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diff --git a/20431-8.txt b/20431-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4882244 --- /dev/null +++ b/20431-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4564 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Tale of Beowulf, by Anonymous, Translated +by William Morris and Alfred John Wyatt + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Tale of Beowulf + Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: January 23, 2007 [eBook #20431] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF BEOWULF*** + + +E-text prepared by Louise Hope, R. Cedron, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net/c/) + + + +Transcriber's note: + + In the printed book, line numbering was determined by the physical + length of a line. Sometimes the numbered line was one or even two + lines above or below the nearest multiple of 10. Where a stanza ended + on a multiple of 10, the first line of the following stanza was + numbered instead. Line numbers have been regularized for this e-text. + + + + + +THE TALE OF BEOWULF +Sometime King of the +Folk of the Weder Geats + +Translated by + +WILLIAM MORRIS and A. J. WYATT + + + + + + + +Longmans, Green, and Co. +39 Paternoster Row, London +New York and Bombay +MCMIV + +Bibliographical Note + +First printed at the Kelmscott Press, January 1895 +Ordinary Edition . . . . . . . . . . . August 1898 +Reprinted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 1904 + + + + +ARGUMENT + +Hrothgar, king of the Danes, lives happily and peacefully, and bethinks +him to build a glorious hall called Hart. But a little after, one +Grendel, of the kindred of the evil wights that are come of Cain, hears +the merry noise of Hart and cannot abide it; so he enters thereinto by +night, and slays and carries off and devours thirty of Hrothgar's +thanes. Thereby he makes Hart waste for twelve years, and the tidings of +this mishap are borne wide about lands. Then comes to the helping of +Hrothgar Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow, a thane of King Hygelac of the +Geats, with fourteen fellows. They are met on the shore by the +land-warder, and by him shown to Hart and the stead of Hrothgar, who +receives them gladly, and to whom Beowulf tells his errand, that he will +help him against Grendel. They feast in the hall, and one Unferth, son +of Ecglaf, taunts Beowulf through jealousy that he was outdone by Breca +in swimming. Beowulf tells the true tale thereof. And a little after, at +nightfall, Hrothgar and his folk leave the hall Hart, and it is given in +charge to Beowulf, who with his Geats abides there the coming of +Grendel. + +Soon comes Grendel to the hall, and slays a man of the Geats, hight +Handshoe, and then grapples with Beowulf, who will use no weapon against +him: Grendel feels himself over-mastered and makes for the door, and +gets out, but leaves his hand and arm behind him with Beowulf: men on +the wall hear the great noise of this battle and the wailing of Grendel. +In the morning the Danes rejoice, and follow the bloody slot of Grendel, +and return to Hart racing and telling old tales, as of Sigemund and the +Worm. Then come the king and his thanes to look on the token of victory, +Grendel's hand and arm, which Beowulf has let fasten: to the hall-gable. + +The king praises Beowulf and rewards him, and they feast in Hart, and +the tale of Finn and Hengest is told. Then Hrothgar leaves Hart, and so +does Beowulf also with his Geats, but the Danes keep guard there. + +In the night comes in Grendel's Mother, and catches up Aeschere, a thane +of Hrothgar, and carries him off to her lair. In the morning is Beowulf +fetched to Hrothgar, who tells him of this new grief and craves his +help. + +Then they follow up the slot and come to a great water-side, and find +thereby Aeschere's head, and the place is known for the lair of those +two: monsters are playing in the deep, and Beowulf shoots one of them to +death. Then Beowulf dights him and leaps into the water, and is a day's +while reaching the bottom. There he is straightway caught hold of by +Grendel's Mother, who bears him into her hall. When he gets free he +falls on her, but the edge of the sword Hrunting (lent to him by +Unferth) fails him, and she casts him to the ground and draws her sax to +slay him; but he rises up, and sees an old sword of the giants hanging +on the wall; he takes it and smites off her head therewith. He sees +Grendel lying dead, and his head also he strikes off; but the blade of +the sword is molten in his venomous blood. Then Beowulf strikes upward, +taking with him the head of Grendel and the hilts of the sword. When he +comes to the shore he finds his Geats there alone; for the Danes fled +when they saw the blood floating in the water. + +They go up to Hrothgar's stead, and four men must needs bear the head. +They come to Hrothgar, and Beowulf gives him the hilts and tells him +what he has done. Much praise is given to Beowulf; and they feast +together. + +On the morrow Beowulf bids farewell to Hrothgar, more gifts are given, +and messages are sent to Hygelac: Beowulf departs with the full love of +Hrothgar. The Geats come to their ship and reward the ship-warder, and +put off and sail to their own land. Beowulf comes to Hygelac's house. +Hygelac is told of, and his wife Hygd, and her good conditions, against +whom is set as a warning the evil Queen Thrytho. + +Beowulf tells all the tale of his doings in full to Hygelac, and gives +him his gifts, and the precious-gemmed collar to Hygd. Here is told of +Beowulf, and how he was contemned in his youth, and is now grown so +renowned. + +Time wears; Hygelac is slain in battle; Heardred, his son, reigns in his +stead, he is slain by the Swedes, and Beowulf is made king. When he is +grown old, and has been king for fifty years, come new tidings. A great +dragon finds on the sea-shore a mound wherein is stored the treasure of +ancient folk departed. The said dragon abides there, and broods the gold +for 300 years. + +Now a certain thrall, who had misdone against his lord and was fleeing +from his wrath, haps on the said treasure and takes a cup thence, which +he brings to his lord to appease his wrath. The Worm waketh, and findeth +his treasure lessened, but can find no man who hath done the deed. +Therefore he turns on the folk, and wars on them, and burns Beowulf's +house. + +Now Beowulf will go and meet the Worm. He has an iron shield made, and +sets forth with eleven men and the thrall the thirteenth. He comes to +the ness, and speaks to his men, telling them of his past days, and +gives them his last greeting: then he cries out a challenge to the Worm, +who comes forth, and the battle begins: Beowulf's sword will not bite on +the Worm. Wiglaf eggs on the others to come to Beowulf's help, and goes +himself straightway, and offers himself to Beowulf; the Worm comes on +again, and Beowulf breaks his sword Nægling on him, and the Worm wounds +Beowulf. Wiglaf smites the Worm in the belly; Beowulf draws his ax, and +between them they slay the Worm. + +Beowulf now feels his wounds, and knows that he is hurt deadly; he sits +down by the wall, and Wiglaf bathes his wounds. Beowulf speaks, tells +how he would give his armour to his son if he had one; thanks God that +he has not sworn falsely or done guilefully; and prays Wiglaf to bear +out the treasure that he may see it before he dies. + +Wiglaf fetches out the treasure, and again bathes Beowulf's wounds; +Beowulf speaks again, rejoices over the sight of the treasure; gives to +Wiglaf his ring and his armour, and bids the manner of his bale-fire. +With that he passes away. Now the dastards come thereto and find Wiglaf +vainly bathing his dead lord. He casteth shame upon them with great +wrath. Thence he sends a messenger to the barriers of the town, who +comes to the host, and tells them of the death of Beowulf. He tells +withal of the old feud betwixt the Geats and the Swedes, and how these, +when they hear of the death of the king, will be upon them. The warriors +go to look on Beowulf, and find him and the Worm lying dead together. +Wiglaf chooses out seven of them to go void the treasure-house, after +having bidden them gather wood for the bale-fire. They shove the Worm +over the cliff into the sea, and bear off the treasure in wains. Then +they bring Beowulf's corpse to bale, and they kindle it; a woman called +the wife of aforetime, it may be Hygd, widow of Hygelac, bemoans him: +and twelve children of the athelings ride round the bale, and bemoan +Beowulf and praise him: and thus ends the poem. + + + + +THE STORY OF BEOWULF + + + + + I. AND FIRST OF THE KINDRED OF HROTHGAR. + + + What! we of the Spear-Danes of yore days, so was it + That we learn'd of the fair fame of kings of the folks + And the athelings a-faring in framing of valour. + Oft then Scyld the Sheaf-son from the hosts of the scathers, + From kindreds a many the mead-settles tore; + It was then the earl fear'd them, sithence was he first + Found bare and all-lacking; so solace he bided, + Wax'd under the welkin in worship to thrive, + Until it was so that the round-about sitters + All over the whale-road must hearken his will 10 + And yield him the tribute. A good king was that, + By whom then thereafter a son was begotten, + A youngling in garth, whom the great God sent thither + To foster the folk; and their crime-need he felt + The load that lay on them while lordless they lived + For a long while and long. He therefore, the Life-lord, + The Wielder of glory, world's worship he gave him: + Brim Beowulf waxed, and wide the weal upsprang + Of the offspring of Scyld in the parts of the Scede-lands. + Such wise shall a youngling with wealth be a-working 20 + With goodly fee-gifts toward the friends of his father, + That after in eld-days shall ever bide with him, + Fair fellows well-willing when wendeth the war-tide, + Their lief lord a-serving. By praise-deeds it shall be + That in each and all kindreds a man shall have thriving. + Then went his ways Scyld when the shapen while was, + All hardy to wend him to the lord and his warding: + Out then did they bear him to the side of the sea-flood, + The dear fellows of him, as he himself pray'd them + While yet his word wielded the friend of the Scyldings, 30 + The dear lord of the land; a long while had he own'd it. + With stem all be-ringed at the hythe stood the ship, + All icy and out-fain, the Atheling's ferry. + There then did they lay him, the lord well beloved, + The gold-rings' bestower, within the ship's barm, + The mighty by mast. Much there was the treasure, + From far ways forsooth had the fret-work been led: + Never heard I of keel that was comelier dighted + With weapons of war, and with weed of the battle, + With bills and with byrnies. There lay in his barm 40 + Much wealth of the treasure that with him should be, + And he into the flood's might afar to depart. + No lesser a whit were the wealth-goods they dight him + Of the goods of the folk, than did they who aforetime, + When was the beginning, first sent him away + Alone o'er the billows, and he but a youngling. + Moreover they set him up there a sign golden + High up overhead, and let the holm bear him, + Gave all to the Spearman. Sad mind they had in them, + And mourning their mood was. Now never knew men, 50 + For sooth how to say it, rede-masters in hall, + Or heroes 'neath heaven, to whose hands came the lading. + + + + + II. CONCERNING HROTHGAR, + AND HOW HE BUILT THE HOUSE CALLED HART. + ALSO GRENDEL IS TOLD OF. + + + In the burgs then was biding Beowulf the Scylding, + Dear King of the people, for long was he dwelling + Far-famed of folks (his father turn'd elsewhere, + From his stead the Chief wended) till awoke to him after + Healfdene the high, and long while he held it, + Ancient and war-eager, o'er the glad Scyldings: + Of his body four bairns are forth to him rimed; + Into the world woke the leader of war-hosts 60 + Heorogar; eke Hrothgar, and Halga the good; + Heard I that Elan queen was she of Ongentheow, + That Scylding of battle, the bed-mate behalsed. + Then was unto Hrothgar the war-speed given, + Such worship of war that his kin and well-willers + Well hearken'd his will till the younglings were waxen, + A kin-host a many. Then into his mind ran + That he would be building for him now a hall-house, + That men should be making a mead-hall more mighty + Than the children of ages had ever heard tell of: 70 + And there within eke should he be out-dealing + To young and to old all things God had given, + Save the share of the folk and the life-days of men. + Then heard I that widely the work was a-banning + To kindreds a many the Middle-garth over + To fret o'er that folk-stead. So befell to him timely + Right soon among men that made was it yarely + The most of hall-houses, and Hart its name shap'd he, + Who wielded his word full widely around. + His behest he belied not; it was he dealt the rings, 80 + The wealth at the high-tide. Then up rose the hall-house, + High up and horn-gabled. Hot surges it bided + Of fire-flame the loathly, nor long was it thenceforth + Ere sorely the edge-hate 'twixt Son and Wife's Father + After the slaughter-strife there should awaken. + Then the ghost heavy-strong bore with it hardly + E'en for a while of time, bider in darkness, + That there on each day of days heard he the mirth-tide + Loud in the hall-house. There was the harp's voice, + And clear song of shaper. Said he who could it 90 + To tell the first fashion of men from aforetime; + Quoth how the Almighty One made the Earth's fashion, + The fair field and bright midst the bow of the Waters, + And with victory beglory'd set Sun and Moon, + Bright beams to enlighten the biders on land: + And how he adorned all parts of the earth + With limbs and with leaves; and life withal shaped + For the kindred of each thing that quick on earth wendeth. + So liv'd on all happy the host of the kinsmen + In game and in glee, until one wight began, 100 + A fiend out of hell-pit, the framing of evil, + And Grendel forsooth the grim guest was hight, + The mighty mark-strider, the holder of moorland, + The fen and the fastness. The stead of the fifel + That wight all unhappy a while of time warded, + Sithence that the Shaper him had for-written. + On the kindred of Cain the Lord living ever + Awreaked the murder of the slaying of Abel. + In that feud he rejoic'd not, but afar him He banish'd, + The Maker, from mankind for the crime he had wrought. 110 + But offspring uncouth thence were they awoken + Eotens and elf-wights, and ogres of ocean, + And therewith the Giants, who won war against God + A long while; but He gave them their wages therefor. + + + + + III. HOW GRENDEL FELL UPON HART AND WASTED IT. + + + Now went he a-spying, when come was the night-tide, + The house on high builded, and how there the Ring-Danes + Their beer-drinking over had boune them to bed; + And therein he found them, the atheling fellows, + Asleep after feasting. Then sorrow they knew not + Nor the woe of mankind: but the wight of wealth's waning, 120 + The grim and the greedy, soon yare was he gotten, + All furious and fierce, and he raught up from resting + A thirty of thanes, and thence aback got him + Right fain of his gettings, and homeward to fare, + Fulfilled of slaughter his stead to go look on. + Thereafter at dawning, when day was yet early, + The war-craft of Grendel to men grew unhidden, + And after his meal was the weeping uphoven, + Mickle voice of the morning-tide: there the Prince mighty, + The Atheling exceeding good, unblithe he sat, 130 + Tholing the heavy woe; thane-sorrow dreed he + Since the slot of the loathly wight there they had look'd on, + The ghost all accursed. O'er grisly the strife was, + So loathly and longsome. No longer the frist was + But after the wearing of one night; then fram'd he + Murder-bales more yet, and nowise he mourned + The feud and the crime; over fast therein was he. + Then easy to find was the man who would elsewhere + Seek out for himself a rest was more roomsome, + Beds end-long the bowers, when beacon'd to him was, 140 + And soothly out told by manifest token, + The hate of the hell-thane. He held himself sithence + Further and faster who from the fiend gat him. + In such wise he rul'd it and wrought against right, + But one against all, until idle was standing + The best of hall-houses; and mickle the while was, + Twelve winter-tides' wearing; and trouble he tholed, + That friend of the Scyldings, of woes every one + And wide-spreading sorrows: for sithence it fell + That unto men's children unbidden 'twas known 150 + Full sadly in singing, that Grendel won war + 'Gainst Hrothgar a while of time, hate-envy waging, + And crime-guilts and feud for seasons no few, + And strife without stinting. For the sake of no kindness + Unto any of men of the main-host of Dane-folk + Would he thrust off the life-bale, or by fee-gild allay it, + Nor was there a wise man that needed to ween + The bright boot to have at the hand of the slayer. + The monster the fell one afflicted them sorely, + That death-shadow darksome the doughty and youthful 160 + Enfettered, ensnared; night by night was he faring + The moorlands the misty. But never know men + Of spell-workers of Hell to and fro where they wander. + So crime-guilts a many the foeman of mankind, + The fell alone-farer, fram'd oft and full often, + Cruel hard shames and wrongful, and Hart he abode in, + The treasure-stain'd hall, in the dark of the night-tide; + But never the gift-stool therein might he greet, + The treasure before the Creator he trow'd not. + Mickle wrack was it soothly for the friend of the Scyldings, 170 + Yea heart and mood breaking. Now sat there a many + Of the mighty in rune, and won them the rede + Of what thing for the strong-soul'd were best of all things + Which yet they might frame 'gainst the fear and the horror. + And whiles they behight them at the shrines of the heathen + To worship the idols; and pray'd they in words, + That he, the ghost-slayer, would frame for them helping + 'Gainst the folk-threats and evil So far'd they their wont, + The hope of the heathen; nor hell they remember'd + In mood and in mind. And the Maker they knew not, 180 + The Doomer of deeds: nor of God the Lord wist they, + Nor the Helm of the Heavens knew aught how to hery, + The Wielder of Glory. Woe worth unto that man + Who through hatred the baneful his soul shall shove into + The fire's embrace; nought of fostering weens he, + Nor of changing one whit. But well is he soothly + That after the death-day shall seek to the Lord, + In the breast of the Father all peace ever craving. + + + + + IV. NOW COMES BEOWULF ECGTHEOW'S SON + TO THE LAND OF THE DANES, + AND THE WALL-WARDEN SPEAKETH WITH HIM. + + + So care that was time-long the kinsman of Healfdene + Still seeth'd without ceasing, nor might the wise warrior 190 + Wend otherwhere woe, for o'er strong was the strife + All loathly so longsome late laid on the people, + Need-wrack and grim nithing, of night-bales the greatest. + Now that from his home heard the Hygelac's thane, + Good midst of the Geat-folk; of Grendel's deeds heard he. + But he was of mankind of might and main mightiest + In the day that we tell of, the day of this life, + All noble, strong-waxen. He bade a wave-wearer + Right good to be gear'd him, and quoth he that the war-king + Over the swan-road he would be seeking, 200 + The folk-lord far-famed, since lack of men had he. + Forsooth of that faring the carles wiser-fashion'd + Laid little blame on him, though lief to them was he; + The heart-hardy whetted they, heeded the omen. + There had the good one, e'en he of the Geat-folk, + Champions out-chosen of them that he keenest + Might find for his needs; and he then the fifteenth, + Sought to the sound-wood. A swain thereon show'd him, + A sea-crafty man, all the make of the land-marks. + Wore then a while, on the waves was the floater, 210 + The boat under the berg, and yare then the warriors + Strode up on the stem; the streams were a-winding + The sea 'gainst the sands. Upbore the swains then + Up into the bark's barm the bright-fretted weapons, + The war-array stately; then out the lads shov'd her, + The folk on the welcome way shov'd out the wood-bound. + Then by the wind driven out o'er the wave-holm + Far'd the foamy-neck'd floater most like to a fowl, + Till when was the same tide of the second day's wearing + The wound-about-stemm'd one had waded her way, 220 + So that then they that sail'd her had sight of the land, + Bleak shine of the sea-cliffs, bergs steep up above, + Sea-nesses wide reaching; the sound was won over, + The sea-way was ended: then up ashore swiftly + The band of the Weder-folk up on earth wended; + They bound up the sea-wood, their sarks on them rattled, + Their weed of the battle, and God there they thanked + For that easy the wave-ways were waxen unto them. + But now from the wall saw the Scylding-folks' warder, + E'en he whom the holm-cliffs should ever be holding, 230 + Men bear o'er the gangway the bright shields a-shining, + Folk-host gear all ready. Then mind-longing wore him, + And stirr'd up his mood to wot who were the men-folk. + So shoreward down far'd he his fair steed a-riding, + Hrothgar's Thane, and full strongly then set he a-quaking + The stark wood in his hands, and in council-speech speer'd he: + What men be ye then of them that have war-gear, + With byrnies bewarded, who the keel high up-builded + Over the Lake-street thus have come leading. + Hither o'er holm-ways hieing in ring-stem? 240 + End-sitter was I, a-holding the sea-ward, + That the land of the Dane-folk none of the loathly + Faring with ship-horde ever might scathe it. + None yet have been seeking more openly hither + Of shield-havers than ye, and ye of the leave-word + Of the framers of war naught at all wotting, + Or the manners of kinsmen. But no man of earls greater + Saw I ever on earth than one of you yonder, + The warrior in war-gear: no hall-man, so ween I, + Is that weapon-beworthy'd, but his visage belie him, 250 + The sight seen once only. Now I must be wotting + The spring of your kindred ere further ye cast ye, + And let loose your false spies in the Dane-land a-faring + Yet further afield. So now, ye far-dwellers, + Ye wenders o'er sea-flood, this word do ye hearken + Of my one-folded thought: and haste is the handiest + To do me to wit of whence is your coming. + + + + + V. HERE BEOWULF MAKES ANSWER TO THE LAND-WARDEN, + WHO SHOWETH HIM THE WAY TO THE KING'S ABODE. + + + He then that was chiefest in thus wise he answer'd, + The war-fellows' leader unlock'd he the word-hoard: + We be a people of the Weder-Geats' man-kin 260 + And of Hygelac be we the hearth-fellows soothly. + My father before me of folks was well-famed + Van-leader and atheling, Ecgtheow he hight. + Many winters abode he, and on the way wended + An old man from the garths, and him well remembers + Every wise man well nigh wide yond o'er the earth. + Through our lief mood and friendly the lord that is thine, + Even Healfdene's son, are we now come a-seeking, + Thy warder of folk. Learn us well with thy leading, + For we have to the mighty an errand full mickle, 270 + To the lord of the Dane-folk: naught dark shall it be, + That ween I full surely. If it be so thou wottest, + As soothly for our parts we now have heard say, + That one midst of the Scyldings, who of scathers I wot not, + A deed-hater secret, in the dark of the night-tide + Setteth forth through the terror the malice untold of, + The shame-wrong and slaughter. I therefore to Hrothgar + Through my mind fashion'd roomsome the rede may now learn him, + How he, old-wise and good, may get the fiend under, + If once more from him awayward may turn 280 + The business of bales, and the boot come again, + And the weltering of care wax cooler once more; + Or for ever sithence time of stress he shall thole, + The need and the wronging, the while yet there abideth + On the high stead aloft the best of all houses. + Then spake out the warden on steed there a-sitting, + The servant all un-fear'd: It shall be of either + That the shield-warrior sharp the sundering wotteth, + Of words and of works, if he think thereof well. + I hear it thus said that this host here is friendly 290 + To the lord of the Scyldings; forth fare ye then, bearing + Your weed and your weapons, of the way will I wise you; + Likewise mine own kinsmen I will now be bidding + Against every foeman your floater before us, + Your craft but new-tarred, the keel on the sand, + With honour to hold, until back shall be bearing + Over the lake-streams this one, the lief man, + The wood of the wounden-neck back unto Wedermark. + Unto such shall be granted amongst the good-doers + To win the way out all whole from the war-race. 300 + Then boun they to faring, the bark biding quiet; + Hung upon hawser the wide-fathom'd ship + Fast at her anchor. Forth shone the boar-shapes + Over the check-guards golden adorned, + Fair-shifting, fire-hard; ward held the farrow. + Snorted the war-moody, hasten'd the warriors + And trod down together until the hall timbered, + Stately and gold-bestain'd, gat they to look on, + That was the all-mightiest unto earth's dwellers + Of halls 'neath the heavens, wherein bode the mighty; 310 + Glisten'd the gleam thereof o'er lands a many. + Unto them then the war-deer the court of the proud one + Full clearly betaught it, that they therewithal + Might wend their ways thither. Then he of the warriors + Round wended his steed, and spake a word backward: + Time now for my faring; but the Father All-wielder + May He with all helping henceforward so hold you + All whole in your wayfaring. Will I to sea-side + Against the wroth folk to hold warding ever. + + + + + VI. BEOWULF AND THE GEATS COME INTO HART. + + + Stone-diverse the street was, straight uplong the path led 320 + The warriors together. There shone the war-byrny + The hard and the hand-lock'd; the ring-iron sheer + Sang over their war-gear, when they to the hall first + In their gear the all-fearful had gat them to ganging. + So then the sea-weary their wide shields set down, + Their war-rounds the mighty, against the hall's wall. + Then bow'd they to bench, and rang there the byrnies, + The war-weed of warriors, and up-stood the spears, + The war-gear of the sea-folk all gather'd together. + The ash-holt grey-headed; that host of the iron 330 + With weapons was worshipful. There then a proud chief + Of those lads of the battle speer'd after their line: + Whence ferry ye then the shields golden-faced, + The grey sarks therewith, and the helms all bevisor'd, + And a heap of the war-shafts? Now am I of Hrothgar + The man and the messenger: ne'er saw I of aliens + So many of men more might-like of mood. + I ween that for pride-sake, no wise for wrack-wending + But for high might of mind, ye to Hrothgar have sought. + Unto him then the heart-hardy answer'd and spake, 340 + The proud earl of the Weders the word gave aback, + The hardy neath helm: Now of Hygelac are we + The board-fellows; Beowulf e'en is my name, + And word will I say unto Healfdene's son, + To the mighty, the folk-lord, what errand is mine, + Yea unto thy lord, if to us he will grant it + That him, who so good is, anon we may greet. + Spake Wulfgar the word, a lord of the Wendels, + And the mood of his heart of a many was kenned, + His war and his wisdom: I therefore the Danes' friend 350 + Will lightly be asking, of the lord of the Scyldings, + The dealer of rings, since the boon thou art bidding, + The mighty folk-lord, concerning thine errand, + And swiftly the answer shall do thee to wit + Which the good one to give thee aback may deem meetest. + Then turn'd he in haste to where Hrothgar was sitting + Right old and all hoary mid the host of his earl-folk: + Went the valour-stark; stood he the shoulders before + Of the Dane-lord: well could he the doughty ones' custom. + So Wulfgar spake forth to his lord the well-friendly: 360 + Hither are ferry'd now, come from afar off + O'er the field of the ocean, a folk of the Geats; + These men of the battle e'en Beowulf name they + Their elder and chiefest, and to thee are they bidding + That they, O dear lord, with thee may be dealing + In word against word. Now win them no naysay + Of thy speech again-given, O Hrothgar the glad-man: + For they in their war-gear, methinketh, be worthy + Of good deeming of earls; and forsooth naught but doughty + Is he who hath led o'er the warriors hither. 370 + + + + + VII. BEOWULF SPEAKETH WITH HROTHGAR, + AND TELLETH HOW HE WILL MEET GRENDEL. + + + Word then gave out Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings: + I knew him in sooth when he was but a youngling, + And his father, the old man, was Ecgtheow hight; + Unto whom at his home gave Hrethel the Geat-lord + His one only daughter; and now hath his offspring + All hardy come hither a lief lord to seek him. + For that word they spake then, the sea-faring men, + E'en they who the gift-seat for the Geat-folk had ferry'd, + Brought thither for thanks, that of thirty of menfolk + The craft of might hath he within his own handgrip, 380 + That war-strong of men. Now him holy God + For kind help hath sent off here even to us, + We men of the West Danes, as now I have weening, + 'Gainst the terror of Grendel. So I to that good one + For his mighty mood-daring shall the dear treasure bid. + Haste now and be speedy, and bid them in straightway, + The kindred-band gather'd together, to see us, + And in words say thou eke that they be well comen + To the folk of the Danes. To the door of the hall then + Went Wulfgar, and words withinward he flitted: 390 + He bade me to say you, my lord of fair battle, + The elder of East-Danes, that he your blood knoweth, + And that unto him are ye the sea-surges over, + Ye lads hardy-hearted, well come to land hither; + And now may ye wend you all in war-raiment + Under the battle-mask Hrothgar to see. + But here let your battle-boards yet be abiding, + With your war-weed and slaughter-shafts, issue of words. + Then rose up the rich one, much warriors around him, + Chosen heap of the thanes, but there some abided 400 + The war-gear to hold, as the wight one was bidding. + Swift went they together, as the warrior there led them, + Under Hart's roof: went the stout-hearted, + The hardy neath helm, till he stood by the high-seat. + Then Beowulf spake out, on him shone the byrny, + His war-net besown by the wiles of the smith: + Hail to thee, Hrothgar! I am of Hygelac + Kinsman and folk-thane; fair deeds have I many + Begun in my youth-tide, and this matter of Grendel + On the turf of mine own land undarkly I knew. 410 + 'Tis the seafarers' say that standeth this hall, + The best house forsooth, for each one of warriors + All idle and useless, after the even-light + Under the heaven-loft hidden becometh. + Then lightly they learn'd me, my people, this lore, + E'en the best that there be of the wise of the churls, + O Hrothgar the kingly, that thee should I seek to, + Whereas of the might of my craft were they cunning; + For they saw me when came I from out of my wargear, + Blood-stain'd from the foe whenas five had I bounden, 420 + Quell'd the kin of the eotens, and in the wave slain + The nicors by night-tide: strait need then I bore, + Wreak'd the grief of the Weders, the woe they had gotten; + I ground down the wrathful; and now against Grendel + I here with the dread one alone shall be dooming, + In Thing with the giant. I now then with thee, + O lord of the bright Danes, will fall to my bidding, + O berg of Scyldings, and bid thee one boon, + Which, O refuge of warriors, gainsay me not now, + Since, O free friend of folks, from afar have I come, 430 + That I alone, I and my band of the earls, + This hard heap of men, may cleanse Hart of ill. + This eke have I heard say, that he, the fell monster, + In his wan-heed recks nothing of weapons of war; + Forgo I this therefore (if so be that Hygelac + Will still be my man-lord, and he blithe of mood) + To bear the sword with me, or bear the broad shield, + Yellow-round to the battle; but with naught save the hand-grip + With the foe shall I grapple, and grope for the life + The loathly with loathly. There he shall believe 440 + In the doom of the Lord whom death then shall take. + Now ween I that he, if he may wield matters, + E'en there in the war-hall the folk of the Geats + Shall eat up unafear'd, as oft he hath done it + With the might of the Hrethmen: no need for thee therefore + My head to be hiding; for me will he have + With gore all bestain'd, if the death of men get me; + He will bear off my bloody corpse minded to taste it; + Unmournfully then will the Lone-goer eat it, + Will blood-mark the moor-ways; for the meat of my body 450 + Naught needest thou henceforth in any wise grieve thee. + But send thou to Hygelac, if the war have me, + The best of all war-shrouds that now my breast wardeth, + The goodliest of railings, the good gift of Hrethel, + The hand-work of Weland. Weird wends as she willeth. + + + + + VIII. HROTHGAR ANSWERETH BEOWULF + AND BIDDETH HIM SIT TO THE FEAST. + + + Spake out then Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings: + Thou Beowulf, friend mine, for battle that wardeth + And for help that is kindly hast sought to us hither. + Fought down thy father the most of all feuds; + To Heatholaf was he forsooth for a hand-bane 460 + Amidst of the Wylfings. The folk of the Weders + Him for the war-dread that while might not hold. + So thence did he seek to the folk of the South-Danes + O'er the waves' wallow, to the Scyldings be-worshipped. + Then first was I wielding the weal of the Dane-folk, + That time was I holding in youth-tide the gem-rich + Hoard-burg of the heroes. Dead then was Heorogar, + Mine elder of brethren; unliving was he, + The Healfdene's bairn that was better than I. + That feud then thereafter with fee did I settle; 470 + I sent to the Wylfing folk over the waters' back + Treasures of old time; he swore the oaths to me. + Sorrow is in my mind that needs must I say it + To any of grooms, of Grendel what hath he + Of shaming in Hart, and he with his hate-wiles + Of sudden harms framed; the host of my hall-floor, + The war-heap, is waned; Weird swept them away + Into horror of Grendel. It is God now that may lightly + The scather the doltish from deeds thrust aside. + Full oft have they boasted with beer well bedrunken, 480 + My men of the battle all over the ale-stoup, + That they in the beer-hall would yet be abiding + The onset of Grendel with the terror of edges. + But then was this mead-hall in the tide of the morning, + This warrior-hall, gore-stain'd when day at last gleamed, + All the boards of the benches with blood besteam'd over, + The hall laid with sword-gore: of lieges less had I + Of dear and of doughty, for them death had gotten. + Now sit thou to feast and unbind thy mood freely, + Thy war-fame unto men as the mind of thee whetteth. 490 + Then was for the Geat-folk and them all together + There in the beer-hall a bench bedight roomsome, + There the stout-hearted hied them to sitting + Proud in their might: a thane minded the service, + Who in hand upbare an ale-stoup adorned, + Skinked the sheer mead; whiles sang the shaper + Clear out in Hart-hall; joy was of warriors, + Men doughty no little of Danes and of Weders. + + + + + IX. UNFERTH CONTENDETH IN WORDS WITH BEOWULF. + + + Spake out then Unferth that bairn was of Ecglaf, + And he sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings, 500 + He unbound the battle-rune; was Beowulf's faring, + Of him the proud mere-farer, mickle unliking, + Whereas he begrudg'd it of any man other + That he glories more mighty the middle-garth over + Should hold under heaven than he himself held: + Art thou that Beowulf who won strife with Breca + On the wide sea contending in swimming, + When ye two for pride's sake search'd out the floods + And for a dolt's cry into deep water + Thrust both your life-days? No man the twain of you, 510 + Lief or loth were he, might lay wyte to stay you + Your sorrowful journey, when on the sea row'd ye; + Then when the ocean-stream ye with your arms deck'd, + Meted the mere-streets, there your hands brandish'd! + O'er the Spearman ye glided; the sea with waves welter'd, + The surge of the winter. Ye twain in the waves' might + For a seven nights swink'd. He outdid thee in swimming, + And the more was his might; but him in the morn-tide + To the Heatho-Remes' land the holm bore ashore. + And thence away sought he to his dear land and lovely, 520 + The lief to his people sought the land of the Brondings, + The fair burg peace-warding, where he the folk owned, + The burg and the gold rings. What to theeward he boasted, + Beanstan's son, for thee soothly he brought it about. + Now ween I for thee things worser than erewhile, + Though thou in the war-race wert everywhere doughty, + In the grim war, if thou herein Grendel darest + Night-long for a while of time nigh to abide. + Then Beowulf spake out, the Ecgtheow's bairn: + What! thou no few of things, O Unferth my friend, 530 + And thou drunken with beer, about Breca hast spoken, + Saidest out of his journey; so the sooth now I tell: + To wit, that the more might ever I owned, + Hard wearing on wave more than any man else. + We twain then, we quoth it, while yet we were younglings, + And we boasted between us, the twain of us being yet + In our youth-days, that we out onto the Spearman + Our lives would adventure; and e'en so we wrought It. + We had a sword naked, when on the sound row'd we, + Hard in hand, as we twain against the whale-fishes 540 + Had mind to be warding us. No whit from me + In the waves of the sea-flood afar might he float + The hastier in holm, nor would I from him hie me. + Then we two together, we were in the sea + For a five nights, till us twain the flood drave asunder, + The weltering of waves. Then the coldest of weathers + In the dusking of night and the wind from the northward + Battle-grim turn'd against us, rough grown were the billows. + Of the mere-fishes then was the mood all up-stirred; + There me 'gainst the loathly the body-sark mine, 550 + The hard and the hand-lock'd, was framing me help, + My battle-rail braided, it lay on my breast + Gear'd graithly with gold. But me to the ground tugg'd + A foe and fiend-scather; fast he had me In hold + That grim one in grip: yet to me was it given. + That the wretch there, the monster, with point might I reach, + With my bill of the battle, and the war-race off bore + The mighty mere-beast through the hand that was mine. + + + + + X. BEOWULF MAKES AN END OF HIS TALE OF THE SWIMMING. + WEALHTHEOW, HROTHGAR'S QUEEN, GREETS HIM; + AND HROTHGAR DELIVERS TO HIM THE WARDING OF THE HALL. + + + Thus oft and oft over the doers of evil + They threatened me hard; thane-service I did them 560 + With the dear sword of mine, as forsooth it was meet, + That nowise of their fill did they win them the joy + The evil fordoers in swallowing me down, + Sitting round at the feast nigh the ground of the sea. + Yea rather, a morning-tide, mangled by sword-edge + Along the waves' leaving up there did they lie + Lull'd asleep with the sword, so that never sithence + About the deep floods for the farers o'er ocean + The way have they letted. Came the light from the eastward, + The bright beacon of God, and grew the seas calm, 570 + So that the sea-nesses now might I look on, + The windy walls. Thuswise Weird oft will be saving + The earl that is unfey, when his valour availeth. + Whatever, it happ'd me that I with the sword slew + Nicors nine. Never heard I of fighting a night-tide + 'Neath the vault of the heavens was harder than that, + Nor yet on the sea-streams of woefuller wight. + Whatever, forth won I with life from the foes' clutch + All of wayfaring weary. But me the sea upbore, + The flood downlong the tide with the weltering of waters, 580 + All onto the Finnland. No whit of thee ever + Mid such strife of the battle-gear have I heard say, + Such terrors of bills. Nor never yet Breca + In the play of the battle, nor both you, nor either, + So dearly the deeds have framed forsooth + With the bright flashing swords; though of this naught I boast me. + But thou of thy brethren the banesman becamest, + Yea thine head-kin forsooth, for which in hell shalt thou + Dree weird of damnation, though doughty thy wit be; + For unto thee say I forsooth, son of Ecglaf, 590 + That so many deeds never Grendel had done, + That monster the loathly, against thine own lord, + The shaming in Hart-hall, if suchwise thy mind were, + And thy soul e'en as battle-fierce, such as thou sayest. + But he, he hath fram'd it that the feud he may heed not, + The fearful edge-onset that is of thy folk, + Nor sore need be fearful of the Victory-Scyldings. + The need-pledges taketh he, no man he spareth + Of the folk of the Danes, driveth war as he lusteth, + Slayeth and feasteth unweening of strife 600 + With them of the Spear-Danes. But I, I shall show it, + The Geats' wightness and might ere the time weareth old, + Shall bide him in war-tide. Then let him go who may go + High-hearted to mead, sithence when the morn-light + O'er the children of men of the second day hence, + The sun clad in heaven's air, shines from the southward. + Then merry of heart was the meter of treasures, + The hoary-man'd war-renown'd, help now he trow'd in; + The lord of the Bright-Danes on Beowulf hearken'd, + The folk-shepherd knew him, his fast-ready mind. 610 + There was laughter of heroes, and high the din rang + And winsome the words were. Went Wealhtheow forth, + The Queen she of Hrothgar, of courtesies mindful, + The gold-array'd greeted the grooms in the hall, + The free and frank woman the beaker there wended, + And first to the East-Dane-folk's fatherland's warder, + And bade him be blithe at the drinking of beer, + To his people beloved, and lustily took he + The feast and the hall-cup, that victory-fam'd King. + Then round about went she, the Dame of the Helmings, 620 + And to doughty and youngsome, each deal of the folk there, + Gave cups of the treasure, till now it betid + That to Beowulf duly the Queen the ring-dighted, + Of mind high uplifted, the mead-beaker bare. + Then she greeted the Geat-lord, and gave God the thank, + She, the wisefast In words, that the will had wax'd in her + In one man of the earls to have trusting and troth + For comfort from crimes. But the cup then he took, + The slaughter-fierce warrior, from Wealhtheow the Queen. + And then rim'd he the word, making ready for war, 630 + And Beowulf spake forth, the Ecgtheow's bairn: + E'en that in mind had I when up on holm strode I, + And in sea-boat sat down with a band of my men, + That for once and for all the will of your people + Would I set me to work, or on slaughter-field cringe + Fast in grip of the fiend; yea and now shall I frame + The valour of earl-folk, or else be abiding + The day of mine end, here down in the mead-hall. + To the wife those his words well liking they were, + The big word of the Geat; and the gold-adorn'd wended, 640 + The frank and free Queen to sit by her lord. + And thereafter within the high hall was as erst + The proud word outspoken and bliss on the people, + Was the sound of the victory-folk, till on a sudden + The Healfdene's son would now be a-seeking + His rest of the even: wotted he for the Evil + Within the high hall was the Hild-play bedight, + Sithence that the sun-light no more should they see, + When night should be darkening, and down over all + The shapes of the shadow-helms should be a-striding 650 + Wan under the welkin. Uprose then all war-folk; + Then greeted the glad-minded one man the other, + Hrothgar to Beowulf, bidding him hail, + And the wine-hall to wield, and withal quoth the word: + Never to any man erst have I given, + Since the hand and the shield's round aloft might I heave, + This high hall of the Dane-folk, save now unto thee. + Have now and hold the best of all houses, + Mind thee of fame, show the might of thy valour! + Wake the wroth one: no lack shall there be to thy willing 660 + If that wight work thou win and life therewithal. + + + + + XI. NOW IS BEOWULF LEFT IN THE HALL ALONE WITH HIS MEN. + + + Then wended him Hrothgar with the band of his warriors, + The high-ward of the Scyldings from out of the hall, + For then would the war-lord go seek unto Wealhtheow + The Queen for a bed-mate. The glory of king-folk + Against Grendel had set, as men have heard say, + A hall-ward who held him a service apart + In the house of the Dane-lord, for eoten-ward held he. + Forsooth he, the Geat-lord, full gladly he trowed + In the might of his mood and the grace of the Maker. 670 + Therewith he did off him his byrny of iron + And the helm from his head, and his dighted sword gave, + The best of all irons, to the thane that abode him, + And bade him to hold that harness of battle. + Bespake then the good one, a big word he gave out, + Beowulf the Geat, ere on the bed strode he: + Nowise in war I deem me more lowly + In the works of the battle than Grendel, I ween; + So not with the sword shall I lull him to slumber, + Or take his life thuswise, though to me were it easy; 680 + Of that good wise he wots not, to get the stroke on me, + To hew on my shield, for as stark as he shall be + In the works of the foeman. So we twain a night-tide + Shall forgo the sword, if he dare yet to seek + The war without weapons. Sithence the wise God, + The Lord that is holy, on which hand soever + The glory may doom as due to him seemeth. + Bowed down then the war-deer, the cheek-bolster took + The face of the earl; and about him a many + Of sea-warriors bold to their hall-slumber bow'd them; 690 + No one of them thought that thence away should he + Seek ever again to his home the beloved, + His folk or his free burg, where erst he was fed; + For of men had they learn'd that o'er mickle a many + In that wine-hall aforetime the fell death had gotten + Of the folk of the Danes; but the Lord to them gave it, + To the folk of the Weders, the web of war-speeding, + Help fair and good comfort, e'en so that their foeman + Through the craft of one man all they overcame, + By the self-might of one. So is manifest truth 700 + That God the Almighty the kindred of men + Hath wielded wide ever. Now by wan night there came, + There strode in the shade-goer; slept there the shooters, + They who that horn-house should be a-holding, + All men but one man: to men was that known, + That them indeed might not, since will'd not the Maker, + The scather unceasing drag off 'neath the shadow; + But he ever watching in wrath 'gainst the wroth one + Mood-swollen abided the battle-mote ever. + + + + + XII. GRENDEL COMETH INTO HART: + OF THE STRIFE BETWIXT HIM AND BEOWULF. + + + Came then from the moor-land, all under the mist-bents, 710 + Grendel a-going there, bearing God's anger. + The scather the ill one was minded of mankind + To have one in his toils from the high hall aloft. + 'Neath the welkin he waded, to the place whence the wine-house, + The gold-hall of men, most yarely he wist + With gold-plates fair coloured; nor was it the first time + That he unto Hrothgar's high home had betook him. + Never he in his life-days, either erst or thereafter, + Of warriors more hardy or hall-thanes had found. + Came then to the house the wight on his ways, 720 + Of all joys bereft; and soon sprang the door open, + With fire-bands made fast, when with hand he had touch'd it; + Brake the bale-heedy, he with wrath bollen, + The mouth of the house there, and early thereafter + On the shiny-fleck'd floor thereof trod forth the fiend; + On went he then mood-wroth, and out from his eyes stood + Likest to fire-flame light full unfair. + In the high house beheld he a many of warriors, + A host of men sib all sleeping together, + Of man-warriors a heap; then laugh'd out his mood; 730 + In mind deem'd he to sunder, or ever came day, + The monster, the fell one, from each of the men there + The life from the body; for befell him a boding + Of fulfilment of feeding: but weird now it was not + That he any more of mankind thenceforward + Should eat, that night over. Huge evil beheld then + The Hygelac's kinsman, and how the foul scather + All with his fear-grips would fare there before him; + How never the monster was minded to tarry, + For speedily gat he, and at the first stour, 740 + A warrior a-sleeping, and unaware slit him, + Bit his bone-coffer, drank blood a-streaming, + Great gobbets swallow'd in; thenceforth soon had he + Of the unliving one every whit eaten + To hands and feet even: then forth strode he nigher, + And took hold with his hand upon him the highhearted. + The warrior a-resting; reach'd out to himwards + The fiend with his hand, gat fast on him rathely + With thought of all evil, and besat him his arm. + Then swiftly was finding the herdsman of fouldeeds 750 + That forsooth he had met not in Middle-garth ever, + In the parts of the earth, in any man else + A hand-grip more mighty; then wax'd he of mood + Heart-fearful, but none the more outward might he; + Hence-eager his heart was to the darkness to hie him, + And the devil-dray seek: not there was his service + E'en such as he found in his life-days before. + Then to heart laid the good one, the Hygelac's kinsman, + His speech of the even-tide; uplong he stood + And fast with him grappled, till bursted his fingers. 760 + The eoten was out-fain, but on strode the earl. + The mighty fiend minded was, whereso he might, + To wind him about more widely away thence, + And flee fenwards; he found then the might of his fingers + In the grip of the fierce one; sorry faring was that + Which he, the harm-scather, had taken to Hart. + The warrior-hall dinn'd now; unto all Danes there waxed, + To the castle-abiders, to each of the keen ones, + To all earls, as an ale-dearth. Now angry were both + Of the fierce mighty warriors, far rang out the hall-house; 770 + Then mickle the wonder it was that the wine-hall + Withstood the two war-deer, nor welter'd to earth + The fair earthly dwelling; but all fast was it builded + Within and without with the banding of iron + By crafty thought smithy'd. But there from the sill bow'd + Fell many a mead-bench, by hearsay of mine, + With gold well adorned, where strove they the wrothful. + Hereof never ween'd they, the wise of the Scyldings, + That ever with might should any of men + The excellent, bone-dight, break into pieces, 780 + Or unlock with cunning, save the light fire's embracing + In smoke should it swallow. So uprose the roar + New and enough; now fell on the North-Danes + Ill fear and the terror, on each and on all men, + Of them who from wall-top hearken'd the weeping, + Even God's foeman singing the fear-lay, + The triumphless song, and the wound-bewailing + Of the thrall of the Hell; for there now fast held him + He who of men of main was the mightiest + In that day which is told of, the day of this life. 790 + + + + + XIII. BEOWULF HATH THE VICTORY: + GRENDEL IS HURT DEADLY + AND LEAVETH HAND AND ARM IN THE HALL. + + + Naught would the earls' help for anything thenceforth + That murder-comer yet quick let loose of, + Nor his life-days forsooth to any of folk + Told he for useful. Out then drew full many + Of Beowult's earls the heir-loom of old days, + For their lord and their master's fair life would hey ward, + That mighty of princes, if so might they do it. + For this did they know not when they the strife dreed, + Those hardy-minded men of the battle, + And on every half there thought to be hewing, 800 + And search out his soul, that the ceaseless scather + Not any on earth of the choice of all irons, + Not one of the war-bills, would greet home for ever. + For he had forsworn him from victory-weapons, + And each one of edges. But his sundering of soul + In the days that we tell of, the day of this life, + Should be weary and woeful, the ghost wending elsewhere + To the wielding of fiends to wend him afar. + Then found he out this, he who mickle erst made + Out of mirth of his mood unto children of men 810 + And had fram'd many crimes, he the foeman of God, + That the body of him would not bide to avail him, + But the hardy of mood, even Hygelac's kinsman, + Had him fast by the hand: now was each to the other + All loathly while living: his body-sore bided + The monster: was manifest now on his shoulder + The unceasing wound, sprang the sinews asunder, + The bone-lockers bursted. To Beowulf now + Was the battle-fame given; should Grendel thenceforth + Flee life-sick awayward and under the fen-bents 820 + Seek his unmerry stead: now wist he more surely + That ended his life was, and gone over for ever, + His day-tale told out. But was for all Dane-folk + After that slaughter-race all their will done. + Then had he cleans'd for them, he the far-comer, + Wise and stout-hearted, the high hall of Hrothgar, + And say'd it from war. So the night-work he joy'd in + And his doughty deed done. Yea, but he for the East-Danes + That lord of the Geat-folk his boast's end had gotten, + Withal their woes bygone all had he booted, 830 + And the sorrow hate-fashion'd that afore they had dreed, + And the hard need and bitter that erst they must bear, + The sorrow unlittle. Sithence was clear token + When the deer of the battle laid down there the hand + The arm and the shoulder, and all there together + Of the grip of that Grendel 'neath the great roof upbuilded. + + + + + XIV. THE DANES REJOICE; + THEY GO TO LOOK ON THE SLOT OF GRENDEL, + AND COME BACK TO HART, AND ON THE WAY MAKE MERRY + WITH RACING AND THE TELLING OF TALES. + + + There was then on the morning, as I have heard tell it, + Round the gift-hall a many of men of the warriors: + Were faring folk-leaders from far and from near + O'er the wide-away roads the wonder to look on, 840 + The track of the loathly: his life-sundering nowise + Was deem'd for a sorrow to any of men there + Who gaz'd on the track of the gloryless wight; + How he all a-weary of mood thence awayward, + Brought to naught in the battle, to the mere of the nicors, + Now fey and forth-fleeing, his life-steps had flitted. + There all in the blood was the sea-brim a-welling, + The dread swing of the waves was washing all mingled + With hot blood; with the gore of the sword was it welling; + The death-doom'd had dyed it, sithence he unmerry 850 + In his fen-hold had laid down the last of his life, + His soul of the heathen, and hell gat hold on him. + Thence back again far'd they those fellows of old, + With many a young one, from their wayfaring merry, + Full proud from the mere-side on mares there a-riding + The warriors on white steeds. There then was of Beowulf + Set forth the might mighty; oft quoth it a many + That nor northward nor southward beside the twin sea-floods, + Over all the huge earth's face now never another, + Never under the heaven's breadth, was there a better, 860 + Nor of wielders of war-shields a worthier of kingship; + But neither their friendly lord blam'd they one whit, + Hrothgar the glad, for good of kings was he. + There whiles the warriors far-famed let leap + Their fair fallow horses and fare into flyting + Where unto them the earth-ways for fair-fashion'd seemed, + Through their choiceness well kenned; and whiles a king's thane, + A warrior vaunt-laden, of lays grown bemindful, + E'en he who all many of tales of the old days + A multitude minded, found other words also 870 + Sooth-bounden, and boldly the man thus began + E'en Beowulf's wayfare well wisely to stir, + With good speed to set forth the spells well areded + And to shift about words. And well of all told he + That he of Sigemund erst had heard say, + Of the deeds of his might; and many things uncouth: + Of the strife of the Wælsing and his wide wayfarings, + Of those that men's children not well yet they wist, + The feud and the crimes, save Fitela with him; + Somewhat of such things yet would he say, 880 + The eme to the nephew; e'en as they aye were + In all strife soever fellows full needful; + And full many had they of the kin of the eotens + Laid low with the sword. And to Sigemund upsprang + After his death-day fair doom unlittle + Sithence that the war-hard the Worm there had quelled, + The herd of the hoard; he under the hoar stone, + The bairn of the Atheling, all alone dar'd it, + That wight deed of deeds; with him Fitela was not. + But howe'er, his hap was that the sword so through-waded 890 + The Worm the all-wondrous, that in the wall stood + The iron dear-wrought: and the drake died the murder. + There had the warrior so won by wightness, + That he of the ring-hoard the use might be having + All at his own will. The sea-boat he loaded, + And into the ship's barm bore the bright fretwork + Wæls' son. In the hotness the Worm was to-molten. + Now he of all wanderers was widely the greatest + Through the peoples of man-kind, the warder of warriors, + By mighty deeds; erst then and early he throve. 900 + Now sithence the warfare of Heremod waned, + His might and his valour, amidst of the eotens + To the wielding of foemen straight was he betrayed, + And speedily sent forth: by the surges of sorrow + O'er-long was he lam'd, became he to his lieges, + To all of the athelings, a life-care thenceforward. + Withal oft bemoaned in times that were older + The ways of that stout heart many a carle of the wisest. + Who trow'd in him boldly for booting of bales, + And had look'd that the king's bairn should ever be thriving, 910 + His father's own lordship should take, hold the folk, + The hoard and the ward-burg, and realm of the heroes, + The own land of the Scyldings. To all men was Beowulf, + The Hygelac's kinsman to the kindred of menfolk, + More fair unto friends; but on Heremod crime fell. + So whiles the men flyting the fallow street there + With their mares were they meting. There then was the morn-light + Thrust forth and hasten'd; went many a warrior + All hardy of heart to the high hall aloft + The rare wonder to see; and the King's self withal 920 + From the bride-bower wended, the warder of ring-hoards, + All glorious he trod and a mickle troop had he, + He for choice ways beknown; and his Queen therewithal + Meted the mead-path with a meyny of maidens. + + + + + XV. KING HROTHGAR AND HIS THANES + LOOK ON THE ARM OF GRENDEL. + CONVERSE BETWIXT HROTHGAR AND BEOWULF + CONCERNING THE BATTLE. + + + Out then spake Hrothgar; for he to the hall went, + By the staple a-standing the steep roof he saw + Shining fair with the gold, and the hand there of Grendel: + For this sight that I see to the All-wielder thanks + Befall now forthwith, for foul evil I bided, + All griefs from this Grendel; but God, glory's Herder, 930 + Wonder on wonder ever can work. + Unyore was it then when I for myself + Might ween never more, wide all through my life-days, + Of the booting of woes; when all blood-besprinkled + The best of all houses stood sword-gory here; + Wide then had the woe thrust off each of the wise + Of them that were looking that never life-long + That land-work of the folk they might ward from the loathly, + From ill wights and devils. But now hath a warrior + Through the might of the Lord a deed made thereunto 940 + Which we, and all we together, in nowise + By wisdom might work. What! well might be saying + That maid whosoever this son brought to birth + According to man's kind, if yet she be living, + That the Maker of old time to her was all-gracious + In the bearing of bairns. O Beowulf, I now + Thee best of all men as a son unto me + Will love in my heart, and hold thou henceforward + Our kinship new-made now; nor to thee shall be lacking + As to longings of world-goods whereof I have wielding; 950 + Full oft I for lesser things guerdon have given, + The worship of hoards, to a warrior was weaker, + A worser in strife. Now thyself for thyself + By deeds hast thou fram'd it that liveth thy fair fame + For ever and ever. So may the All-wielder + With good pay thee ever, as erst he hath done it. + Then Beowulf spake out, the Ecgtheow's bairn: + That work of much might with mickle of love + We framed with fighting, and frowardly ventur'd + The might of the uncouth; now I would that rather 960 + Thou mightest have look'd on the very man there, + The foe in his fret-gear all worn unto falling. + There him in all haste with hard griping did I + On the slaughter-bed deem it to bind him indeed, + That he for my hand-grip should have to be lying + All busy for life: but his body fled off. + Him then, I might not (since would not the Maker) + From his wayfaring sunder, nor naught so well sought I + The life-foe; o'er-mickle of might was he yet, + The foeman afoot: but his hand has he left us, 970 + A life-ward, a-warding the ways of his wending, + His arm and his shoulder therewith. Yet in nowise + That wretch of the grooms any solace hath got him, + Nor longer will live the loathly deed-doer, + Beswinked with sins; for the sore hath him now + In the grip of need grievous, in strait hold togather'd + With bonds that be baleful: there shall he abide, + That wight dyed with all evil-deeds, the doom mickle, + For what wise to him the bright Maker will write it. + Then a silenter man was the son there of Ecglaf 980 + In the speech of the boasting of works of the battle, + After when every atheling by craft of the earl + Over the high roof had look'd on the hand there, + Yea, the fiend's fingers before his own eyen, + Each one of the nail-steads most like unto steel, + Hand-spur of the heathen one; yea, the own claw + Uncouth of the war-wight. But each one there quoth it, + That no iron of the best, of the hardy of folk, + Would touch him at all, which e'er of the monster + The battle-hand bloody might bear away thence. 990 + + + + + XVI. HROTHGAR GIVETH GIFTS TO BEOWULF. + + + Then was speedily bidden that Hart be withinward + By hand of man well adorn'd; was there a many + Of warriors and wives, who straightway that wine-house + The guest-house, bedight them: there gold-shotten shone + The webs over the walls, many wonders to look on + For men every one who on such things will stare. + Was that building the bright all broken about + All withinward, though fast in the bands of the iron; + Asunder the hinges rent, only the roof there + Was saved all sound, when the monster of evil 1000 + The guilty of crime-deeds had gat him to flight + Never hoping for life. Nay, lightly now may not + That matter be fled from, frame it whoso may frame it. + But by strife man shall win of the bearers of souls, + Of the children of men, compelled by need, + The abiders on earth, the place made all ready, + The stead where his body laid fast on his death-bed + Shall sleep after feast. Now time and place was it + When unto the hall went that Healfdene's son, + And the King himself therein the feast should be sharing; 1010 + Never heard I of men-folk in fellowship more + About their wealth-giver so well themselves bearing. + Then bow'd unto bench there the abounders in riches + And were fain of their fill. Full fairly there took + A many of mead-cups the kin of those men, + The sturdy of heart in the hall high aloft, + Hrothgar and Hrothulf. Hart there withinward + Of friends was fulfilled; naught there that was guilesome + The folk of the Scyldings for yet awhile framed. + Gave then to Beowulf Healfdene's bairn 1020 + A golden war-ensign, the victory's guerdon, + A staff-banner fair-dight, a helm and a byrny: + The great jewel-sword a many men saw them + Bear forth to the hero. Then Beowulf took + The cup on the floor, and nowise of that fee-gift + Before the shaft-shooters the shame need he have. + Never heard I how friendlier four of the treasures, + All gear'd with the gold about, many men erewhile + On the ale-bench have given to others of men. + Round the roof of the helm, the burg of the head, 1030 + A wale wound with wires held ward from without-ward, + So that the file-leavings might not over fiercely, + Were they never so shower-hard, scathe the shield-bold, + When he 'gainst the angry in anger should get him. + Therewith bade the earls' burg that eight of the horses + With cheek-plates adorned be led down the floor + In under the fences; on one thereof stood + A saddle all craft-bedeck'd, seemly with treasure. + That same was the war-seat of the high King full surely + Whenas that the sword-play that Healfdene's son 1040 + Would work; never failed in front of the war + The wide-kenn'd one's war-might, whereas fell the slain. + So to Beowulf thereon of either of both + The Ingwines' high warder gave wielding to have, + Both the war-steeds and weapons, and bade him well brook them. + Thuswise and so manly the mighty of princes, + Hoard-warden of heroes, the battle-race paid + With mares and with gems, so as no man shall blame them, + E'en he who will say sooth aright as it is. + + + + + XVII. THEY FEAST IN HART. + THE GLEEMAN SINGS OF FINN AND HENGEST. + + + Then the lord of the earl-folk to every and each one 1050 + Of them who with Beowulf the sea-ways had worn + Then and there on the mead-bench did handsel them treasure, + An heir-loom to wit; for him also he bade it + That a were-gild be paid, whom Grendel aforetime + By wickedness quell'd, as far more of them would he, + Save from them God all-witting the weird away wended, + And that man's mood withal. But the Maker all wielded + Of the kindred of mankind, as yet now he doeth. + Therefore through-witting will be the best everywhere + And the forethought of mind. Many things must abide 1060 + Of lief and of loth, he who here a long while + In these days of the strife with the world shall be dealing. + There song was and sound all gather'd together + Of that Healfdene's warrior and wielder of battle, + The wood of glee greeted, the lay wreaked often, + Whenas the hall-game the minstrel of Hrothgar + All down by the mead-bench tale must be making: + By Finn's sons aforetime, when the fear gat them, + The hero of Half-Danes, Hnaef of the Scyldings, + On the slaughter-field Frisian needs must he fall. 1070 + Forsooth never Hildeburh needed to hery + The troth of the Eotens; she all unsinning + Was lorne of her lief ones in that play of the linden, + Her bairns and her brethren, by fate there they fell + Spear-wounded. That was the all-woeful of women. + Not unduly without cause the daughter of Hoc + Mourn'd the Maker's own shaping, sithence came the morn + When she under the heavens that tide came to see, + Murder-bale of her kinsmen, where most had she erewhile? + Of world's bliss. The war-tide took all men away 1080 + Of Finn's thanes that were, save only a few; + E'en so that he might not on the field of the meeting + Hold Hengest a war-tide, or fight any whit, + Nor yet snatch away thence by war the woe-leavings + From the thane of the King; but terms now they bade him + That for them other stead all for all should make room, + A hall and high settle, whereof the half-wielding + They with the Eotens' bairns henceforth might hold, + And with fee-gifts moreover the son of Folkwalda + Each day of the days the Danes should beworthy; 1090 + The war-heap of Hengest with rings should he honour + Even so greatly with treasure of treasures, + Of gold all beplated, as he the kin Frisian + Down in the beer-hall duly should dight. + Troth then they struck there each of the two halves, + A peace-troth full fast. There Finn unto Hengest + Strongly, unstrifeful, with oath-swearing swore, + That he the woe-leaving by the doom of the wise ones + Should hold in ail honour, that never man henceforth + With word or with work the troth should be breaking, 1100 + Nor through craft of the guileful should undo it ever, + Though their ring-giver's bane they must follow in rank + All lordless, e'en so need is it to be: + But if any of Frisians by over-bold speaking + The murderful hatred should call unto mind, + Then naught but the edge of the sword should avenge it. + Then done was the oath there, and gold of the golden + Heav'd up from the hoard. Of the bold Here-Scyldings + All yare on the bale was the best battle-warrior; + On the death-howe beholden was easily there 1110 + The sark stain'd with war-sweat, the all-golden swine, + The iron-hard boar; there was many an atheling + With wounds all outworn; some on slaughter-field welter'd. + But Hildeburh therewith on Hnæf's bale she bade them + The own son of herself to set fast in the flame, + His bone-vats to burn up and lay on the bale there: + On his shoulder all woeful the woman lamented, + Sang songs of bewailing, as the warrior strode upward, + Wound up to the welkin that most of death-fires, + Before the howe howled; there molten the heads were, 1120 + The wound-gates burst open, there blood was out-springing + From foe-bites of the body; the flame swallow'd all, + The greediest of ghosts, of them that war gat him + Of either of folks; shaken off was their life-breath. + + + + + XVIII. THE ENDING OF THE TALE OF FINN. + + + Departed the warriors their wicks to visit + All forlorn of their friends now, Friesland to look on, + Their homes and their high burg. Hengest a while yet + Through the slaughter-dyed winter bode dwelling with Finn + And all without strife: he remember'd his homeland, + Though never he might o'er the mere be a-driving 1130 + The high prow be-ringed: with storm the holm welter'd, + Won war 'gainst the winds; winter locked the waves + With bondage of ice, till again came another + Of years into the garth, as yet it is ever, + And the days which the season to watch never cease, + The glory-bright weather; then gone was the winter, + And fair was the earth's barm. Now hastened the exile. + The guest from the garths; he on getting of vengeance + Of harms thought more greatly than of the sea's highway, + If he but a wrath-mote might yet be a-wending 1140 + Where the bairns of the Eotens might he still remember. + The ways of the world forwent he in nowise + Then, whenas Hunlafing the light of the battle, + The best of all bills, did into his breast, + Whereof mid the Eotens were the edges well knowen. + Withal to the bold-hearted Finn befell after + Sword-bales the deadly at his very own dwelling, + When the grim grip of war Guthlaf and Oslaf + After the sea-fare lamented with sorrow + And wyted him deal of their woes; nor then might he 1150 + In his breast hold his wavering heart. Was the hall dight + With the lives of slain foemen, and slain eke was Finn + The King 'midst of his court-men; and there the Queen, taken, + The shooters of the Scyldings ferry'd down to the sea-ships, + And the house-wares and chattels the earth-king had had, + E'en such as at Finn's home there might they find, + Of collars and cunning gems. They on the sea-path + The all-lordly wife to the Danes straightly wended, + Led her home to their people. So sung was the lay, + The song of the gleeman; then again arose game, 1160 + The bench-voice wax'd brighter, gave forth the birlers + Wine of the wonder-vats. Then came forth Wealhtheow + Under gold ring a-going to where sat the two good ones, + The uncle and nephew, yet of kindred unsunder'd, + Each true to the other. Eke Unferth the spokesman + Sat at feet of the Scyldings' lord; each of his heart trow'd + That of mickle mood was he, though he to his kinsmen + Were un-upright in edge-play. Spake the dame of the Scyldings: + Now take thou this cup, my lord of the kingly, + Bestower of treasures! Be thou in thy joyance, 1170 + Thou gold-friend of men! and speak to these Geat-folk + In mild words, as duly behoveth to do; + Be glad toward the Geat-folk, and mindful of gifts; + From anigh and from far peace hast thou as now. + To me one hath said it, that thou for a son wouldst + This warrior be holding. Lo! Hart now is cleansed, + The ring-hall bright-beaming. Have joy while thou mayest + In many a meed, and unto thy kinsmen + Leave folk and dominion, when forth thou must fare + To look on the Maker's own making. I know now 1180 + My Hrothulf the gladsome, that he this young man + Will hold in all honour if thou now before him, + O friend of the Scyldings, shall fare from the world; + I ween that good-will yet this man will be yielding + To our offspring that after us be, if he mind him + Of all that which we two, for good-will and for worship, + Unto him erst a child yet have framed of kindness. + Then along by the bench did she turn, where her boys were, + Hrethric and Hrothmund, and the bairns of high warriors, + The young ones together; and there sat the good one, 1190 + Beowulf the Geat, betwixt the two brethren. + + + + + XIX. MORE GIFTS ARE GIVEN TO BEOWULF. + THE BRISING COLLAR TOLD OF. + + + Borne to him then the cup was, and therewith friendly bidding + In words was put forth; and gold about wounden + All blithely they bade him bear; arm-gearings twain, + Rail and rings, the most greatest of fashion of neck-rings + Of them that on earth I have ever heard tell of: + Not one under heaven wrought better was heard of + Midst the hoard-gems of heroes, since bore away Hama + To the bright burg and brave the neck-gear of the Brisings, + The gem and the gem-chest: from the foeman's guile fled he 1200 + Of Eormenric then, and chose rede everlasting. + That ring Hygelac had, e'en he of the Geat-folk, + The grandson of Swerting, the last time of all times + When he under the war-sign his treasure defended, + The slaughter-prey warded. Him weird bore away + Sithence he for pride-sake the war-woe abided, + The feud with the Frisians; the fretwork he flitted, + The gem-stones much worthy, all over the waves' cup. + The King the full mighty cring'd under the shield; + Into grasp of the Franks the King's life was gotten 1210 + With the gear of the breast and the ring altogether; + It was worser war-wolves then reft gear from the slain + After the war-shearing; there the Geats' war-folk + Held the house of the dead men. The Hall took the voices; + Spake out then Wealhtheow; before the host said she: + Brook thou this roundel, lief Beowulf, henceforth, + Dear youth, with all hail, and this rail be thou using, + These gems of folk-treasures, and thrive thou well ever; + Thy might then make manifest! Be to these lads here + Kind of lore, and for that will I look to thy guerdon. 1220 + Thou hast won by thy faring, that far and near henceforth, + Through wide time to come, men will give thee the worship, + As widely as ever the sea winds about + The windy land-walls. Be the while thou art living + An atheling wealthy, and well do I will thee + Of good of the treasures; be thou to my son + In deed ever friendly, and uphold thy joyance! + Lo! each of the earls here to the other is trusty, + And mild of his mood and to man-lord full faithful, + Kind friends all the thanes are, the folk ever yare. 1230 + Ye well drunk of folk-grooms, now do ye my biddings. + To her settle then far'd she; was the feast of the choicest, + The men drank the wine nothing wotting of weird, + The grim shaping of old, e'en as forth it had gone + To a many of earls; sithence came the even, + And Hrothgar departed to his chamber on high, + The rich to his rest; and aright the house warded + Earls untold of number, as oft did they erewhile. + The bench-boards they bar'd them, and there they spread over + With beds and with bolsters. Of the beer-skinkers one 1240 + Who fain was and fey bow'd adown to his floor-rest. + At their heads then they rested their rounds of the battle, + Their board-woods bright-shining. There on the bench was, + Over the atheling, easy to look on + The battle-steep war-helm, the byrny be-ringed, + The wood of the onset, all-glorious. Their wont was + That oft and oft were they all yare for the war-tide, + Both at home and in hosting, were it one were it either, + And for every such tide as their liege lord unto + The need were befallen: right good was that folk. 1250 + + + + + XX. GRENDEL'S DAM BREAKS INTO HART + AND BEARS OFF AESCHERE. + + + So sank they to slumber; but one paid full sorely + For his rest of the even, as to them fell full often + Sithence that the gold-hall Grendel had guarded, + And won deed of unright, until that the end came + And death after sinning: but clear was it shown now, + Wide wotted of men, that e'en yet was a wreaker + Living after the loathly, a long while of time + After the battle-care, Grendel's own mother; + The woman, the monster-wife, minded her woe, + She who needs must in horror of waters be wonning, 1260 + The streams all a-cold, sithence Cain was become + For an edge-bane forsooth to his very own brother, + The own son of his father. Forth bann'd then he fared, + All marked by murder, from man's joy to flee, + And dwelt in the waste-land. Thence woke there a many + Ghosts shapen of old time, of whom one was Grendel, + The fierce wolf, the hateful, who found him at Hart + A man there a-watching, abiding the war-tide; + Where to him the fell ogre to hand-grips befell; + Howe'er he him minded of the strength of his might, 1270 + The great gift set fast in him given of God, + And trowed in grace by the All-wielder given, + His fostering, his staying; so the fiend he o'ercame + And bow'd down the Hell's ghost, that all humble he wended + Fordone of all mirth death's house to go look on, + That fiend of all mankind. But yet was his mother, + The greedy, the glum-moody, fain to be going + A sorrowful journey her son's death to wreak. + So came she to Hart whereas now the Ring-Danes + Were sleeping adown the hall; soon there befell 1280 + Change of days to the earl-folk, when in she came thrusting, + Grendel's mother: and soothly was minish'd the terror + By even so much as the craft-work of maidens, + The war-terror of wife, is beside the man weapon'd, + When the sword all hard bounden, by hammers to-beaten, + The sword all sweat-stain'd, through the swine o'er the war-helm + With edges full doughty down rightly sheareth. + But therewith in the hall was tugg'd out the hard edge, + The sword o'er the settles, and wide shields a many + Heaved fast in the hand: no one the helm heeded, 1290 + Nor the byrny wide-wrought, when the wild fear fell on them. + In haste was she then, and out would she thenceforth + For the saving her life, whenas she should be found there. + But one of the athelings she speedily handled + And caught up full fast, and fenward so fared. + But he was unto Hrothgar the liefest of heroes + Of the sort of the fellows; betwixt the two sea-floods + A mighty shield-warrior, whom she at rest brake up, + A war-wight well famed. There Beowulf was not; + Another house soothly had erewhile been dighted 1300 + After gift of that treasure to that great one of Geats. + Uprose cry then in Hart, all 'mid gore had she taken + The hand, the well-known, and now care wrought anew + In the wicks was arisen. Naught well was the bargain + That on both halves they needs must be buying that tide + With the life-days of friends. Then the lord king, the wise, + The hoary of war-folk, was harmed of mood + When his elder of thanes and he now unliving, + The dearest of all, he knew to be dead. + To the bower full swiftly was Beowulf brought now, 1310 + The man victory-dower'd; together with day-dawn + Went he, one of the earls, that champion beworthy'd, + Himself with his fellows, where the wise was abiding + To wot if the All-wielder ever will to him + After the tale of woe happy change work. + Then went down the floor he the war-worthy + With the host of his hand, while high dinn'd the hall-wood, + Till he there the wise one with words had well greeted, + The lord of the Ingwines, and ask'd had the night been. + Since sore he was summon'd, a night of sweet easement. 1320 + + + + + XXI. HROTHGAR LAMENTS THE SLAYING OF AESCHERE, + AND TELLS OF GRENDEL'S MOTHER AND HER DEN. + + + Spake out then Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings: + Ask no more after bliss; for new-made now is sorrow + For the folk of the Danes; for Aeschere is dead, + He who was Yrmenlaf's elder of brethren, + My wise man of runes, my bearer of redes, + Mine own shoulder-fellow, when we in the war-tide + Warded our heads and the host on the host fell, + And the boars were a-crashing; e'en such should an earl be, + An atheling exceeding good, e'en as was Aeschere. + Now in Hart hath befallen for a hand-bane unto him 1330 + A slaughter-ghost wandering; naught wot I whither + The fell one, the carrion-proud, far'd hath her back-fare, + By her fill made all famous. That feud hath she wreaked + Wherein yesternight gone by Grendel thou quelledst + Through thy hardihood fierce with grips hard enow. + For that he over-long the lief people of me + Made to wane and undid. In the war then he cringed, + Being forfeit of life. But now came another, + An ill-scather mighty, her son to awreak; + And further hath she now the feud set on foot, 1340 + As may well be deemed of many a thane, + Who after the wealth-giver weepeth in mind, + A hard bale of heart. Now the hand lieth low + Which well-nigh for every joy once did avail you. + The dwellers in land here, my people indeed, + The wise-of-rede hall-folk, have I heard say e'en this: + That they have set eyes on two such-like erewhile, + Two mickle mark-striders the moorland a-holding, + Ghosts come from elsewhere, but of them one there was, + As full certainly might they then know it to be, 1350 + In the likeness of woman; and the other shap'd loathly + All after man's image trod the tracks of the exile, + Save that more was he shapen than any man other; + And in days gone away now they named him Grendel, + The dwellers in fold; they wot not if a father + Unto him was born ever in the days of erewhile + Of dark ghosts. They dwell in a dim hidden land, + The wolf-bents they bide in, on the nesses the windy, + The perilous fen-paths where the stream of the fell-side + Midst the mists of the nesses wends netherward ever, 1360 + The flood under earth. Naught far away hence, + But a mile-mark forsooth, there standeth the mere, + And over it ever hang groves all berimed, + The wood fast by the roots over-helmeth the water. + But each night may one a dread wonder there see, + A fire in the flood. But none liveth so wise + Of the bairns of mankind, that the bottom may know. + Although the heath-stepper beswinked by hounds, + The hart strong of horns, that holt-wood should seek to + Driven fleeing from far, he shall sooner leave life, 1370 + Leave life-breath on the bank, or ever will he + Therein hide his head. No hallow'd stead is it: + Thence the blending of water-waves ever upriseth + Wan up to the welkin, whenso the wind stirreth + Weather-storms loathly, until the lift darkens + And weepeth the heavens. Now along the rede wendeth + Of thee again only. Of that earth yet thou know'st not, + The fearful of steads, wherein thou mayst find + That much-sinning wight; seek then if thou dare, + And thee for that feud will I guerdon with fee, 1380 + The treasures of old time, as erst did I do, + With the gold all-bewounden, if away thence thou get thee. + + + + + XXII. THEY FOLLOW GRENDEL'S DAM TO HER LAIR. + + + Spake out then Beowulf the Ecgtheow's bairn: + O wise of men, mourn not; for to each man 'tis better + That his friend he awreak than weep overmuch. + Lo! each of us soothly abideth the ending + Of the life of the world. Then let him work who work may + High deeds ere the death: to the doughty of war-lads + When he is unliving shall it best be hereafter. + Rise up, warder of kingdom! and swiftly now wend we 1390 + The Grendel Kinswoman's late goings to look on; + And this I behote thee, that to holm shall she flee not, + Nor into earth's fathom, nor into the fell-holt, + Nor the grounds of the ocean, go whereas she will go. + For this one of days patience dree thou a while then + Of each one of thy woes, as I ween it of thee. + Then leapt up the old man, and lightly gave God thank, + That mighty of Lords, for the word which the man spake. + And for Hrothgar straightway then was bitted a horse, + A wave-maned steed: and the wise of the princes 1400 + Went stately his ways; and stepp'd out the man-troop, + The linden-board bearers. Now lightly the tracks were + All through the woodland ways wide to be seen there, + Her goings o'er ground; she had gotten her forthright + Over the mirk-moor: bore she of kindred thanes + The best that there was, all bare of his soul, + Of them that with Hrothgar heeded the home. + Overwent then that bairn of the athelings + Steep bents of the stones, and stridings full narrow, + Strait paths nothing pass'd over, ways all uncouth, 1410 + Sheer nesses to wit, many houses of nicors. + He one of the few was going before + Of the wise of the men the meadow to look on, + Until suddenly there the trees of the mountains + Over the hoar-stone found he a-leaning, + A wood without gladness: the water stood under + Dreary and troubled. Unto all the Danes was it, + To the friends of the Scyldings, most grievous in mood + To many of thanes such a thing to be tholing, + Sore evil to each one of earls, for of Aeschere 1420 + The head did they find e'en there on the holm-cliff; + The flood with gore welled (the folk looking on it), + With hot blood. But whiles then the horn fell to singing + A song of war eager. There sat down the band; + They saw down the water a many of worm-kind, + Sea-drakes seldom seen a-kenning the sound; + Likewise on the ness-bents nicors a-lying, + Who oft on the undern-tide wont are to hold them + A course full of sorrow all over the sail-road. + Now the worms and the wild-deer away did they speed 1430 + Bitter and wrath-swollen all as they heard it, + The war-horn a-wailing: but one the Geats' warden + With his bow of the shafts from his life-days there sunder'd, + From his strife of the waves; so that stood in his life-parts + The hard arrow of war; and he in the holm was + The slower in swimming as death away swept him. + So swiftly in sea-waves with boar-spears forsooth + Sharp-hook'd and hard-press'd was he thereupon, + Set on with fierce battle, and on to the ness tugg'd, + The wondrous wave-bearer; and men were beholding 1440 + The grisly guest, Beowulf therewith he gear'd him + With weed of the earls: nowise of life reck'd he: + Needs must his war-byrny, braided by hands, + Wide, many-colour'd by cunning, the sound seek, + E'en that which his bone-coffer knew how to ward, + So that the war-grip his heart ne'er a while, + The foe-snatch of the wrathful his life ne'er should scathe; + Therewith the white war-helm warded his head, + E'en that which should mingle with ground of the mere, + And seek the sound-welter, with treasure beworthy'd, 1450 + All girt with the lordly chains, as in days gone by + The weapon-smith wrought it most wondrously done, + Beset with the swine-shapes, so that sithence + The brand or the battle-blades never might bite it. + Nor forsooth was that littlest of all of his mainstays, + Which to him in his need lent the spokesman of Hrothgar, + E'en the battle-sword hafted that had to name Hrunting, + That in fore days was one of the treasures of old, + The edges of iron with the poison twigs o'er-stain'd, + With battle-sweat harden'd; in the brunt never fail'd he 1460 + Any one of the warriors whose hand wound about him, + Who in grisly wayfarings durst ever to wend him + To the folk-stead of foemen. Not the first of times was it + That battle-work doughty it had to be doing. + Forsooth naught remember'd that son there of Ecglaf, + The crafty in mighty deeds, what ere he quoth + All drunken with wine, when the weapon he lent + To a doughtier sword-wolf: himself naught he durst it + Under war of the waves there his life to adventure + And warrior-ship work. So forwent he the glory, 1470 + The fair fame of valour. Naught far'd so the other + Syth he to the war-tide had gear'd him to wend. + + + + + XXIII. BEOWULF REACHETH THE MERE-BOTTOM IN A DAY'S WHILE, + AND CONTENDS WITH GRENDEL'S DAM. + + + Out then spake Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn: + Forsooth be thou mindful, O great son of Healfdene, + O praise of the princes, now way-fain am I, + O gold-friend of men, what we twain spake aforetime: + If to me for thy need it might so befall + That I cease from my life-days, thou shouldest be ever + To me, forth away wended, in the stead of a father. + Do thou then bear in hand these thanes of my kindred, 1480 + My hand-fellows, if so be battle shall have me; + Those same treasures withal, which thou gavest me erst, + O Hrothgar the lief, unto Hygelac send thou; + By that gold then shall wot the lord of the Geat-folk, + Shall Hrethel's son see, when he stares on the treasure, + That I in fair man-deeds a good one have found me, + A ring-giver; while I might, joy made I thereof. + And let thou then Unferth the ancient loom have, + The wave-sword adorned, that man kenned widely, + The blade of hard edges; for I now with Hrunting 1490 + Will work me the glory, or else shall death get me. + So after these words the Weder-Geats' chieftain + With might of heart hasten'd; nor for answer then would he + Aught tarry; the sea-welter straightway took hold on + The warrior of men: wore the while of a daytide + Or ever the ground-plain might he set eyes on. + Soon did she find, she who the flood-ring + Sword-ravening had held for an hundred of seasons, + Greedy and grim, that there one man of grooms + The abode of the alien-wights sought from above; 1500 + Then toward him she grasp'd and gat hold on the warrior + With fell clutch, but no sooner she scathed withinward + The hale body; rings from without-ward it warded, + That she could in no wise the war-skin clutch through, + The fast locked limb-sark, with fingers all loathly. + So bare then that sea-wolf when she came unto bottom + The king of the rings to the court-hall adown + In such wise that he might not, though hard-moody was he, + Be wielding of weapons. But a many of wonders + In sea-swimming swink'd him, and many a sea-deer 1510 + With his war-tusks was breaking his sark of the battle; + The fell wights him follow'd. 'Twas then the earl found it + That in foe-hall there was he, I wot not of which, + Where never the water might scathe him a whit, + Nor because of the roof-hall might reach to him there + The fear-grip of the flood. Now fire-light he saw, + The bleak beam forsooth all brightly a-shining. + Then the good one, he saw the wolf of the ground, + The mere-wife the mighty, and main onset made he + With his battle-bill; never his hand withheld sword-swing 1520 + So that there on her head sang the ring-sword forsooth + The song of war greedy. But then found the guest + That the beam of the battle would bite not therewith, + Or scathe life at all, but there failed the edge + The king in his need. It had ere thol'd a many + Of meetings of hand; oft it sheared the helm, + The host-rail of the fey one; and then was the first time + For that treasure dear lov'd that its might lay a-low. + But therewithal steadfast, naught sluggish of valour, + All mindful of high deeds was Hygelac's kinsman. 1530 + Cast then the wounden blade bound with the gem-stones + The warrior all angry, that it lay on the earth there, + Stiff-wrought and steel-edged. In strength now he trusted, + The hard hand-grip of might and main; so shall a man do + When he in the war-tide yet looketh to winning + The praise that is longsome, nor aught for life careth. + Then fast by the shoulder, of the feud nothing recking, + The lord of the War-Geats clutch'd Grendel's mother, + Cast down the battle-hard, bollen with anger, + That foe of the life, till she bow'd to the floor; 1540 + But swiftly to him gave she back the hand-guerdon + With hand-graspings grim, and griped against him; + Then mood-weary stumbled the strongest of warriors, + The foot-kemp, until that adown there he fell. + Then she sat on the hall-guest and tugg'd out her sax, + The broad and brown-edged, to wreak her her son, + Her offspring her own. But lay yet on his shoulder + The breast-net well braided, the berg of his life, + That 'gainst point and 'gainst edge the entrance withstood. + Gone amiss then forsooth had been Ecgtheow's son 1550 + Underneath the wide ground there, the kemp of the Geats, + Save to him his war-byrny had fram'd him a help, + The hard host-net; and save that the Lord God the Holy + Had wielded the war-gain, the Lord the All-wise; + Save that the skies' Ruler had rightwisely doom'd it + All easily. Sithence he stood up again. + + + + + XXIV. BEOWULF SLAYETH GRENDEL'S DAM, + SMITETH OFF GRENDEL'S HEAD, + AND COMETH BACK WITH HIS THANES TO HART. + + + Midst the war-gear he saw then a bill victory-wealthy, + An old sword of eotens full doughty of edges, + The worship of warriors. That was choice of all weapons, + Save that more was it made than any man other 1560 + In the battle-play ever might bear it afield, + So goodly, all glorious, the work of the giants. + Then the girdled hilt seiz'd he, the Wolf of the Scyldings, + The rough and the sword-grim, and drew forth the ring-sword, + Naught weening of life, and wrathful he smote then + So that there on her halse the hard edge begripped, + And brake through the bone-rings: the bill all through-waded + Her flesh-sheathing fey; cring'd she down on the floor; + The sword was war-sweaty, the man in his work joy'd. + The bright beam shone forth, the light stood withinward, 1570 + E'en as down from the heavens' clear high aloft shineth + The sky's candle. He all along the house scanned; + Then turn'd by the wall along, heav'd up his weapon + Hard by the hilts the Hygelac's thane there, + Ireful one-reded; naught worthless the edge was + Unto the warrior; but rathely now would he + To Grendel make payment of many war-onsets, + Of them that he wrought on the folk of the West Danes + Oftener by mickle than one time alone, + Whenas he the hearthfellows of Hrothgar the King 1580 + Slew in their slumber and fretted them sleeping, + Men fifteen to wit of the folk of the Danes, + And e'en such another deal ferry'd off outward, + Loathly prey. Now he paid him his guerdon therefor, + The fierce champion; so well, that abed there he saw + Where Grendel war-weary was lying adown + Forlorn of his life, as him ere had scathed + The battle at Hart; sprang wide the body, + Sithence after death he suffer'd the stroke, + The hard swing of sword. Then he smote the head off him. 1590 + Now soon were they seeing, those sage of the carles, + E'en they who with Hrothgar gaz'd down on the holm, + That the surge of the billows was blended about, + The sea stain'd with blood. Therewith the hoar-blended, + The old men, of the good one gat talking together + That they of the Atheling ween'd never eft-soon + That he, glad in his war-gain, should wend him a-seeking + The mighty king, since unto many it seemed + That him the mere-she-wolf had sunder'd and broken. + Came then nones of the day, and the ness there they gave up, 1600 + The Scyldings the brisk; and then busk'd him home thence-ward + The gold-friend of men. But the guests, there they sat + All sick of their mood, and star'd on the mere; + They wist not, they ween'd not if him their own friend-lord + Himself they should see. + Now that sword began + Because of the war-sweat into icicles war-made, + The war-bill, to wane: that was one of the wonders + That it melted away most like unto ice + When the bond of the frost the Father lets loosen, + Unwindeth the wave-ropes, e'en he that hath wielding 1610 + Of times and of seasons, who is the sooth Shaper. + In those wicks there he took not, the Weder-Geats' champion, + Of treasure-wealth more, though he saw there a many, + Than the off-smitten head and the sword-hilts together + With treasure made shifting; for the sword-blade was molten, + The sword broider'd was burn'd up, so hot was that blood, + So poisonous the alien ghost there that had died. + Now soon was a-swimming he who erst in the strife bode + The war-onset of wrath ones; he div'd up through the water; + And now were the wave-welters cleansed full well, 1620 + Yea the dwellings full wide, where the ghost of elsewhither + Let go of his life-days and the waning of living. + Came then unto land the helm of the ship-lads + Swimming stout-hearted, glad of his sea-spoil, + The burden so mighty of that which he bore there. + Yode then against him and gave thanks to God + That fair heap of thanes, and were fain of their lord, + For that hale and sound now they might see him with eyen; + Then was from the bold one the helm and the byrny + All speedily loosen'd. The lake now was laid, 1630 + The water 'neath welkin with war-gore bestained. + Forth then they far'd them alongst of the foot-tracks, + Men fain of heart all, as they meted the earth-way, + The street the well known; then those king-bold of men + Away from the holm-cliff the head there they bore + Uneasily ever to each one that bore it, + The full stout-heart of men: it was four of them needs must + On the stake of the slaughter with strong toil there ferry + Unto the gold-hall the head of that Grendel; + Until forthright in haste came into that hall, 1640 + Fierce, keen in the hosting, a fourteen of men + Of the Geat-folk a-ganging; and with them their lord, + The moody amidst of the throng, trod the mead-plains; + Came then in a-wending the foreman of thanes, + The man keen of his deeds all beworshipp'd of doom, + The hero, the battle-deer, Hrothgar to greet. + Then was by the fell borne in onto the floor + Grendel's head, whereas men were a-drinking in hall, + Aweful before the earls, yea and the woman. + The sight wondrous to see the warriors there look'd on. 1650 + + + + + XXV. CONVERSE OF HROTHGAR WITH BEOWULF. + + + Spake out then Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn: + What! we the sea-spoils here to thee, son of Healfdene, + High lord of the Scyldings, with lust have brought hither + For a token of glory, e'en these thou beholdest. + Now I all unsoftly with life I escaped, + In war under the water dar'd I the work + Full hard to be worked, and well-nigh there was + The sundering of strife, save that me God had shielded. + So it is that in battle naught might I with Hrunting + One whit do the work, though the weapon be doughty; 1660 + But to me then he granted, the Wielder of men, + That on wall I beheld there all beauteous hanging + An ancient sword, might-endow'd (often he leadeth right + The friendless of men); so forth drew I that weapon. + In that onset I slew there, as hap then appaid me, + The herd of the house; then that bill of the host, + The broider'd sword, burn'd up, and that blood sprang forth + The hottest of battle-sweats; but the hilts thereof thenceforth + From the foemen I ferry'd. I wreaked the foul deeds, + The death-quelling of Danes, e'en as duly behoved. 1670 + Now this I behote thee, that here in Hart mayst thou + Sleep sorrowless henceforth with the host of thy men + And the thanes every one that are of thy people + Of doughty and young; that for them need thou dread not, + O high lord of Scyldings, on that behalf soothly + Life-bale for the earls as erst thou hast done. + Then was the hilt golden to the ancient of warriors, + The hoary of host-leaders, into hand given, + The old work of giants; it turn'd to the owning, + After fall of the Devils, of the lord of the Danes, 1680 + That work of the wonder-smith, syth gave up the world + The fierce-hearted groom, the foeman of God, + The murder-beguilted, and there eke his mother; + Unto the wielding of world-kings it turned, + The best that there be betwixt of the sea-floods + Of them that in Scaney dealt out the scat. + Now spake out Hrothgar, as he look'd on the hilts there, + The old heir-loom whereon was writ the beginning + Of the strife of the old time, whenas the flood slew, + The ocean a-gushing, that kin of the giants 1690 + As fiercely they fared. That was a folk alien + To the Lord everlasting; so to them a last guerdon + Through the welling of waters the Wielder did give. + So was on the sword-guards all of the sheer gold + By dint of the rune-staves rightly bemarked, + Set down and said for whom first was that sword wrought, + And the choice of all irons erst had been done, + Wreath-hilted and worm-adorn'd. Then spake the wise one, + Healfdene's son, and all were gone silent: + Lo that may he say, who the right and the soothfast 1700 + Amid the folk frameth, and far back all remembers, + The old country's warden, that as for this earl here + Born better was he. Uprear'd is the fame-blast + Through wide ways far yonder, O Beowulf, friend mine, + Of thee o'er all peoples. Thou hold'st all with patience, + Thy might with mood-wisdom; I shall make thee my love good, + As we twain at first spake it. For a comfort thou shalt be + Granted long while and long unto thy people, + For a help unto heroes. Naught such became Heremod + To Ecgwela's offspring, the honourful Scyldings; 1710 + For their welfare naught wax'd he, but for felling in slaughter, + For the quelling of death to the folk of the Danes. + Mood-swollen he brake there his board-fellows soothly, + His shoulder-friends, until he sunder'd him lonely, + That mighty of princes, from the mirth of all men-folk. + Though him God the mighty in the joyance of might, + In main strength, exalted high over all-men, + And framed him forth, yet fast in his heart grew + A breast-hoard blood-fierce; none of fair rings he gave + To the Danes as due doom would. Unmerry he dured 1720 + So that yet of that strife the trouble he suffer'd. + A folk-bale so longsome. By such do thou learn thee, + Get thee hold of man-valour: this tale for thy teaching + Old in winters I tell thee. 'Tis wonder to say it, + How the high God almighty to the kindred of mankind + Through his mind the wide-fashion'd deals wisdom about, + Home and earlship; he owneth the wielding of all. + At whiles unto love he letteth to turn + The mood-thought of a man that Is mighty of kindred, + And in his land giveth him joyance of earth, 1730 + And to have and to hold the high ward-burg of men, + And sets so 'neath his wielding the deals of the world, + Dominion wide reaching, that he himself may not + In all his unwisdom of the ending bethink him. + He wonneth well-faring, nothing him wasteth + Sickness nor eld, nor the foe-sorrow to him + Dark in mind waxeth, nor strife any where, + The edge-hate, appeareth; but all the world for him + Wends as he willeth, and the worse naught he wotteth. + + + + + XXVI. MORE CONVERSE OF HROTHGAR AND BEOWULF: + THE GEATS MAKE THEM READY FOR DEPARTURE. + + + Until that within him a deal of o'erthink-ing 1740 + Waxeth and groweth while sleepeth the warder, + The soul's herdsman; that slumber too fast is forsooth, + Fast bounden by troubles, the banesman all nigh, + E'en he that from arrow-bow evilly shooteth. + Then he in his heart under helm is besmitten + With a bitter shaft; not a whit then may he ward him + From the wry wonder-biddings of the ghost the all-wicked. + Too little he deems that which long he hath hold. + Wrath-greedy he covets; nor e'en for boast-sake gives + The rings fair beplated; and the forth-coming doom 1750 + Forgetteth, forheedeth, for that God gave him erewhile, + The Wielder of glory, a deal of the worship. + At the ending-stave then it after befalleth + That the shell of his body sinks fleeting away, + And falleth all fey; and another one fetcheth, + E'en one that undolefully dealeth the treasure, + The earl's gains of aforetime, and fear never heedeth. + From the bale-envy ward thee, lief Beowulf, therefore, + Thou best of all men, and choose thee the better, + The redes everlasting; to o'erthinkirig turn not, 1760 + O mighty of champions! for now thy might breatheth + For a short while of time; but eft-soon it shall be + That sickness or edges from thy strength thee shall sunder, + Or the hold of the fire, or the welling of floods, + Or the grip of the sword-blade, or flight of the spear, + Or eld the all-evil: or the beaming of eyen + Shall fail and shall dim: then shall it be forthright + That thee, lordly man, the death over-masters. + E'en so I the Ring-Danes for an hundred of seasons + Did wield under the welkin and lock'd them by war 1770 + From many a kindred the Middle-Garth over + With ash-spears and edges, in such wise that not ever + Under the sky's run of my foemen I reckoned. + What! to me in my land came a shifting of that, + Came grief after game, sithence Grendel befell, + My foeman of old, mine ingoer soothly. + I from that onfall bore ever unceasing + Mickle mood-care; herefor be thanks to the Maker, + To the Lord everlasting, that in life I abided, + Yea, that I on that head all sword-gory there, 1780 + Now the old strife is over, with eyen should stare. + Go fare thou to settle, the feast-joyance dree thou, + O war-worshipp'd! unto us twain yet there will be + Mickle treasure in common when come is the morning. + Glad of mood then the Geat was, and speedy he gat him + To go see the settle, as the sage one commanded. + Then was after as erst, that they of the might-fame, + The floor-sitters, fairly the feasting bedight them + All newly. The helm of the night loured over + Dark over the host-men. Uprose all the doughty, 1790 + For he, the hoar-blended, would wend to his bed, + That old man of the Scyldings. The Geat without measure, + The mighty shield-warrior, now willed him rest. + And soon now the hall-thane him of way-faring weary, + From far away come, forth show'd him the road, + E'en he who for courtesy cared for all things + Of the needs of the thane, e'en such as on that day + The farers o'er ocean would fainly have had. + Rested then the wide-hearted; high up the house tower'd + Wide-gaping all gold-dight; within slept the guest; 1800 + Until the black raven, the blithe-hearted, boded + The heavens' joy: then was come thither a-hastening + The bright sun o'er the plains, and hastened the scathers, + The athelings once more aback to their people + All fain to be faring; and far away thence + Would the comer high-hearted go visit his keel. + Bade then the hard one Hrunting to bear, + The Ecglaf's son bade to take him his sword, + The iron well-lov'd; gave him thanks for the lending, + Quoth he that the war-friend for worthy he told, 1810 + Full of craft in the war; nor with word he aught + The edge of the sword. Hah! the high-hearted warrior. + So whenas all way-forward, yare in their war-gear, + Were the warriors, the dear one then went to the Danes, + To the high seat went the Atheling, whereas was the other; + The battle-bold warrior gave greeting to Hrothgar. + + + + + XXVII. BEOWULF BIDS HROTHGAR FAREWELL: + THE GEATS FARE TO SHIP. + + + Out then spake Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn: + As now we sea-farers have will to be saying, + We from afar come, that now are we fainest + Of seeking to Hygelac. Here well erst were we 1820 + Serv'd as our wills would, and well thine avail was. + If I on the earth then, be it e'en but a little, + Of the love of thy mood may yet more be an-earning, + O lord of the men-folk, than heretofore might I, + Of the works of the battle yare then soon shall I be. + If I should be learning, I over the flood's run, + That the sitters about thee beset thee with dread, + Even thee hating as otherwhile did they; + Then thousands to theeward of thanes shall I bring + For the helping of heroes. Of Hygelac wot I, 1830 + The lord of the Geat-folk, though he be but a youngling, + That shepherd of folk, that me will he further + By words and by works, that well may I ward thee, + And unto thine helping the spear-holt may bear, + A main-staying mighty, whenas men thou art needing. + And if therewith Hrethric in the courts of the Geat-house, + The King's bairn, take hosting, then may he a many + Of friends find him soothly: far countries shall be + Better sought to by him who for himself is doughty. + Out then spake Hrothgar in answer to himward: 1840 + Thy word-saying soothly the Lord of all wisdom + Hath sent into thy mind; never heard I more sagely + In a life that so young was a man word be laying; + Strong of might and main art thou and sage of thy mood, + Wise the words of thy framing. Tell I this for a weening, + If it so come to pass that the spear yet shall take, + Or the battle all sword-grim, the son of that Hrethel, + Or sickness or iron thine Alderman have, + Thy shepherd of folk, and thou fast to life hold thee, + Then no better than thee may the Sea-Geats be having 1850 + To choose for themselves, no one of the kings, + Hoard-warden of heroes, if then thou wilt hold + Thy kinsman's own kingdom. Me liketh thy mood-heart, + The longer the better, O Beowulf the lief; + In such wise hast thou fared, that unto the folks now, + The folk of the Geats and the Gar-Danes withal, + In common shall peace be, and strife rest appeased + And the hatreds the doleful which erst they have dreed; + Shall become, whiles I wield it, this wide realm of ours, + Treasures common to either folk: many a one other 1860 + With good things shall greet o'er the bath of the gannet; + And the ring'd bark withal over sea shall be bringing + The gifts and love-tokens. The twain folks I know + Toward foeman toward friend fast-fashion'd together, + In every way blameless as in the old wise. + Then the refuge of warriors, he gave him withal, + Gave Healfdene's son of treasures yet twelve; + And he bade him with those gifts to go his own people + To seek in all soundness, and swiftly come back. + Then kissed the king, he of noble kin gotten, 1870 + The lord of the Scyldings, that best of the thanes, + By the halse then he took him; from him fell the tears + From the blended of hoar hair. Of both things was there hoping + To the old, the old wise one; yet most of the other, + To wit, that they sithence each each might be seeing, + The high-heart in council. To him so lief was he + That he his breast-welling might nowise forbear, + But there in his bosom, bound fast in his heart-bonds, + After that dear man a longing dim-hidden + Burn'd against blood-tie. So Beowulf thenceforth, 1880 + The gold-proud of warriors, trod the mould grassy, + Exulting in gold-store. The sea-ganger bided + Its owning-lord whereas at anchor it rode. + Then was there in going the gift of King Hrothgar + Oft highly accounted; yea, that was a king + In every wise blameless, till eld took from him eftsoon + The joyance of might, as it oft scathes a many. + + + + + XXVIII. BEOWULF COMES BACK TO HIS LAND. + OF THE TALE OF THRYTHO. + + + Came a many to flood then all mighty of mood, + Of the bachelors were they, and ring-nets they bore, + The limb-sarks belocked. The land-warden noted 1890 + The earls' aback-faring, as erst he beheld them; + Then nowise with harm from the nose of the cliff + The guests there he greeted, but rode unto themward, + And quoth that full welcome to the folk of the Weders + The bright-coated warriors were wending to ship. + Then was on the sand there the bark the wide-sided + With war-weed beladen, the ring-stemm'd as she lay there + With mares and with treasure; uptower'd the mast + High over Hrothgar's wealth of the hoards. + He then to the boat-warden handsel'd a gold-bounden 1900 + Sword, so that sithence was he on mead-bench + Worthy'd the more for that very same wealth, + The heirloom. Sithence in the ship he departed + To stir the deep water; the Dane-land he left. + Then was by the mast there one of the sea-rails, + A sail, with rope made fast; thunder'd the sound-wood. + Not there the wave-floater did the wind o'er the billows + Waft off from its ways; the sea-wender fared, + Floated the foamy-neck'd forth o'er the waves, + The bounden-stemm'd over the streams of the sea; 1910 + Till the cliffs of the Geats there they gat them to wit, + The nesses well kenned. Throng'd up the keel then + Driven hard by the lift, and stood on the land. + Then speedy at holm was the hythe-warden yare, + E'en he who a long while after the lief men + Eager at stream's side far off had looked. + To the sand thereon bound he the wide-fathom'd ship + With anchor-bands fast, lest from them the waves' might + The wood that was winsome should drive thence awayward. + Thereon bade he upbear the athelings' treasures, 1920 + The fretwork and wrought gold. Not far from them thenceforth + To seek to the giver of treasures it was, + E'en Hygelac, Hrethel's son, where at home wonneth + Himself and his fellows hard by the sea-wall. + Brave was the builded house, bold king the lord was, + High were the walls, Hygd very young, + Wise and well-thriven, though few of winters + Under the burg-locks had she abided, + The daughter of Hæreth; naught was she dastard; + Nowise niggard of gifts to the folk of the Geats, 1930 + Of wealth of the treasures. But wrath Thrytho bore, + The folk-queen the fierce, wrought the crime-deed full fearful. + No one there durst it, the bold one, to dare, + Of the comrades beloved, save only her lord, + That on her by day with eyen he stare, + But if to him death-bonds predestin'd he count on, + Hand-wreathed; thereafter all rathely it was + After the hand-grip the sword-blade appointed, + That the cunning-wrought sword should show forth the deed, + Make known the murder-bale. Naught is such queenlike 1940 + For a woman to handle, though peerless she be, + That a weaver of peace the life should waylay, + For a shame that was lying, of a lief man of men; + But the kinsman of Hemming, he hinder'd it surely. + Yet the drinkers of ale otherwise said they; + That folk-bales, which were lesser, she framed forsooth, + Lesser enmity-malice, since thence erst she was + Given gold-deck'd to the young one of champions, + She the dear of her lineage, since Offa's floor + Over the fallow flood by the lore of her father 1950 + She sought in her wayfaring. Well was she sithence + There on the man-throne mighty with good; + Her shaping of life well brooked she living; + High love she held toward the lord of the heroes; + Of all kindred of men by the hearsay of me + The best of all was he the twain seas beside, + Of the measureless kindred; thereof Offa was + For gifts and for war, the spear-keen of men, + Full widely beworthy'd, with wisdom he held + The land of his heritage. Thence awoke Eomær 1960 + For a help unto heroes, the kinsman of Hemming, + The grandson of Garmund, the crafty in war-strife. + + + + + XXIX. BEOWULF TELLS HYGELAC OF HROTHGAR: + ALSO OF FREAWARU HIS DAUGHTER. + + + Went his ways then the hard one, and he with his hand-shoal, + Himself over the sand the sea-plain a-treading, + The warths wide away; shone the world's candle, + The sun slop'd from the southward; so dreed they their journey, + And went their ways stoutly unto where the earls' refuge, + The banesman of Ongentheow all in his burgs there, + The young king of war, the good, as they heard it. + Was dealing the rings. Aright unto Hygelac 1970 + Was Beowulf's speeding made knowen full swiftly, + That there into the house-place that hedge of the warriors, + His mate of the linden-board, living was come, + Hale from the battle-play home to him houseward. + Then rathe was beroomed, as the rich one was bidding, + For the guests a-foot going the floor all withinward. + Then sat in the face of him he from the fight sav'd, + Kinsman by kinsman, whenas his man-lord + In fair-sounding speech had greeted the faithful + With mightyful words. With mead-skinking turned 1980 + Through the high house adown the daughter of Hæreth: + The people she loved: the wine-bucket bare she + To the hands of the men. But now fell to Hygelac + His very house-fellow in that hall the high + To question full fairly, for wit-lust to-brake him, + Of what like were the journeys the Sea-Geats had wended: + How befell you the sea-lode, O Beowulf lief, + When thou on a sudden bethoughtst thee afar + Over the salt water the strife to be seeking, + The battle in Hart? or for Hrothgar forsooth 1990 + The wide-kenned woe some whit didst thou mend, + For that mighty of lords? I therefore the mood-care + In woe-wellings seethed; trow'd not in the wending + Of thee the lief man. A long while did I pray thee + That thou the death-guest there should greet not a whit; + Wouldst let those same South-Danes their own selves to settle + The war-tide with Grendel. Now to God say I thank + That thee, and thee sound, now may I see. + Out then spake Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn: + All undark it is, O Hygelac lord, 2000 + That meeting the mighty, to a many of men; + Of what like was the meeting of Grendel and me + On that field of the deed, where he many a deal + For the Victory-Scyldings of sorrow had framed, + And misery for ever; but all that I awreaked, + So that needeth not boast any kinsman of Grendel + Any one upon earth of that uproar of dawn-dusk, + Nay not who lives longest of that kindred the loathly + Encompass'd of fenland. Thither first did I come + Unto that ring-hall Hrothgar to greet; 2010 + Soon unto me the great Healfdene's son, + So soon as my heart he was wotting forsooth. + Right against his own son a settle there showed. + All that throng was in joy, nor life-long saw I ever + Under vault of the heavens amidst any hall-sitters + More mirth of the mead. There the mighty Queen whiles, + Peace-sib of the folk, went all over the floor, + To the young sons bade heart up; oft she there the ring-wreath + Gave unto a man ere to settle she wended. + At whiles fore the doughty the daughter of Hrothgar 2020 + To the earls at the end the ale-bucket bore; + E'en she whom Freawaru the floor-sitters thereat + Heard I to name; where she the nail'd treasure + Gave to the warriors. She was behight then + Youngling and gold-dight to the glad son of Froda. + This hath seemed fair to the friend of the Scyldings, + The herd of the realm, and good rede he accounts it, + That he with that wife of death-feuds a deal + And of strifes should allay. Oft unseldom eachwhere + After a lord's fall e'en but for a little 2030 + Bows down the bane-spear, though doughty the bride be. + + + + + XXX. BEOWULF FOREBODES ILL FROM THE WEDDING OF FREAWARU: + HE TELLS OF GRENDEL AND HIS DAM. + + + Ill-liking this may be to the lord of the Heathobards, + And to each of the thanes of that same people. + When he with fair bride on the floor of hall wendeth, + That the Dane's noble bairn his doughty should wait on, + As on him glisten there the heirlooms of the aged, + Hard and with rings bedight, Heathobards' treasure, + Whileas the weapons yet they might wield; + Till astray did they lead there at the lind-play + Their own fellows belov'd and their very own lives. 2040 + For then saith at the beer, he who seeth the ring, + An ancient ash-warrior who mindeth of all + The spear-death of men; grim is he of mind; + Sad of mood he beginneth to tell the young champion. + Through the thought of his heart his mind there to try, + The war-bale to waken, and sayeth this word: + Mayest thou, friend mine, wot of the war-sword, + That which thy father bore in the fight + Under the war-mask e'en on the last time, + That the dear iron, whereas the Danes slew him, 2050 + Wielded the death-field, since Withergyld lay, + After fall of the heroes, the keen-hearted Scyldings? + Now here of those banesmen the son, whoseso he be, + All merry in fretwork forth on floor fareth; + Of the murder he boasteth, and that jewel he beareth, + E'en that which of right thou shouldest arede. + Thus he mindeth and maketh word every of times, + With sore words he telleth, until the time cometh + That the thane of the fair bride for the deeds of his father + After bite of the bill sleepeth all blood-stain'd, 2060 + All forfeit of life; but thenceforth the other + Escapeth alive; the land well he kenneth; + Then will be broken on both sides forsooth + The oath-swearing of earls, whenas unto Ingeld + Well up the death-hatreds, and the wife-loves of him + Because of the care-wellings cooler become. + Therefore the Heathobards' faith I account not, + Their deal of the folk-peace, unguileful to Danes, + Their fast-bounden friendship. Henceforth must I speak on + Again about Grendel, that thou get well to know it, 2070 + O treasure-out-dealer, how sithence betided + The hand-race of heroes: sithence heaven's gem + All over the grounds glided, came the wroth guest, + The dire night-angry one us to go look on, + Whereas we all sound were warding the hall. + There then for Handshoe was battle abiding, + Life-bale to the fey; he first lay alow, + The war-champion girded; unto him became Grendel, + To the great thane of kindreds, a banesman of mouth, + Of the man well-beloved the body he swallow'd; 2080 + Nor the sooner therefor out empty-handed + The bloody-tooth'd banesman, of bales all bemindful, + Out from that gold-hall yet would he get him; + But he, mighty of main, made trial of me, + And gripp'd ready-handed. His glove hung aloft, + Wondrous and wide, in wily bands fast, + With cunning wiles was it begeared forsooth, + With crafts of the devils and fells of the dragons; + He me withinwards there, me the unsinning, + The doer of big deeds would do me to be 2090 + As one of the many; but naught so it might be, + Sithence in mine anger upright I stood. + 'Tis over-long telling how I to the folkscather + For each one of evils out paid the hand-gild. + There I, O my lord king, them thy leal people + Worthy'd with works: but away he gat loosed + Out thence for a little while, brooked yet life-joys; + But his right hand held ward of his track howsoever, + High upon Hart-hall, and thence away humble + He sad of his mood to the mere-ground fell downward. 2100 + Me for that slaughter-race the friend of the Scyldings + With gold that beplated was mickle deal paid, + With a many of treasures, sithence came the morning, + And we to the feast-tide had sat us adown; + Song was and glee there; the elder of Scyldings, + Asking of many things, told of things o'erpast; + Whiles hath the battle-deer there the harp's joy, + The wood of mirth greeted; whiles the lay said he + Soothfast and sorrowful; whiles a spell seldom told + Told he by right, the king roomy-hearted; 2110 + Whiles began afterward he by eld bounden, + The aged hoar warrior, of his youth to bewail him, + Its might of the battle; his breast well'd within him, + When he, wont in winters, of many now minded. + So we there withinward the livelong day's wearing + Took pleasure amongst us, till came upon men + Another of nights; then eftsoons again + Was yare for the harm-wreak the mother of Grendel: + All sorry she wended, for her son death had taken, + The war-hate of the Weders: that monster of women 2120 + Awreaked her bairn, and quelled a warrior + In manner all mighty. Then was there from Aeschere, + The wise man of old, life waning away; + Nor him might they even when come was the morning, + That death-weary wight, the folk of the Danes + Burn up with the brand, nor lade on the bale + The man well-belov'd, for his body she bare off + In her fathom the fiendly all under the fell-stream. + That was unto Hrothgar of sorrows the heaviest + Of them which the folk-chieftain long had befallen. 2130 + Then me did the lord king, and e'en by thy life, + Mood-heavy beseech me that I in the holm-throng + Should do after earlship, my life to adventure, + And frame me main-greatness, and meed he behight me. + Then I of the welling flood, which is well kenned, + The grim and the grisly ground-herder did find. + There to us for a while was the blending of hands; + The holm welled with gore, and the head I becarved + In that hall of the ground from the Mother of Grendel + With the all-eked edges; unsoftly out thence 2140 + My life forth I ferry'd, for not yet was I fey. + But the earls' burg to me was giving thereafter + Much sort of the treasures, e'en Healfdene's son. + + + + + XXXI. BEOWULF GIVES HROTHGAR'S GIFTS TO HYGELAC, + AND BY HIM IS REWARDED. + OF THE DEATH OF HYGELAC AND OF HEARDRED HIS SON, + AND HOW BEOWULF IS KING OF THE GEATS: + THE WORM IS FIRST TOLD OF. + + + So therewith the folk-king far'd, living full seemly; + By those wages forsooth ne'er a whit had I lost, + By the meed of my main, but to me treasure gave he, + The Healfdene's son, to the doom of myself; + Which to thee, king of bold ones, will I be a-bringing, + And gladly will give thee; for of thee is all gotten + Of favours along, and but little have I 2150 + Of head-kinsmen forsooth, saving, Hygelac, thee. + Then he bade them bear in the boar-shape, the head-sign, + The battle-steep war-helm, the byrny all hoary, + The sword stately-good, and spell after he said: + This raiment of war Hrothgar gave to my hand, + The wise of the kings, and therewithal bade me, + That I first of all of his favour should flit thee; + He quoth that first had it King Heorogar of old, + The king of the Scyldings, a long while of time; + But no sooner would he give it unto his son, 2160 + Heoroward the well-whet, though kind to him were he, + This weed of the breast. Do thou brook it full well. + On these fretworks, so heard I, four horses therewith, + All alike, close followed after the track, + Steeds apple-fallow. Fair grace he gave him + Of horses and treasures. E'en thus shall do kinsman, + And nowise a wile-net shall weave for another + With craft of the darkness, or do unto death + His very hand-fellow. But now unto Hygelac + The bold in the battle was his nephew full faithful, 2170 + And either to other of good deeds was mindful. + I heard that the neck-ring to Hygd did he give, + E'en the wonder-gem well-wrought, that Wealh-theow gave him, + The king's daughter; gave he three steeds therewithal + Slender, and saddle-bright; sithence to her was, + After the ring-gift, the breast well beworthy'd. + Thus boldly he bore him, the Ecgtheow's bairn, + The groom kenned in battle, in good deeds a-doing; + After due doom he did, and ne'er slew he the drunken + Hearth-fellows of him: naught rough was his heart; 2180 + But of all men of mankind with the greatest of might + The gift fully and fast set, which had God to him given, + That war-deer did hold. Long was he contemned, + While the bairns of the Geats naught told him for good, + Nor him on the mead-bench worthy of mickle + The lord of the war-hosts would be a-making. + Weened they strongly that he were but slack then, + An atheling unkeen; then came about change + To the fame-happy man for every foul harm. + Bade then the earls' burg in to be bringing, 2190 + The king battle-famed, the leaving of Hrethel, + All geared with gold; was not 'mid the Geats then + A treasure-gem better of them of the sword-kind, + That which then on Beowulf's harm there he laid; + And gave to him there seven thousand in gift, + A built house and king-stool; to both them together + Was in that folkship land that was kindly, + Father-right, home; to the other one rather + A wide realm, to him who was there the better. + But thereafter it went so in days later worn 2200 + Through the din of the battle, sithence Hygelac lay low + And unto Heardred swords of the battle + Under the war-board were for a bane; + When fell on him midst of this victory-folk + The hard battle-wolves, the Scyldings of war, + And by war overwhelmed the nephew of Hereric; + That sithence unto Beowulf turned the broad realm + All into his hand. Well then did he hold it + For a fifty of winters; then was he an old king, + An old fatherland's warder; until one began 2210 + Through the dark of the night-tide, a drake, to hold sway. + In a howe high aloft watched over an hoard, + A stone-burg full steep; thereunder a path sty'd + Unknown unto men, and therewithin wended + Who of men do I know not; for his lust there took he, + From the hoard of the heathen his hand took away + A hall-bowl gem-flecked, nowise back did he give it + Though the herd of the hoard him sleeping beguil'd he + With thief-craft; and this then found out the king, + The best of folk-heroes, that wrath-bollen was he. 2220 + + + + + XXXII. HOW THE WORM CAME TO THE HOWE, + AND HOW HE WAS ROBBED OF A CUP; + AND HOW HE FELL ON THE FOLK. + + + Not at all with self-wielding the craft of the worm-hoards + He sought of his own will, who sore himself harmed; + But for threat of oppression a thrall, of I wot not + Which bairn of mankind, from blows wrathful fled, + House-needy forsooth, and hied him therein, + A man by guilt troubled. Then soon it betided + That therein to the guest there stood grisly terror; + However the wretched, of every hope waning + * * * * * + The ill-shapen wight, whenas the fear gat him, + The treasure-vat saw; of such there was a many 2230 + Up in that earth-house of treasures of old, + As them in the yore-days, though what man I know not, + The huge leavings and loom of a kindred of high ones, + Well thinking of thoughts there had hidden away. + Dear treasures. But all them had death borne away + In the times of erewhile; and the one at the last + Of the doughty of that folk that there longest lived, + There waxed he friend-sad, yet ween'd he to tarry, + That he for a little those treasures the longsome + Might brook for himself. But a burg now all ready 2240 + Wonn'd on the plain nigh the waves of the water, + New by a ness, by narrow-crafts fasten'd; + Within there then bare of the treasures of earls + That herd of the rings a deal hard to carry, + Of gold fair beplated, and few words he quoth: + Hold thou, O earth, now, since heroes may hold not, + The owning of earls. What! it erst within thee + Good men did get to them; now war-death hath gotten, + Life-bale the fearful, each man and every + Of my folk; e'en of them who forwent the life: 2250 + The hall-joy had they seen. No man to wear sword + I own, none to brighten the beaker beplated, + The dear drink-vat; the doughty have sought to else-whither. + Now shall the hard war-helm bedight with the gold + Be bereft of its plating; its polishers sleep, + They that the battle-mask erewhile should burnish: + Likewise the war-byrny, which abode in the battle + O'er break of the war-boards the bite of the irons, + Crumbles after the warrior; nor may the ring'd byrny + After the war-leader fare wide afield 2260 + On behalf of the heroes: nor joy of the harp is, + No game of the glee-wood; no goodly hawk now + Through the hall swingeth; no more the swift horse + Beateth the burg-stead. Now hath bale-quelling + A many of life-kin forth away sent. + Suchwise sad-moody moaned in sorrow + One after all, unblithely bemoaning + By day and by night, till the welling of death + Touch'd at his heart. The old twilight-scather + Found the hoard's joyance standing all open, 2270 + E'en he that, burning, seeketh to burgs, + The evil drake, naked, that flieth a night-tide, + With fire encompass'd; of him the earth-dwellers + Are strongly adrad; wont is he to seek to + The hoard in the earth, where he the gold heathen + Winter-old wardeth; nor a whit him it betters. + So then the folk-scather for three hundred winters + Held in the earth a one of hoard-houses + All-eked of craft, until him there anger'd + A man in his mood, who bare to his man-lord 2280 + A beaker beplated, and bade him peace-warding + Of his lord: then was lightly the hoard searched over, + And the ring-hoard off borne; and the boon it was granted + To that wretched-wrought man. There then the lord saw + That work of men foregone the first time of times. + Then awaken'd the Worm, and anew the strife was; + Along the stone stank he, the stout-hearted found + The foot-track of the foe; he had stept forth o'er-far + With dark craft, over-nigh to the head of the drake. + So may the man unfey full easily outlive 2290 + The woe and the wrack-journey, he whom the Wielder's + Own grace is holding. Now sought the hoard-warden + Eager over the ground; for the groom he would find + Who unto him sleeping had wrought out the sore: + Hot and rough-moody oft he turn'd round the howe + All on the outward; but never was any man + On the waste; but however in war he rejoiced, + In battle-work. Whiles he turn'd back to his howe + And sought to his treasure-vat; soon he found this, + That one of the grooms had proven the gold, 2300 + The high treasures; then the hoard-warden abided, + But hardly forsooth, until come was the even, + And all anger-bollen was then the burg-warden, + And full much would the loath one with the fire-flame pay back + For his drink-vat the dear. Then day was departed + E'en at will to the Worm, and within wall no longer + Would he bide, but awayward with burning he fared, + All dight with the fire: it was fearful beginning + To the folk in the land, and all swiftly it fell 2310 + On their giver of treasure full grievously ended. + + + + + XXXIII. THE WORM BURNS BEOWULF'S HOUSE, + AND BEOWULF GETS READY TO GO AGAINST HIM. + BEOWULF'S EARLY DEEDS IN BATTLE WITH THE HETWARE TOLD OF. + + + Began then the guest to spew forth of gleeds, + The bright dwellings to burn; stood the beam of the burning + For a mischief to menfolk; now nothing that quick was + The loathly lift-flier would leave there forsooth; + The war of the Worm was wide to be seen there, + The narrowing foe's hatred anigh and afar, + How he, the fight-scather, the folk of the Geats + Hated and harm'd; shot he back to the hoard, + His dark lordly hall, ere yet was the day's while; + The land-dwellers had he in the light low encompass'd 2320 + With bale and with brand; in his burg yet he trusted, + His war-might and his wall: but his weening bewray'd him. + Then Beowulf was done to wit of the terror + Full swiftly forsooth, that the house of himself, + Best of buildings, was molten in wellings of fire, + The gift-stool of the Geats. To the good one was that + A grief unto heart; of mind-sorrows the greatest. + Weened the wise one, that Him, e'en the Wielder, + The Lord everlasting, against the old rights + He had bitterly anger'd; the breast boil'd within him 2330 + With dark thoughts, that to him were naught duly wonted. + Now had the fire-drake the own fastness of folk, + The water-land outward, that ward of the earth, + With gleeds to ground wasted; so therefore the war-king, + The lord of the Weder-folk, learned him vengeance. + Then he bade be work'd for him, that fence of the warriors, + And that all of iron, the lord of the earls, + A war-board all glorious, for wissed he yarely + That the holt-wood hereto might help him no whit, + The linden 'gainst fire-flame. Of fleeting days now 2340 + The Atheling exceeding good end should abide, + The end of the world's life, and the Worm with him also, + Though long he had holden the weal of the hoard. + Forsooth scorned then the lord of the rings + That he that wide-flier with war-band should seek, + With a wide host; he fear'd not that war for himself, + Nor for himself the Worm's war accounted one whit, + His might and his valour, for that he erst a many + Strait-daring of battles had bided, and liv'd, + Clashings huge of the battle, sithence he of Hrothgar, 2350 + He, the man victory-happy, had cleansed the hall, + And in war-tide had gripped the kindred of Grendel, + The loathly of kindreds; nor was that the least + Of hand-meetings, wherein erst was Hygelac slain, + Sithence the Geats' king in the onrush of battle, + The lord-friend of the folks, down away in the Frieslands, + The offspring of Hrethel, died, drunken of sword-drinks, + All beaten of bill. Thence Beowulf came forth + By his own craft forsooth, dreed the work of the swimming; + He had on his arm, he all alone, thirty 2360 + Of war-gears, when he to the holm went adown. + Then nowise the Hetware needed to joy them + Over the foot-war, wherein forth against him + They bore the war-linden: few went back again + From that wolf of the battle to wend to their homes. + O'erswam then the waters' round Ecgtheow's son, + Came all wretched and byrd-alone back to his people, + Whereas offer'd him Hygd then the kingdom and hoard, + The rings and the king-stool: trowed naught in the child, + That he 'gainst folks outland the fatherland-seats 2370 + Might can how to hold, now was Hygelac dead: + Yet no sooner therefor might the poor folk prevail + To gain from the Atheling in any of ways + That he unto Heardred would be for a lord, + Or eke that that kingdom henceforward should choose; + Yet him midst of the folk with friend-lore he held, + All kindly with honour till older he waxed + And wielded the Weder-Geats. To him men-waifs thereafter + Sought from over the sea, the sons they of Ohthere, + For they erst had withstood the helm of the Scylfings, 2380 + E'en him that was best of the kings of the sea, + Of them that in Swede-realm dealt out the treasure, + The mighty of princes. Unto him 'twas a life-mark; + To him without food there was fated the life-wound, + That Hygelac's son, by the swinging of swords; + And him back departed Ongentheow's bairn, + To go seek to his house, sithence Heardred lay dead, + And let Beowulf hold the high seat of the king + And wield there the Geats. Yea, good was that king. + + + + + XXXIV. BEOWULF GOES AGAINST THE WORM. + HE TELLS OF HEREBEALD AND HÆTHCYN. + + + Of that fall of the folk-king he minded the payment 2390 + In days that came after: unto Eadgils he was + A friend to him wretched; with folk he upheld him + Over the wide sea, that same son of Ohthere, + With warriors and weapons. Sithence had he wreaking + With cold journeys of care: from the king took he life. + Now each one of hates thus had he outlived, + And of perilous slaughters, that Ecgtheow's son, + All works that be doughty, until that one day + When he with the Worm should wend him to deal. + So twelvesome he set forth all swollen with anger, 2400 + The lord of the Geats, the drake to go look on. + Aright had he learnt then whence risen the feud was, + The bale-hate against men-folk: to his barm then had come + The treasure-vat famous by the hand of the finder; + He was in that troop of men the thirteenth + Who the first of that battle had set upon foot, + The thrall, the sad-minded; in shame must he thenceforth + Wise the way to the plain; and against his will went he + Thereunto, where the earth-hall the one there he wist, + The howe under earth anigh the holm's welling, 2410 + The wave-strife: there was it now full all within + With gems and with wires; the monster, the warden, + The yare war-wolf, he held him therein the hoard golden, + The old under the earth: it was no easy cheaping + To go and to gain for any of grooms. + Sat then on the ness there the strife-hardy king + While farewell he bade to his fellows of hearth, + The gold-friend of the Geats; sad was gotten his soul, + Wavering, death-minded; weird nigh beyond measure, + Which him old of years gotten now needs must be greeting, 2420 + Must seek his soul's hoard and asunder must deal + His life from his body: no long while now was + The life of the Atheling in flesh all bewounden. + Now spake out Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn: + Many a one in my youth of war-onsets I outliv'd, + And the whiles of the battle: all that I remember. + Seven winters had I when the wielder of treasures, + The lord-friend of folk, from my father me took, + Held me and had me Hrethel the king, + Gave me treasure and feast, and remember'd the friendship. 2430 + For life thence I was not to him a whit loather, + A berne in his burgs than his bairns were, or each one, + Herebeald, or Hæthcyn, or Hygelac mine. + For the eldest there was in unseemly wise + By the mere deed of kinsman a murder-bed strawen, + Whenas him did Hæthcyn from out of his horn-bow, + His lord and his friend, with shaft lay alow: + His mark he miss'd shooting, and shot down his kinsman, + One brother another with shaft all bebloody'd; + That was fight feeless by fearful crime sinned, 2440 + Soul-weary to heart, yet natheless then had + The atheling from life all unwreak'd to be ceasing. + So sad-like it is for a carle that is aged + To be biding the while that his boy shall be riding + Yet young on the gallows; then a lay should he utter, + A sorrowful song whenas hangeth his son + A gain unto ravens, and naught good of avail + May he, old and exceeding old, anywise frame. + Ever will he be minded on every each morning + Of his son's faring otherwhere; nothing he heedeth 2450 + Of abiding another withinward his burgs, + An heritage-warder, then whenas the one + By the very death's need hath found out the ill. + Sorrow-careful he seeth within his son's bower + The waste wine-hall, the resting-place now of the winds, + All bereft of the revel; the riders are sleeping, + The heroes in grave, and no voice of the harp is, + No game in the garths such as erewhile was gotten. + + + + + XXXV. BEOWULF TELLS OF PAST FEUDS, + AND BIDS FAREWELL TO HIS FELLOWS: + HE FALLS ON THE WORM, AND THE BATTLE OF THEM BEGINS. + + + Then to sleeping-stead wendeth he, singeth he sorrow, + The one for the other; o'er-roomy all seem'd him 2460 + The meads and the wick-stead. So the helm of the Weders + For Herebeald's sake the sorrow of heart + All welling yet bore, and in nowise might he + On the banesman of that life the feud be a-booting; + Nor ever the sooner that warrior might hate + With deeds loathly, though he to him nothing was lief. + He then with the sorrow wherewith that sore beset him + Man's joy-tide gave up, and chose him God's light. + To his offspring he left, e'en as wealthy man doeth, + His land and his folk-burgs when he from life wended. 2470 + Then sin was and striving of Swedes and of Geats, + Over the wide water war-tide in common, + The hard horde-hate to wit sithence Hrethel perish'd; + And to them ever were the Ongentheow's sons + Doughty and host-whetting, nowise then would friendship + Hold over the waters; but round about Hreosnaburgh + The fierce fray of foeman was oftentimes fram'd. + Kin of friends that mine were, there they awreaked + The feud and the evil deed, e'en as was famed; + Although he, the other, with his own life he bought it, 2480 + A cheaping full hard: unto Hæthcyn it was, + To the lord of the Geat-folk, a life-fateful war. + Learned I that the morrow one brother the other + With the bills' edges wreaked the death on the banesman, + Whereas Ongentheow is a-seeking of Eofor: + Glode the war-helm asunder, the aged of Scylfings + Fell, sword-bleak; e'en so remember'd the hand + Feud enough; nor e'en then did the life-stroke withhold. + I to him for the treasure which erewhile he gave me + Repaid it in warring, as was to me granted, 2490 + With my light-gleaming sword. To me gave he land, + The hearth and the home-bliss: unto him was no need + That unto the Gifthas or unto the Spear-Danes + Or into the Swede-realm he needs must go seeking + A worse wolf of war for a worth to be cheaping; + For in the host ever would I be before him + Alone in the fore-front, and so life-long shall I + Be a-framing of strife, whileas tholeth the sword, + Which early and late hath bestead me full often, + Sithence was I by doughtiness unto Day-raven 2500 + The hand-bane erst waxen, to the champion of Hug-folk; + He nowise the fretwork to the king of the Frisians, + The breast-worship to wit, might bring any more, + But cringed in battle that herd of the banner, + The Atheling in might: the edge naught was his bane, + But for him did the war-grip the heart-wellings of him + Break, the house of the bones. Now shall the bill's edge, + The hand and hard sword, about the hoard battle. + So word uttered Beowulf, spake out the boast word + For the last while as now: Many wars dared I 2510 + In the days of my youth, and now will I yet, + The old warder of folk, seek to the feud, + Full gloriously frame, if the scather of foul-deed + From the hall of the earth me out shall be seeking. + Greeted he then each one of the grooms, + The keen wearers of helms, for the last while of whiles, + His own fellows the dear: No sword would I fare with, + No weapon against the Worm, wist I but how + 'Gainst the monster of evil in otherwise might I + Uphold me my boast, as erst did I with Grendel; 2520 + But there fire of the war-tide full hot do I ween me, + And the breath, and the venom; I shall bear on me therefore + Both the board and the byrny; nor the burg's warden shall I + Overflee for a foot's-breadth, but unto us twain + It shall be at the wall as to us twain Weird willeth, + The Maker of each man. Of mood am I eager; + So that 'gainst that war-flier from boast I withhold me. + Abide ye upon burg with your byrnies bewarded, + Ye men in your battle-gear, which may the better + After the slaughter-race save us from wounding 2530 + Of the twain of us. Naught is it yours to take over, + Nor the measure of any man save alone me, + That he on the monster should mete out his might, + Or work out the earlship: but I with my main might + Shall gain me the gold, or else gets me the battle, + The perilous life-bale, e'en me your own lord. + Arose then by war-round the warrior renowned + Hard under helm, and the sword-sark he bare + Under the stone-cliffs: in the strength then he trowed + Of one man alone; no dastard's way such is. 2540 + Then he saw by the wall (e'en he, who so many, + The good of man-bounties, of battles had out-liv'd, + Of crashes of battle whenas hosts were blended) + A stone-bow a-standing, and from out thence a stream + Breaking forth from the burg; was that burn's outwelling + All hot with the war-fire; and none nigh to the hoard then + Might ever unburning any while bide, + Live out through the deep for the flame of the drake. + Out then from his breast, for as bollen as was he, + Let the Weder-Geats' chief the words be out faring; 2550 + The stout-hearted storm'd and the stave of him enter'd + Battle-bright sounding in under the hoar stone. + Then uproused was hate, and the hoard-warden wotted + The speech of man's word, and no more while there was + Friendship to fetch. Then forth came there first + The breath of the evil beast out from the stone, + The hot sweat of battle, and dinn'd then the earth. + The warrior beneath the burg swung up his war-round + Against that grisly guest, the lord of the Geats; + Then the heart of the ring-bow'd grew eager therewith 2560 + To seek to the strife. His sword ere had he drawn, + That good lord of the battle, the leaving of old, + The undull of edges: there was unto either + Of the bale-minded ones the fear of the other. + All steadfast of mind stood against his steep shield + The lord of the friends, when the Worm was a-bowing + Together all swiftly, in war-gear he bided; + Then boune was the burning one, bow'd in his going, + To the fate of him faring. The shield was well warding + The life and the lyke of the mighty lord king 2570 + For a lesser of whiles than his will would have had it, + If he at that frist on the first of the day + Was to wield him, as weird for him never will'd it, + The high-day of battle. His hand he up braided, + The lord of the Geats, and the grisly-fleck'd smote he + With the leaving of Ing, in such wise that the edge fail'd, + The brown blade on the bone, and less mightily bit + Than the king of the nation had need in that stour, + With troubles beset. But then the burg-warden + After the war-swing all wood of his mood 2580 + Cast forth the slaughter-flame, sprung thereon widely + The battle-gleams: nowise of victory he boasted, + The gold-friend of the Geats; his war-bill had falter'd, + All naked in war, in such wise as it should not, + The iron exceeding good. Naught was it easy + For him there, the mighty-great offspring of Ecgtheow, + That he now that earth-plain should give up for ever; + But against his will needs must he dwell in the wick + Of the otherwhere country; as ever must each man + Let go of his loan-days. Not long was it thenceforth 2590 + Ere the fell ones of fight fell together again. + The hoard-warden up-hearten'd him, welled his breast + With breathing anew. Then narrow need bore he, + Encompass'd with fire, who erst the folk wielded; + Nowise in a heap his hand-fellows there, + The bairns of the athelings, stood all about him + In valour of battle; but they to holt bow'd them; + Their dear life they warded; but in one of them welled + His soul with all sorrow. So sib-ship may never + Turn aside any whit to the one that well thinketh. 2600 + + + + + XXXVI. WIGLAF SON OF WEOHSTAN + GOES TO THE HELP OF BEOWULF: + NÆGLING, BEOWULF'S SWORD, IS BROKEN ON THE WORM. + + + Wiglaf so hight he, the son of Weohstan, + Lief linden-warrior, and lord of Scylfings, + The kinsman of Aelfhere: and he saw his man-lord + Under his host-mask tholing the heat; + He had mind of the honour that to him gave he erewhile. + The wick-stead the wealthy of them, the Wægmundings, + And the folk-rights each one which his father had owned. + Then he might not withhold him, his hand gripp'd the round, + Yellow linden; he tugg'd out withal the old sword, + That was known among men for the heirloom of Eanmund, 2610 + Ohthere's son, unto whom in the strife did become, + To the exile unfriended, Weohstan for the bane + With the sword-edge, and unto his kinsmen bare off + The helm the brown-brindled, the byrny beringed, + And the old eoten-sword that erst Onela gave him; + Were they his kinsman's weed of the war, + Host-fight-gear all ready. Of the feud nothing spake he. + Though he of his brother the bairn had o'er-thrown. + But the host-gear befretted he held many seasons, + The bill and the byrny, until his own boy might 2620 + Do him the earlship as did his ere-father. + Amidst of the Geats then he gave him the war-weed + Of all kinds unnumber'd, whenas he from life wended + Old on the forth-way. Then was the first time + For that champion the young that he the war-race + With his high lord the famed e'er he should frame: + Naught melted his mood, naught the loom of his kinsman + Weaken'd in war-tide; that found out the Worm + When they two together had gotten to come. + Now spake out Wiglaf many words rightwise, 2630 + And said to his fellows: all sad was his soul: + I remember that while when we gat us the mead, + And whenas we behight to the high lord of us + In the beer-hall, e'en he who gave us these rings, + That we for the war-gear one while would pay, + If unto him thislike need e'er should befall, + For these helms and hard swords. So he chose us from host + To this faring of war by his very own will, + Of glories he minded us, and gave me these gems here, + Whereas us of gar-warriors he counted for good, 2640 + And bold bearers of helms. Though our lord e'en for us + This work of all might was of mind all alone + Himself to be framing, the herd of the folk, + Whereas most of all men he hath mightiness framed. + Of deeds of all daring, yet now is the day come + Whereon to our man-lord behoveth the main + Of good battle-warriors; so thereunto wend we, + And help we the host-chief, whiles that the heat be, + The gleed-terror grim. Now of me wotteth God + That to me is much liefer that that, my lyke-body, 2650 + With my giver of gold the gleed should engrip. + Unmeet it methinketh that we shields should bear + Back unto our own home, unless we may erst + The foe fell adown and the life-days defend + Of the king of the Weders. Well wot I hereof + That his old deserts naught such were, that he only + Of all doughty of Geats the grief should be bearing. + Sink at strife. Unto us shall one sword be, one helm, + One byrny and shield, to both of us common. + Through the slaughter-reek waded he then, bare his war-helm 2660 + To the finding his lord, and few words he quoth: + O Beowulf the dear, now do thee all well, + As thou in thy youthful life quothest of yore, + That naught wouldst thou let, while still thou wert living, + Thy glory fade out. Now shalt thou of deeds famed, + The atheling of single heart, with all thy main deal + For the warding thy life, and to stay thee I will. + Then after these words all wroth came the Worm, + The dire guest foesome, that second of whiles + With fire-wellings flecked, his foes to go look on, 2670 + The loath men. With flame was lightly then burnt up + The board to the boss, and might not the byrny + To the warrior the young frame any help yet. + But so the young man under shield of his kinsman + Went onward with valour, whenas his own was + All undone with gleeds; then again the war-king + Remember'd his glories, and smote with mainmight + With his battle-bill, so that it stood in the head + Need-driven by war-hate. Then asunder burst Nægling, + Waxed weak in the war-tide, e'en Beowulf's sword, 2680 + The old and grey-marked; to him was not given + That to him any whit might the edges of irons + Be helpful in battle; over-strong was the hand + Which every of swords, by the hearsay of me, + With its swing over-wrought, when he bare unto strife + A wondrous hard weapon; naught it was to him better. + Then was the folk-scather for the third of times yet, + The fierce fire-drake, all mindful of feud; + He rac'd on that strong one, when was room to him given, + Hot and battle-grim; he all the halse of him gripped 2690 + With bitter-keen bones; all bebloody'd he waxed + With the gore of his soul. Well'd in waves then the war-sweat. + + + + + XXXVII. THEY TWO SLAY THE WORM. + BEOWULF IS WOUNDED DEADLY: + HE BIDDETH WIGLAF BEAR OUT THE TREASURE. + + + Then heard I that at need of the high king of folk + The upright earl made well manifest might, + His craft and his keenness as kind was to him; + The head there he heeded not (but the hand burned + Of that man of high mood when he helped his kinsman), + Whereas he now the hate-guest smote yet a deal nether, + That warrior in war-gear, whereby the sword dived, + The plated, of fair hue, and thereby fell the flame 2700 + To minish thereafter, and once more the king's self + Wielded his wit, and his slaying-sax drew out, + The bitter and battle-sharp, borne on his byrny; + Asunder the Weder's helm smote the Worm midmost; + They felled the fiend, and force drave the life out, + And they twain together had gotten him ending, + Those athelings sib. E'en such should a man be, + A thane good at need. Now that to the king was + The last victory-while, by the deeds of himself, + Of his work of the world. Sithence fell the wound, 2710 + That the earth-drake to him had wrought but erewhile. + To swell and to sweal; and this soon he found out, + That down in the breast of him bale-evil welled, + The venom withinward; then the Atheling wended, + So that he by the wall, bethinking him wisdom. + Sat on seat there and saw on the works of the giants, + How that the stone-bows fast stood on pillars, + The earth-house everlasting upheld withinward. + Then with his hand him the sword-gory, + That great king his thane, the good beyond measure, 2720 + His friend-lord with water washed full well, + The sated of battle, and unspanned his war-helm. + Forth then spake Beowulf, and over his wound said, + His wound piteous deadly; wist he full well, + That now of his day-whiles all had he dreed, + Of the joy of the earth; all was shaken asunder + The tale of his days; death without measure nigh: + Unto my son now should I be giving + My gear of the battle, if to me it were granted + Any ward of the heritage after my days 2730 + To my body belonging. This folk have I holden + Fifty winters; forsooth was never a folk-king + Of the sitters around, no one of them soothly, + Who me with the war-friends durst wend him to greet + And bear down with the terror. In home have I abided + The shapings of whiles, and held mine own well. + No wily hates sought I; for myself swore not many + Of oaths in unright. For all this may I, + Sick with the life-wounds, soothly have joy. + Therefore naught need wyte me the Wielder of men 2740 + With kin murder-bale, when breaketh asunder + My life from my lyke. And now lightly go thou + To look on the hoard under the hoar stone, + Wiglaf mine lief, now that lieth the Worm + And sleepeth sore wounded, beshorn of his treasure; + And be hasty that I now the wealth of old time, + The gold-having may look on, and yarely behold + The bright cunning gems, that the softlier may I + After the treasure-weal let go away + My life, and the folk-ship that long I have held. 2750 + + + + + XXXVIII. BEOWULF BEHOLDETH THE TREASURE AND PASSETH AWAY. + + + Then heard I that swiftly the son of that Weohstan + After this word-say his lord the sore wounded, + Battle-sick, there obeyed, and bare forth his ring-net, + His battle-sark woven, in under the burg-roof; + Saw then victory-glad as by the seat went he, + The kindred-thane moody, sun-jewels a many, + Much glistering gold lying down on the ground, + Many wonders on wall, and the den of the Worm, + The old twilight-flier; there were flagons a-standing, + The vats of men bygone, of brighteners bereft, 2760 + And maim'd of adornment; was many an helm + Rusty and old, and of arm-rings a many + Full cunningly twined. All lightly may treasure, + The gold in the ground, every one of mankind + Befool with o'erweening, hide it who will. + Likewise he saw standing a sign there all-golden + High over the hoard, the most of hand-wonders, + With limb-craft belocked, whence light a ray gleamed. + Whereby the den's ground-plain gat he to look on, + The fair works scan throughly. Not of the Worm there 2770 + Was aught to be seen now, but the edge had undone him. + Heard I then that in howe of the hoard was bereaving, + The old work of the giants, but one man alone, + Into his barm laded beakers and dishes + At his very own doom; and the sign eke he took, + The brightest of beacons. But the bill of the old lord + (The edge was of iron) erewhile it scathed + Him who of that treasure hand-bearer was + A long while, and fared a-bearing the flame-dread + Before the hoard hot, and welling of fierceness 2780 + In the midnights, until that by murder he died. + In haste was the messenger, eager of back-fare, + Further'd with fretted gems. Him longing fordid + To wot whether the bold man he quick there shall meet + In that mead-stead, e'en he the king of the Weders, + All sick of his might, whereas he erst Itft him. + He fetching the treasure then found the king mighty, + His own lord, yet there, and him ever all gory + At end of his life; and he yet once again + Fell the water to warp o'er him, till the word's point 2790 + Brake through the breast-hoard, and Beowulf spake out. + The aged, in grief as he gaz'd on the gold: + Now I for these fretworks to the Lord of all thanking, + To the King of all glory, in words am yet saying, + To the Lord ever living, for that which I look on; + Whereas such I might for the people of mine, + Ere ever my death-day, get me to own. + Now that for the treasure-hoard here have I sold + My life and laid down the same, frame still then ever + The folk-need, for here never longer I may be. 2800 + So bid ye the war-mighty work me a howe + Bright after the bale-fire at the sea's nose, + Which for a remembrance to the people of me + Aloft shall uplift him at Whale-ness for ever, + That it the sea-goers sithence may hote + Beowulf's Howe, e'en they that the high-ships + Over the flood-mists drive from afar. + Did off from his halse then a ring was all golden, + The king the great-hearted, and gave to his thane, + To the spear-warrior young his war-helm gold-brindled, 2810 + The ring and the byrny, and bade him well brook them: + Thou art the end-leaving of all of our kindred, + The Wægmundings; Weird now hath swept all away + Of my kinsmen, and unto the doom of the Maker + The earls in their might; now after them shall I. + That was to the aged lord youngest of words + Of his breast-thoughts, ere ever he chose him the bale, + The hot battle-wellings; from his heart now departed + His soul, to seek out the doom of the soothfast. + + + + + XXXIX. WIGLAF CASTETH SHAME ON THOSE FLEERS. + + + But gone was it then with the unaged man 2820 + Full hard that there he beheld on the earth + The liefest of friends at the ending of life, + Of bearing most piteous. And likewise lay his bane + The Earth-drake, the loathly fear, reft of his life, + By bale laid undone: the ring-hoards no longer + The Worm, the crook-bowed, ever might wield; + For soothly the edges of the irons him bare off, + The hard battle-sharded leavings of hammers, + So that the wide-flier stilled with wounding + Fell onto earth anigh to his hoard-hall, 2830 + Nor along the lift ever more playing he turned + At middle-nights, proud of the owning of treasure, + Show'd the face of him forth, but to earth there he fell + Because of the host-leader's work of the hand. + This forsooth on the land hath thriven to few, + Of men might and main bearing, by hearsay of mine, + Though in each of all deeds full daring he were, + That against venom-scather's fell breathing he set on, + Or the hall of his rings with hand be a-stirring, + If so be that he waking the warder had found 2840 + Abiding in burg. By Beowulf was + His deal of the king-treasure paid for by death; + There either had they fared on to the end + Of this loaned life. Long it was not until + Those laggards of battle the holt were a-leaving, + Unwarlike troth-liars, the ten there together, + Who durst not e'en now with darts to be playing + E'en in their man-lord's most mickle need. + But shamefully now their shields were they bearing, + Their weed of the battle, there where lay the aged; 2850 + They gazed on Wiglaf where weary'd he sat, + The foot-champion, hard by his very lord's shoulder, + And wak'd him with water: but no whit it sped him; + Never might he on earth howsoe'er well he will'd it + In that leader of spears hold the life any more, + Nor the will of the Wielder change ever a whit; + But still should God's doom of deeds rule the rede + For each man of men, as yet ever it doth. + Then from out of the youngling an answer full grim + Easy got was for him who had lost heart erewhile, 2860 + And word gave out Wiglaf, Weohstan's son + The sorrowful-soul'd man: on those unlief he saw: + Lo that may he say who sooth would be saying, + That the man-lord who dealt you the gift of those dear things, + The gear of the war-host wherein there ye stand, + Whereas he on the ale-bench full oft was a-giving + Unto the hall-sitters war-helm and byrny, + The king to his thanes, e'en such as he choicest + Anywhere, far or near, ever might find: + That he utterly wrongsome those weeds of the war 2870 + Had cast away, then when the war overtook him. + Surely never the folk-king of his fellows in battle + Had need to be boastful; howsoever God gave him, + The Victory-wielder, that he himself wreaked him + Alone with the edge, when to him need of might was. + Unto him of life-warding but little might I + Give there in the war-tide; and yet I began + Above measure of my might my kinsman to help; + Ever worse was the Worm then when I with sword + Smote the life-foe, and ever the fire less strongly 2880 + Welled out from his wit. Of warders o'er little + Throng'd about the king when him the battle befell. + Now shall taking of treasures and giving of swords + And all joy of your country-home fail from your kindred, + All hope wane away; of the land-right moreover + May each of the men of that kinsman's burg ever + Roam lacking; sithence that the athelings eft-soons + From afar shall have heard of your faring in flight, + Your gloryless deed. Yea, death shall be better + For each of the earls than a life ever ill-fam'd. 2890 + + + + + XL. WIGLAF SENDETH TIDING TO THE HOST: THE WORDS OF THE MESSENGER. + + + Then he bade them that war-work give out at the barriers + Up over the sea-cliff, whereas then the earl-host + The morning-long day sat sad of their mood, + The bearers of war-boards, in weening of both things, + Either the end-day, or else the back-coming + Of the lief man. Forsooth he little was silent + Of the new-fallen tidings who over the ness rode, + But soothly he said over all there a-sitting: + Now is the will-giver of the folk of the Weders, + The lord of the Geats, fast laid in the death-bed, 2900 + In the slaughter-rest wonneth he by the Worm's doings. + And beside him yet lieth his very life-winner + All sick with the sax-wounds; with sword might he never + On the monster, the fell one, in any of manners + Work wounding at all. There yet sitteth Wiglaf, + Weohstan's own boy, over Beowulf king, + One earl over the other, over him the unliving; + With heart-honours holdeth he head-ward withal + Over lief, over loath. But to folk is a weening + Of war-tide as now, so soon as unhidden 2910 + To Franks and to Frisians the fall of the king + Is become over widely. Once was the strife shapen + Hard 'gainst the Hugs, sithence Hygelac came + Faring with float-host to Frisian land, + Whereas him the Hetware vanquish'd in war, + With might gat the gain, with o'er-mickle main; + The warrior bebyrny'd he needs must bow down: + He fell in the host, and no fretted war-gear + Gave that lord to the doughty, but to us was aye sithence + The mercy ungranted that was of the Merwing. 2920 + Nor do I from the Swede folk of peace or good faith + Ween ever a whit. For widely 'twas wotted + That Ongentheow erst had undone the life + Of Hæthcyn the Hrethel's son hard by the Raven-wood, + Then when in their pride the Scylfings of war + Erst gat them to seek to the folk of the Geats. + Unto him soon the old one, the father of Ohthere, + The ancient and fearful gave back the hand-stroke, + Brake up the sea-wise one, rescued his bride. + The aged his spouse erst, bereft of the gold, 2930 + Mother of Onela, yea and of Ohthere; + And follow'd up thereon his foemen the deadly, + Until they betook them and sorrowfully therewith + Unto the Raven-holt, reft of their lord. + With huge host then beset he the leaving of swords + All weary with wounds, and woe he behight them, + That lot of the wretched, the livelong night through; + Quoth he that the morrow's morn with the swords' edges + He would do them to death, hang some on the gallows + For a game unto fowl. But again befell comfort 2940 + To the sorry of mood with the morrow-day early; + Whereas they of Hygelac's war-horn and trumpet + The voice wotted, whenas the good king his ways came + Faring on in the track of his folk's doughty men. + + + + + XLI. MORE WORDS OF THE MESSENGER. + HOW HE FEARS THE SWEDES WHEN THEY WOT OF BEOWULF DEAD. + + + Was the track of the war-sweat of Swedes and of Geats, + The men's slaughter-race, right wide to be seen, + How those folks amongst them were waking the feud. + Departed that good one, and went with his fellows, + Old and exceeding sad, fastness to seek; + The earl Ongentheow upward returned; 2950 + Of Hygelac's battle-might oft had he heard, + The war-craft of the proud one; in withstanding he trow'd not, + That he to the sea-folk in fight might debate, + Or against the sea-farers defend him his hoard, + His bairns and his bride. He bow'd him aback thence, + The old under the earth-wall. Then was the chase bidden + To the Swede-folk, and Hygelac's sign was upreared, + And the plain of the peace forth on o'er-pass'd they, + After the Hrethlings onto the hedge throng'd. + There then was Ongentheow by the swords' edges, 2960 + The blent-hair'd, the hoary one, driven to biding, + So that the folk-king fain must he take + Sole doom of Eofor. Him in his wrath then + Wulf the Wonreding reach'd with his weapon, + So that from the stroke sprang the war-sweat in streams + Forth from under his hair; yet naught fearsome was he, + The aged, the Scylfing, but paid aback rathely + With chaffer that worse was that war-crash of slaughter, + Sithence the folk-king turned him thither; + And nowise might the brisk one that son was of Wonred 2970 + Unto the old carle give back the hand-slaying, + For that he on Wulf's head the helm erst had sheared, + So that all with the blood stained needs must he bow, + And fell on the field; but not yet was he fey, + But he warp'd himself up, though the wound had touch'd nigh. + But thereon the hard Hygelac's thane there, + Whenas down lay his brother, let the broad blade, + The old sword of eotens, that helm giant-fashion'd + Break over the board-wall, and down the king bowed, + The herd of the folk unto fair life was smitten. 2980 + There were many about there who bound up his kinsman, + Upraised him swiftly when room there was made them, + That the slaughter-stead there at the stour they might wield, + That while when was reaving one warrior the other: + From Ongentheow took he the iron-wrought byrny, + The hard-hilted sword, with his helm all together: + The hoary one's harness to Hygelac bare he; + The fret war-gear then took he, and fairly behight him + Before the folk due gifts, and even so did it; + Gild he gave for that war-race, the lord of the Geats, 2990 + The own son of Hrethel, when home was he come, + To Eofor and Wulf gave he over-much treasure, + To them either he gave an hundred of thousands, + Land and lock'd rings. Of the gift none needed to wyte him + Of mid earth, since the glory they gained by battle. + Then to Eofor he gave his one only daughter, + An home-worship soothly, for pledge of his good will. + That is the feud and the foeship full soothly, + The dead-hate of men, e'en as I have a weening, + Wherefor the Swede people against us shall seek, 3000 + Sithence they have learned that lieth our lord + All lifeless; e'en he that erewhile hath held + Against all the haters the hoard and the realm; + Who after the heroes' fall held the fierce Scylfings, + Framed the folk-rede, and further thereto + Did earlship-deeds. Now is haste best of all + That we now the folk-king should fare to be seeing, + And then that we bring him who gave us the rings + On his way to the bale: nor shall somewhat alone + With the moody be molten; but manifold hoard is, 3010 + Gold untold of by tale that grimly is cheapened, + And now at the last by this one's own life + Are rings bought, and all these the brand now shall fret, + The flame thatch them over: no earl shall bear off + One gem in remembrance; nor any fair maiden + Shall have on her halse a ring-honour thereof, + But in grief of mood henceforth, bereaved of gold, + Shall oft, and not once alone, alien earth tread, + Now that the host-learn'd hath laid aside laughter, + The game and the glee-joy. Therefore shall the spear, 3020 + Full many a morn-cold, of hands be bewounden, + Uphoven in hand; and no swough of the harp + Shall waken the warriors; but the wan raven rather + Fain over the fey many tales shall tell forth, + And say to the erne how it sped him at eating, + While he with the wolf was a-spoiling the slain. + So was the keen-whetted a-saying this while + Spells of speech loathly; he lied not much + Of weirds or of words. Then uprose all the war-band, + And unblithe they wended under the Ernes-ness, 3030 + All welling of tears, the wonder to look on. + Found they then on the sand, now lacking of soul, + Holding his bed, him that gave them the rings + In time erewhile gone by. But then was the end-day + Gone for the good one; since the king of the battle, + The lord of the Weders, in wonder-death died. + But erst there they saw a more seldom-seen sight, + The Worm on the lea-land over against him + Down lying there loathly; there was the fire-drake, + The grim of the terrors, with gleeds all beswealed. 3040 + He was of fifty feet of his measure + Long of his lying. Lift-joyance held he + In the whiles of the night, but down again wended + To visit his den. Now fast was he in death, + He had of the earth-dens the last end enjoyed. + There by him now stood the beakers and bowls, + There lay the dishes and dearly-wrought swords, + Rusty, through-eaten they, as in earth's bosom + A thousand of winters there they had wonned. + For that heritage there was, all craftily eked, 3050 + Gold of the yore men, in wizardry wounden; + So that that ring-hall might none reach thereto, + Not any of mankind but if God his own self, + Sooth king of victories, gave unto whom he would + (He is holder of men) to open that hoard, + E'en to whichso of mankind should seem to him meet. + + + + + XLII. THEY GO TO LOOK ON THE FIELD OF DEED. + + + Then it was to be seen that throve not the way + To him that unrightly had hidden within there + The fair gear 'neath the wall. The warder erst slew + Some few of folk, and the feud then became 3060 + Wrothfully wreaked. A wonder whenas + A valour-strong earl may reach on the ending + Of the fashion of life, when he longer in nowise + One man with his kinsmen may dwell in the mead-hall! + So to Beowulf was it when the burg's ward he sought. + For the hate of the weapons: he himself knew not + Wherethrough forsooth his world's sundering should be. + So until Doomsday they cursed it deeply, + Those princes the dread, who erst there had done it, + That that man should be of sins never sackless, 3070 + A-hoppled in shrines, in hell-bonds fast set, + With plague-spots be punish'd, who that plain should plunder. + But naught gold-greedy was he, more gladly had he + The grace of the Owner erst gotten to see. + Now spake out Wiglaf, that son was of Weohstan: + Oft shall many an earl for the will but of one + Dree the wrack, as to us even now is befallen: + Nowise might we learn the lief lord of us, + The herd of the realm, any of rede, + That he should not go greet that warder of gold, 3080 + But let him live yet, whereas long he was lying, + And wonne in his wicks until the world's ending; + But he held to high weird and the hoard hath been seen, + Grimly gotten: o'er hard forsooth was that giving, + That the king of the folk e'en thither enticed. + Lo! I was therein, and I look'd it all over, + The gear of the house, when for me room was gotten, + But I lightly in nowise had leave for the passage + In under the earth-wall; in haste I gat hold + Forsooth with my hands of a mickle main burden 3090 + Of hoard-treasures, and hither then out did I bear them, + Out unto my king, and then quick was he yet, + Wise, and wit-holding: a many things spake he, + That aged in grief-care, and bade me to greet you, + And prayed ye would do e'en after your friend's deeds + Aloft in the bale-stead a howe builded high, + Most mickle and mighty, as he amongst men was + The worthfullest warrior wide over the world, + While he the burg-weal erewhile might brook. + Then so let us hasten this second of whiles 3100 + To see and to seek the throng of things strange, + The wonder 'neath wall; I shall wise you the way, + So that ye from a-near may look on enough + Of rings and broad gold; and be the bier swiftly + All yare thereunto, whenas out we shall fare. + Then let us so ferry the lord that was ours, + The lief man of men, to where long shall he + In the All-Wielder's keeping full patiently wait. + Bade then to bid the bairn of that Weohstan, + The deer of the battle, to a many of warriors, 3110 + The house-owning wights, that the wood of the bale + They should ferry from far, e'en the folk-owning men, + Toward the good one. And now shall the gleed fret away, + The wan flame a-waxing, the strong one of warriors, + Him who oft-times abided the shower of iron + When the storm of the shafts driven on by the strings + Shook over the shield-wall, and the shaft held its service, + And eager with feather-gear follow'd the barb. + Now then the wise one, that son was of Weohstan, + Forth from the throng then call'd of the king's thanes 3120 + A seven together, the best to be gotten, + And himself went the eighth in under the foe-roof; + One man of the battlers in hand there he bare + A gleam of the fire, of the first went he inward. + It was nowise allotted who that hoard should despoil, + Sithence without warden some deal that there was + The men now beheld in the hall there a-wonning, + Lying there fleeting; little mourn'd any, + That they in all haste outward should ferry + The dear treasures. But forthwith the drake did they shove, 3130 + The Worm, o'er the cliff-wall, and let the wave take him, + The flood fathom about the fretted works' herd. + There then was wounden gold on the wain laden + Untold of each kind, and the Atheling borne, + The hoary of warriors, out on to Whale-ness. + + + + + XLIII. OF THE BURIAL OF BEOWULF. + + + For him then they geared, the folk of the Geats, + A pile on the earth all unweaklike that was, + With war-helms behung, and with boards of the battle, + And bright byrnies, e'en after the boon that he bade. + Laid down then amidmost their king mighty-famous 3140 + The warriors lamenting, the lief lord of them. + Began on the burg of bale-fires the biggest + The warriors to waken: the wood-reek went up + Swart over the smoky glow, sound of the flame + Bewound with the weeping (the wind-blending stilled), + Until it at last the bone-house had broken + Hot at the heart. All unglad of mind + With mood-care they mourned their own liege lord's quelling. + Likewise a sad lay the wife of aforetime + For Beowulf the king, with her hair all upbounden, 3150 + Sang sorrow-careful; said oft and over + That harm-days for herself in hard wise she dreaded, + The slaughter-falls many, much fear of the warrior, + The shaming and bondage. Heaven swallow'd the reek. + Wrought there and fashion'd the folk of the Weders + A howe on the lithe, that high was and broad. + Unto the wave-farers wide to be seen: + Then it they betimber'd in time of ten days, + The battle-strong's beacon; the brands' very-leavings + They bewrought with a wall in the worthiest of ways, 3160 + That men of all wisdom might find how to work. + Into burg then they did the rings and bright sun-gems, + And all such adornments as in the hoard there + The war-minded men had taken e'en now; + The earls' treasures let they the earth to be holding, + Gold in the grit, wherein yet it liveth, + As useless to men-folk as ever it erst was. + Then round the howe rode the deer of the battle, + The bairns of the athelings, twelve were they in all. + Their care would they mourn, and bemoan them their king, 3170 + The word-lay would they utter and over the man speak: + They accounted his earlship and mighty deeds done, + And doughtily deem'd them; as due as it is + That each one his friend-lord with words should belaud, + And love in his heart, whenas forth shall he + Away from the body be fleeting at last. + In such wise they grieved, the folk of the Geats, + For the fall of their lord, e'en they his hearth-fellows; + Quoth they that he was a world-king forsooth, + The mildest of all men, unto men kindest, 3180 + To his folk the most gentlest, most yearning of fame. + + + + +PERSONS AND PLACES + +(_Numbers refer to Pages_) + + [Transcriber's Note: + In this and the following section, page numbers in parentheses are + accompanied by a line reference in brackets.] + + +BEANSTAN, father of Breca (31 [524]). + +Beowulf the Dane (not Beowulf the Geat, the hero of the poem) was the +grandfather of Hrothgar (2, 4 [18, 53]). + +Beowulf the Geat. _See_ the Argument. + +Breca (30 [506]), who contended with Beowulf in swimming, was a chief of +the Brondings (31 [521]). + +Brisings' neck-gear (70 [1199]). "This necklace is the Brisinga-men, the +costly necklace of Freyja, which she won from the dwarfs and which was +stolen from her by Loki, as is told in the Edda" (Kemble). In our poem, +it is said that Hama carried off this necklace when he fled from +Eormenric, king of the Ostrogoths. + + +DAYRAVEN (143 [2500]), a brave warrior of the Hugs, and probably the +slayer of Hygelac, whom, in that case, Beowulf avenged. + + +EADGILS, Eanmund (136, 137 [2379, 2391]), "sons of Ohthere," and nephews +of the Swedish King Onela, by whom they were banished from their native +land for rebellion. They took refuge at the court of the Geat King +Heardred, and Onela, "Ongentheow's bairn," enraged at their finding an +asylum with his hereditary foes, invaded Geatland, and slew Heardred. At +a later time Beowulf, when king of the Geats, balanced the feud by +supporting Eadgils in an invasion of Sweden, in which King Onela was +slain. + +Eanmund (149 [2610]), while in exile at the court of the Geats, was +slain by Weohstan, father of Wiglaf, and stripped of the armour given +him by his uncle, the Swedish King Onela. Weohstan "spake not about the +feud, although he had slain Onela's brother's son," probably because he +was not proud of having slain an "exile unfriended" in a private +quarrel. + +Ecglaf, father of Unferth, Hrothgar's spokesman (29 [499]). + +Ecgtheow (22 [373]), father of Beowulf the Geat, by the only daughter of +Hrethel, king of the Geats. Having slain Heatholaf, a warrior of the +Wylfings, Ecgtheow sought protection at the court of the Danish King +Hrothgar, who accepted his fealty and settled the feud by a +money-payment (27 [463]). Hence the heartiness of Beowulf's welcome at +Hrothgar's hands. + +Ecgwela. The Scyldings or Danes are once called "Ecgwela's offspring" +(99 [1710]). He may have been the founder of the older dynasty of Danish +kings which ended with Heremod. + +Eofor (142, 167-9 [2485, 2963-2996]), a Geat warrior, brother of Wulf. +He came to the aid of his brother in his single combat with the Swedish +King Ongentheow, and slew the king, being rewarded by Hygelac with the +hand of his only daughter. + +Eotens (61, 62, 66 [1072, 1088, 1141]) are the people of Finn, king of +Friesland. In other passages, it is merely a name for a race of +monsters. + + +FINN (61-7 [1068-1156]). The somewhat obscure Finn episode in _Beowulf_ +appears to be part of a Finn epic, of which only the merest fragment, +called the _Fight at Finnsburg_, is extant. The following conjectured +outline of the whole story is based on this fragment and on the Beowulf +episode; Finn, king of the Frisians, had carried off Hildeburh, daughter +of Hoc, probably with her consent. Her father, Hoc, seems to have +pursued the fugitives, and to have been slain in the fight which ensued +on his overtaking them. After the lapse of some twenty years Hoc's sons, +Hnæf and Hengest, are old enough to undertake the duty of avenging their +father's death. They make an inroad into Finn's country, and a battle +takes place in which many warriors, among them Hnæf and a son of Finn, +are killed. Peace is then solemnly concluded, and the slain warriors are +burnt. As the year is too far advanced for Hengest to return home, he +and those of his men who survive remain for the winter in the Frisian +country with Finn. But Hengest's thoughts dwell constantly on the death +of his brother Hnæf, and he would gladly welcome any excuse to break the +peace which had been sworn by both parties. His ill-concealed desire for +revenge is noticed by the Frisians, who anticipate it by themselves +attacking Hengest and his men whilst they are sleeping in the hall. This +is the night attack described in the _Fight at Finnsburg_. It would seem +that after a brave and desperate resistance Hengest himself falls in +this fight at the hands of the son of Hunlaf (66 [1143]), but two of his +retainers, Guthlaf and Oslaf, succeed in cutting their way through their +enemies and in escaping to their own land. They return with fresh +troops, attack and slay Finn, and carry his queen Hildeburh back to the +Daneland. + +Folkwalda (62 [1089]), father of Finn. + +Franks (70, 165 [1210, 2911]). Hygelac, king of the Geats, was defeated +and slain early in the sixth century, in his historical invasion of the +Netherlands, by a combined army of Frisians, Franks, and Hugs. + +Freawaru (116 [2022]), daughter of Hrothgar and Wealhtheow. Beowulf +tells Hygelac that her father has betrothed her to Ingeld, prince of the +Heathobards, in the hope of settling the feud between the two peoples. +But he prophesies that the hope will prove vain: for an old Heathobard +warrior, seeing a Danish chieftain accompany Freawaru to their court +laden with Heathobard spoils, will incite the son of the former owner of +the plundered treasure to revenge, until blood is shed, and the feud is +renewed. That this was what afterwards befell, we learn from the Old +English poem _Widsith_. _See also_ ll. 83-5. + +Friesland (65 [1126]), the land of the North Frisians. + +Frieslands (135 [2356]), Frisian land (165 [2914]), the home of the West +Frisians. + +Frisians. Two tribes are to be distinguished: 1. The North Frisians (61, +63 [1070, 1093]), the people of Finn. 2. The West Frisians (143, 165 +[2502, 2911]), who combined with the Franks and Hugs and defeated +Hygelac, between 512 and 520 A.D. + +Froda (117 [2025]), father of Ingeld. _See_ Freawaru. + + +GUTHLAF and Oslaf (66 [1148]). _See_ Finn. + + +HÆRETH (112, 114 [1929, 1981]), father of Hygd, wife of Hygelac. + +Hæthcyn (139, 142, 165 [2433, 2481, 2924]), second son of Hrethel, king +of the Geats, and thus elder brother of Hygelac. He accidentally killed +his elder brother Herebeald with a bow-shot, to the inconsolable grief +of Hrethel. He succeeded to the throne at his father's death, but fell +in battle at Ravenwood (165 [2924]) by the hand of the Swedish King +Ongentheow. + +Half-Danes (61 [1069]), the tribe to which Hnæf belongs. _See_ Finn. + +Hama (69 [1198]). _See_ Brisings. + +Healfdene (4 [57]), king of the Danes, son of Beowulf the Scylding, and +father of Hrothgar, "Healfdene's son" (16 [268]). + +Heardred (126, 136-7 [2202, 2374-2387]), son of Hygelac and Hygd. While +still under age he succeeds his father as king of the Geats, Beowulf, +who has refused the throne himself, being his counsellor and protector. +He is slain by "Ongentheow's bairn" (137 [2386]), Onela, king of the +Swedes. + +Heathobards, Lombards, the tribe of Ingeld, the betrothed of Freawaru, +Hrothgar's daughter (117 [2032]). + +Heatholaf (27 [460]). _See_ Ecgtheow. + +Helmings. "The Dame of the Helmings" (36 [620]) is Hrothgar's queen, +Wealhtheow. + +Hemming. "The Kinsman of Hemming" is a name for Offa (112 [1944]) and +for his son Eomær (113 [1961]). + +Hengest (62-5 [1083-1127]). _See_ Finn. + +Heorogar (5 [61]), elder brother of Hrothgar (27 [467]), did not leave +his armour to his son Heoroward (124 [2158]); but Hrothgar gives it to +Beowulf, and Beowulf gives it to Hygelac. + +Herebeald (139, 141 [2433, 2462]), eldest son of the Geat King Hrethel, +was accidentally shot dead with an arrow by his brother Hæthcyn. + +Heremod (53, 99 [915, 1709]) is twice spoken of as a bad and cruel +Danish king. In the end he is betrayed into the hands of his foes. + +Hereric may have been brother of Hygd, Hygelac's queen, for their son +Heardred is spoken of as "the nephew of Hereric" (126 [2206]). + +Here-Scyldings (64 [1108]), Army-Scyldings, a name of the Danes. + +Hetware (135, 165 [2362, 2915]), the Hattuarii of the _Historia +Francorum_ of Gregory of Tours and of the _Gesta Regum Francorum_, were +the tribe against which Hygelac was raiding when he was defeated and +slain by an army of Frisians, Franks, and Hugs. + +Hildeburh (61, 64 [1071, 1114]). _See_ Finn. + +Hnæf (61, 64 [1069, 1114]). _See_ Finn. + +Hoc (62 [1076]). _See_ Finn. + +Hrethel, a former king of the Geats; son of Swerting (70 [1202]), father +of Hygelac and grandfather of Beowulf (22 [374]), to whom he left his +coat of mail (26 [454]). He died of grief at the loss of his eldest son +Herebeald (139-42) [2429-2473], who was accidentally slain by his brother +Hæthcyn. + + [Transcriber's Note: + Page 70 [l. 1202] text reads "Hygelac ... grandson of Swerting." + Hrethel is not named.] + +Hrethlings (167 [2959]), the people of Hrethel, the Geats. + +Hrethmen (26 [445]), Triumph-men, the Danes. + +Hrethric (69, 106 [1189, 1836]), elder son of Hrothgar and Wealhtheow. + +Hrothgar. _See_ the Argument. + +Hrothulf (59, 68 [1017, 1181]), probably the son of Hrothgar's younger +brother Halga (5 [61]). He lives at the Danish court. Wealhtheow hopes +that, if he survives Hrothgar, he will be good to their children in +return for their kindness to him. It would seem that this hope was not +to be fulfilled ("yet of kindred unsunder'd," 67 [1164]). + +Hygd, daughter of Hæreth, wife of Hygelac, the king of the Geats, and +mother of Heardred. She may well be "the wife of aforetime" (177 +[3149]). + +Hygelac, third son of Hrethel (139 [2433]) and uncle to Beowulf, is the +reigning king of the Geats during the greater part of the action of the +poem. When his brother Hæthcyn was defeated and slain by Ongentheow at +Ravenwood (165 [2923]), Hygelac quickly went in pursuit and put +Ongentheow to flight; but although, as leader of the attack, he is +called "the banesman of Ongentheow" (114 [1986]), the actual slayer was +Eofor (142, 167 [2485, 2963]), whom Hygelac rewarded with the hand of +his only daughter (169 [2996]). Hygelac came by his death between 512 +and 520 A.D., in his historical invasion of the Netherlands, which is +referred to in the poem four times (70, 135, 143, 165 [1207, 2356, 2502, +2911]). + + +ING (147 [2576]). _See_ Ingwines. + +Ingeld (119 [2064]). _See_ Freawaru. + +Ingwines (60, 77 [1044, 1319]), "friends of Ing," the Danes. Ing, +according to the Old English _Rune-Poem_, "was first seen by men amid +the East Danes"; he has been identified with Frea. + + +MERWING, The (165 [2920]), the Merovingian king of the Franks. + + +OFFA (113 [1949]). _See_ Thrytho. + +Ohthere (136-7, 165 [2379-2393, 2927]), son of the Swedish King +Ongentheow, and father of Eanmund and Eadgils (_q.v._). + +Onela, "Ongentheow's bairn" (137 [2386]) and elder brother of Ohthere, +is king of Sweden ("the helm of the Scylfings," 136 [2380]) at the time +of the rebellion of Eanmund and Eadgils. He invades the land of the +Geats, which has harboured the rebels, slays Heardred, son of Hygelac, +and then retreats before Beowulf. At a later time Beowulf avenges the +death of Heardred by supporting Eadgils, "son of Ohthere" (137 [2393]), +in an invasion of Sweden, in which Onela is slain. _See also_ Eadgils; +and compare the slaying of Ali by Athils on the ice of Lake Wener in the +Icelandic "Heimskringla." + +Ongentheow, father of Onela and Ohthere, was a former king of the +Swedes. The earlier strife between the Swedes and the Geats, in which he +is the chief figure, is fully related by the messenger (164 [2891]) who +brings the tidings of Beowulf's death. In retaliation for the marauding +invasions of Onela and Ohthere (142 [2474]), Hæthcyn invaded Sweden, and +took Ongentheow's queen prisoner. Ongentheow in return invaded the land +of her captor, whom he slew, and rescued his wife (165 [2923]); but in +his hour of triumph he was attacked in his turn by Hygelac near +Ravenwood, and fell by the hand of Eofor (168 [2960]). + + +SCANEY (97 [1686]), Scede-lands (2 [19]), the most southern portion of +the Scandinavian peninsula, belonging to the Danes; used in our poem for +the whole Danish kingdom. + +Scyld (1 [4]), son of Sheaf, was the mythical founder of the royal +Danish dynasty of Scyldings. + +Scyldings, descendants of Scyld, properly the name of the reigning +Danish dynasty, is commonly extended to include the Danish people (3 +[30]). + +Scylfing: "the Scylfing" (167 [2967]), "the aged of Scylfings" (142 +[2486]), is Ongentheow. + +Scylfings (136 [2380]), the name of the reigning Swedish dynasty, was +extended to the Swedish people in the same way as "Scyldings" to the +Danes. Beowulf's kinsman Wiglaf is called "lord of Scylfings" (149 +[2601]), and in another passage the name is apparently applied to the +Geats (170 [3004]); this seems to point to a common ancestry of Swedes +and Geats, or it may be that Beowulf's father Ecgtheow was a "Scylfing." + + +THRYTHO (112 [1931]), wife of the Angle King Offa and mother of Eomær, +is mentioned in contrast to Hygd, just as Heremod is a foil to Beowulf. +She is at first the type of a cruel, unwomanly queen. But by her +marriage with Offa, who seems to be her second husband, she is subdued +and changed until her fame even adds glory to his. + + +UNFERTH, son of Ecglaf, is the spokesman of Hrothgar, at whose feet he +sits. He is of a jealous disposition, and is twice spoken of as the +murderer of his own brothers (34, 67 [587, 1165]). Taunting Beowulf with +defeat in his swimming-match with Breca, he is silenced by the hero's +reply, and more effectually still by the issue of the struggle with +Grendel (57 [980]). Afterwards, however, he lends his sword Hrunting for +Beowulf's encounter with Grendel's mother (85, 104 [1465, 1808]). + + +WÆGMUNDINGS (149, 160 [2605, 2803]), the family to which both Beowulf +and Wiglaf belong. Their fathers, Ecgtheow and Weohstan, may have been +sons of Wægmund. + +Wedermark (17 [298]), the land of the Weder-Geats, _i.e._ the Geats. + +Weders, Weder-Geats (13, 86, 122 [225, 1492, 2120]), Geats. + +Weland (26 [455]), the Völund of the Edda, the famous smith of Teutonic +legend, was the maker of Beowulf's coat of mail. See the figured casket +in the British Museum; and compare "Wayland Smith's Cave" near the White +Horse, in Berkshire. + +Weohstan was the father of Beowulf's kinsman and faithful henchman +Wiglaf, and the slayer of Eanmund (149 [2601]). + +Wonred, father of "Wulf the Wonreding" (167 [2964]), and of Eofor. + +Wulf (167 [2964]). _See_ Eofor. + +Wulfgar, "a lord of the Wendels" (20 [348]), is an official of +Hrothgar's court, where he is the first to greet Beowulf and his Geats, +and introduces them to Hrothgar. + +Wythergyld (118 [2051]) is a warrior of the Heathobards. + + + + +THE MEANING OF SOME WORDS NOT COMMONLY USED NOW + +(_Numbers refer to Pages_) + + [Transcriber's Note: + In this and the previous section, page numbers in parentheses are + accompanied by a line reference in brackets.] + + + _A-banning, the work was_ (5) [74], orders for the work were given. + _Arede_ (119) [2056], possess. + _Atheling_, prince, noble, noble warrior. + + _Barm_, lap, bosom. + _Behalsed_ (5 [63]), embraced by the neck. + _Berne_, man, warrior, hero. + _Bestead_ (143 [2499]), served. + _Beswealed_, scorched, burnt. + _Beswinked_, sweated. + _Birlers_, cup-bearers. + _Board_, shield. + _Bode_, announce. + _Bollen_, swollen, angry. + _Boot_ (9 [158]), compensation. + _Boun_ (18 [301]), made ready. + _Braided_ (147 [2574]), drew, lifted. + _Brim_, sea. + _Brook_, use, enjoy. + _Burg_, fortified place, stronghold, mount, barrow; protection; + protector; family (163 [2886]). + _Byrny_, coat of mail. + + _Devil-dray_, nest of devils. Cf. _squirrel's-dray_, common in Berks; + used by Cowper. + _Dreary_, bloody. + _Dree_, do, accomplish, suffer, enjoy, spend (155 [2725]). + + _Ealdor_, chief, lord. + _Eme_, uncle. + _Eoten_, giant, monster, enemy. + + _Fathom_, embrace. + _Feeless_, not to be atoned for with money. + _Ferry_, bring, carry. + _Fifel_, monster. + _Flyting_, contending, scolding. + _Fold_, the earth. + _Forheed_, disregard. + _Forwritten_, proscribed. + _Frist_, space of time, delay. + + _Gar_, spear. + _Graithly_, readily, well. + + _Halse_, neck. + _Hand-shoal_, band of warriors. + _Hery_, praise. + _Hild-play_, battle. + _Holm_, ocean, sea. + _Holm-throng_, eddy of the sea. + _Holt_, wood. + _Hote_, call. + _Howe_, mound, burial-mound. + _Hythe_, ferry, haven. + + _Kemp_, champion, fighter. + + _Lithe_, slope. + _Loom_, heirloom. + _Low_ (133 [2320]), flame. + _Lyke_, body. + + _Moody_, brave, proud. + + _Nicors_, sea-monsters. + _Nithing_ (12 [193]), spite, malice. + + _O'erthinking_, overweening, arrogance. + + _Rail, railings_, coat, armour. + _Rimed_, counted, reckoned. + + _Sea-lode_, sea-voyage. + _Sin_, malice, hatred, hostility. + _Skinked_, poured out. + _Slot_, track. + _Staple_, threshold. + _Stone-bow_, arch of stone. + _Sty_, stride, ascend, descend. + _Sweal_, burn. + + _Through-witting_, understanding. + + _Undern_, from 9 o'clock till 12 o'clock; "at undren and at middai," + O.E. Miscellany. + + _Warths_, shores, still in use at Wick St. Lawrence, in Somerset. + _Wick_, dwelling. + _Wick-stead_, dwelling-place. + _Wise_, direct, show. + _Wit-lust_, curiosity. + _Worth_, shall be. + _Wreak_, utter. + _Wyte_, blame, charge with. + _Yare_, ready. + _Yode_, went. + + + + + * * * * * + + + +Errors and Inconsistencies + + List of Names + + Dayraven, Ravenwood + _both names hyphenated in body text_ + Freawaru + _text reads "Ereawaru"_ + Hrethel ... at the loss of his eldest son Herebeald (139-42) + _text reads "-41"_ + Wythergyld + _name spelled "Withergyld" in body text_ + + Glossary + + _Arede_ (119) [2056], possess. + _text reads "(118)"_ + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF BEOWULF*** + + +******* This file should be named 20431-8.txt or 20431-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/4/3/20431 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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