wændǽ héapæs héahfréa.    Hearding and Gúþláf, Dúnhęri and Déorwini,    dyrstig Grimbold, Herifará and Heribrǫnd,    Horn and Fæstred Fuhtun þér and féollun    on feorlǫndǽ Nú in Moldærnum    Mundbyrig licgaþ Mid Gondræs Fréan,    gúþgisíðum. Ni Fægr Hirluin    tó hyllum bi sǽ Ni Ald Forlong    tó his ǽrdænum eft tó Arnah,    œ́ðlǽ seolƀæs,  on wuldrǽ giwát    wígsigurá, ni þá strélcœ́nan    strongan scyttan Derufin and Dwilin    tó dimwætrum, brimum Morðondæs    undær bergsceadwum. Déaþ dægrǽdæs,    and on dæg longǽ, nám hláƀwéard and swán.    Hlǽwǽ nú swefaþ undær græsǽ in Gondr    bí Ginstréamǽ. Grég nú swé téaras    and torht selƀurǽ, wælréad þá wéolc,    wæter ráriændí. Þá bearn burnfám    blódfág mid sunfællǽ blác on bergum    bǽcnfýr éfnæs.  Réad féoll þæt déaw    on Rammas Ehor	We heard of the horns     in the hills ringing,  the swords shining     in the South-kingdom.  Steeds went striding     to the Stoningland  as wind in the morning.     War was kindled.  There Théoden fell,     Thengling mighty,  to his golden halls     and green pastures  in the Northern fields     never returning,  high lord of the host.     Harding and Guthláf  Dúnhere and Déorwine,     doughty Grimbold,  Herefara and Herubrand,     Horn and Fastred,  fought and fell there     in a far country:  in the Mounds of Mundburg     under mold they lie  with their league-fellows,     lords of Gondor.  Neither Hirluin the Fair     to the hills by the sea,  nor Forlong the old     to the flowering vales  ever, to Arnach,     to his own country  returned in triumph;     nor the tall bowmen,  Derufin and Duilin,     to their dark waters,  meres of Morthond     under mountain-shadows.  Death in the morning     and at day's ending  lords took and lowly.     Long now they sleep  under grass in Gondor     by the Great River.  Grey now as tears,     gleaming silver,  red then it rolled,     roaring water:  foam dyed with blood     flamed at sunset;  as beacons mountains     burned at evening;  red fell the dew     in Rammas Echor.