iv (unpaginated) + vi + 268 (unpaginated) pp.; b/w illus. A presentation of the Old English text in roman type, with translations presented beneath each line in italics. It is preceded by McLeod's Preface (i) and Daniel's short Introduction (iii-vi) in the paginated portion of the book; the front matter is not counted in this sequence of page numbers and the remainder of the book is unpaginated.

The Old English text is taken directly from Klaeber without attribution.

There are two illustrations, impressionistic woodcuts credited to Diskey in caption form where they occur, on the title and dedication pages (pp. [i] and [iii] of the unpaginated first sequence). The first of these shows Beowulf fighting the dragon, and in the second he stands in a triumphant pose, perhaps astride a defeated monster.

The interlinear Old English text and translation begins:

          HWÆT, WĒ GĀR-DEna     in gēardagum,
Yes, we of the Spear-Danes, in the old days
(Lo!)                                             (the days of yore)
          þēodcyninga     þrym gefrūnon,
of the might of the kings of the people heard
           (glory)
          hū ðā æþelingas     ellen fremedon!
how those nobles did brave deeds!
                                  (displayed courage)

          Oft Scyld Scēfing     sceaþena þrēatum,
Oft Scyld Scefing (from ) troops of foes
          monegum     mǣgþum     meodosetla oftēah,
(from) many tribes dragged away mead benches
                               (deprived of)
          egsode eorl(as),     syððan ǣrest wearð
terrified earls, after he first was
          fēasceaft funden;     hē þæs frōfre gebād,
found helpless; he lived to find ease,
           (destitute)                         (comfort, solace)
          wēox under wolcnum     weorðmyndum þāh,
waxed under the welkin, throve in honor
(prospered)              (clouds)
          oð þæt him ǣghwylc     ymbsittendra
until him every one of those dwelling around
                                       (the neighboring people)
          ofer hronrāde     hȳran scolde,
across the whale-road must obey,
(over)                               (had to heed; to hear must)
          gomban gyldan;     þæt was gōd cyning!
to pay tribute; that was a good king! ([3]; formatting and spacing as in original)

And ends:

          Ðā ymbe hlǣw riodan     hildedēore,
Then around the  mound rode the brave in battle,
          æþelinga bearn,     ealra twelfe,
sons of nobles, twelve in all,
          woldon (care) cwīðan,     (ond)  kyning mǣnan,
would lament their loss     and mourn their king,
                                (sorrow)
          wordgyd wrecan,     ond ymb w(er) sprecan;
recite elegy,     speak about the hero,
(utter dirge)                                (man)
          eahtodan eorlscipe     ond his ellenweorc
extol his manliness and his works of valor
                   (nobility)
          duguðum dēmdon,—     swā hit gedē(fe) bið,
nobly accounted,               as it is fitting
(praised highly)
          þæt mon his winedryhten     wordum herge,
that a man praise his liege lord in words,
          ferhðum frēoge,     þonne hē forð scile
cherish (him) in heart, when forth he must
                                                              (shall)
          of līchaman     (lǣded) weorðan.
be led from the body.
          Swā begnornodon     Gēata lēode
So mourned the people of the Geats,
          hlāfordes (hry)re,     heorðgenēatas;
his hearth-companions, their lord's death;
          cwǣdon þæt hē wǣre     wyruldcyning(a)
They said that he had been of earthly kings
          manna mildust     ond mon(ðw)ǣrust,
the mildest of men and gentlest,
          lēodum līðosst     ond lofgeornost.
the kindest to his people, and most eager for fame. ([267]-[268]; formatting and spacing as in original)

BAM.