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@@ -0,0 +1,4263 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Beowulf, by Anonymous + +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: Beowulf + +Author: Anonymous + +Posting Date: July 23, 2008 [EBook #981] +Release Date: July, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEOWULF *** + + + + +Produced by Robin Katsuya-Corbet + + + + + +BEOWULF + +By Anonymous + +Translated by Gummere + + + + +BEOWULF + + + + +PRELUDE OF THE FOUNDER OF THE DANISH HOUSE + + + +LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings +of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped, +we have heard, and what honor the athelings won! +Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes, +from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore, +awing the earls. Since erst he lay +friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him: +for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve, +till before him the folk, both far and near, +who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate, +gave him gifts: a good king he! +To him an heir was afterward born, +a son in his halls, whom heaven sent +to favor the folk, feeling their woe +that erst they had lacked an earl for leader +so long a while; the Lord endowed him, +the Wielder of Wonder, with world's renown. +Famed was this Beowulf: {0a} far flew the boast of him, +son of Scyld, in the Scandian lands. +So becomes it a youth to quit him well +with his father's friends, by fee and gift, +that to aid him, aged, in after days, +come warriors willing, should war draw nigh, +liegemen loyal: by lauded deeds +shall an earl have honor in every clan. + +Forth he fared at the fated moment, +sturdy Scyld to the shelter of God. +Then they bore him over to ocean's billow, +loving clansmen, as late he charged them, +while wielded words the winsome Scyld, +the leader beloved who long had ruled.... +In the roadstead rocked a ring-dight vessel, +ice-flecked, outbound, atheling's barge: +there laid they down their darling lord +on the breast of the boat, the breaker-of-rings, {0b} +by the mast the mighty one. Many a treasure +fetched from far was freighted with him. +No ship have I known so nobly dight +with weapons of war and weeds of battle, +with breastplate and blade: on his bosom lay +a heaped hoard that hence should go +far o'er the flood with him floating away. +No less these loaded the lordly gifts, +thanes' huge treasure, than those had done +who in former time forth had sent him +sole on the seas, a suckling child. +High o'er his head they hoist the standard, +a gold-wove banner; let billows take him, +gave him to ocean. Grave were their spirits, +mournful their mood. No man is able +to say in sooth, no son of the halls, +no hero 'neath heaven, -- who harbored that freight! + + + +I + +Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings, +leader beloved, and long he ruled +in fame with all folk, since his father had gone +away from the world, till awoke an heir, +haughty Healfdene, who held through life, +sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad. +Then, one after one, there woke to him, +to the chieftain of clansmen, children four: +Heorogar, then Hrothgar, then Halga brave; +and I heard that -- was -- 's queen, +the Heathoscylfing's helpmate dear. +To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, +such honor of combat, that all his kin +obeyed him gladly till great grew his band +of youthful comrades. It came in his mind +to bid his henchmen a hall uprear, +a master mead-house, mightier far +than ever was seen by the sons of earth, +and within it, then, to old and young +he would all allot that the Lord had sent him, +save only the land and the lives of his men. +Wide, I heard, was the work commanded, +for many a tribe this mid-earth round, +to fashion the folkstead. It fell, as he ordered, +in rapid achievement that ready it stood there, +of halls the noblest: Heorot {1a} he named it +whose message had might in many a land. +Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, +treasure at banquet: there towered the hall, +high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting +of furious flame. {1b} Nor far was that day +when father and son-in-law stood in feud +for warfare and hatred that woke again. {1c} +With envy and anger an evil spirit +endured the dole in his dark abode, +that he heard each day the din of revel +high in the hall: there harps rang out, +clear song of the singer. He sang who knew {1d} +tales of the early time of man, +how the Almighty made the earth, +fairest fields enfolded by water, +set, triumphant, sun and moon +for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, +and braided bright the breast of earth +with limbs and leaves, made life for all +of mortal beings that breathe and move. +So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel +a winsome life, till one began +to fashion evils, that field of hell. +Grendel this monster grim was called, +march-riever {1e} mighty, in moorland living, +in fen and fastness; fief of the giants +the hapless wight a while had kept +since the Creator his exile doomed. +On kin of Cain was the killing avenged +by sovran God for slaughtered Abel. +Ill fared his feud, {1f} and far was he driven, +for the slaughter's sake, from sight of men. +Of Cain awoke all that woful breed, +Etins {1g} and elves and evil-spirits, +as well as the giants that warred with God +weary while: but their wage was paid them! + + + +II + +WENT he forth to find at fall of night +that haughty house, and heed wherever +the Ring-Danes, outrevelled, to rest had gone. +Found within it the atheling band +asleep after feasting and fearless of sorrow, +of human hardship. Unhallowed wight, +grim and greedy, he grasped betimes, +wrathful, reckless, from resting-places, +thirty of the thanes, and thence he rushed +fain of his fell spoil, faring homeward, +laden with slaughter, his lair to seek. +Then at the dawning, as day was breaking, +the might of Grendel to men was known; +then after wassail was wail uplifted, +loud moan in the morn. The mighty chief, +atheling excellent, unblithe sat, +labored in woe for the loss of his thanes, +when once had been traced the trail of the fiend, +spirit accurst: too cruel that sorrow, +too long, too loathsome. Not late the respite; +with night returning, anew began +ruthless murder; he recked no whit, +firm in his guilt, of the feud and crime. +They were easy to find who elsewhere sought +in room remote their rest at night, +bed in the bowers, {2a} when that bale was shown, +was seen in sooth, with surest token, -- +the hall-thane's {2b} hate. Such held themselves +far and fast who the fiend outran! +Thus ruled unrighteous and raged his fill +one against all; until empty stood +that lordly building, and long it bode so. +Twelve years' tide the trouble he bore, +sovran of Scyldings, sorrows in plenty, +boundless cares. There came unhidden +tidings true to the tribes of men, +in sorrowful songs, how ceaselessly Grendel +harassed Hrothgar, what hate he bore him, +what murder and massacre, many a year, +feud unfading, -- refused consent +to deal with any of Daneland's earls, +make pact of peace, or compound for gold: +still less did the wise men ween to get +great fee for the feud from his fiendish hands. +But the evil one ambushed old and young +death-shadow dark, and dogged them still, +lured, or lurked in the livelong night +of misty moorlands: men may say not +where the haunts of these Hell-Runes {2c} be. +Such heaping of horrors the hater of men, +lonely roamer, wrought unceasing, +harassings heavy. O'er Heorot he lorded, +gold-bright hall, in gloomy nights; +and ne'er could the prince {2d} approach his throne, +-- 'twas judgment of God, -- or have joy in his hall. +Sore was the sorrow to Scyldings'-friend, +heart-rending misery. Many nobles +sat assembled, and searched out counsel +how it were best for bold-hearted men +against harassing terror to try their hand. +Whiles they vowed in their heathen fanes +altar-offerings, asked with words {2e} +that the slayer-of-souls would succor give them +for the pain of their people. Their practice this, +their heathen hope; 'twas Hell they thought of +in mood of their mind. Almighty they knew not, +Doomsman of Deeds and dreadful Lord, +nor Heaven's-Helmet heeded they ever, +Wielder-of-Wonder. -- Woe for that man +who in harm and hatred hales his soul +to fiery embraces; -- nor favor nor change +awaits he ever. But well for him +that after death-day may draw to his Lord, +and friendship find in the Father's arms! + + + +III + +THUS seethed unceasing the son of Healfdene +with the woe of these days; not wisest men +assuaged his sorrow; too sore the anguish, +loathly and long, that lay on his folk, +most baneful of burdens and bales of the night. + +This heard in his home Hygelac's thane, +great among Geats, of Grendel's doings. +He was the mightiest man of valor +in that same day of this our life, +stalwart and stately. A stout wave-walker +he bade make ready. Yon battle-king, said he, +far o'er the swan-road he fain would seek, +the noble monarch who needed men! +The prince's journey by prudent folk +was little blamed, though they loved him dear; +they whetted the hero, and hailed good omens. +And now the bold one from bands of Geats +comrades chose, the keenest of warriors +e'er he could find; with fourteen men +the sea-wood {3a} he sought, and, sailor proved, +led them on to the land's confines. +Time had now flown; {3b} afloat was the ship, +boat under bluff. On board they climbed, +warriors ready; waves were churning +sea with sand; the sailors bore +on the breast of the bark their bright array, +their mail and weapons: the men pushed off, +on its willing way, the well-braced craft. +Then moved o'er the waters by might of the wind +that bark like a bird with breast of foam, +till in season due, on the second day, +the curved prow such course had run +that sailors now could see the land, +sea-cliffs shining, steep high hills, +headlands broad. Their haven was found, +their journey ended. Up then quickly +the Weders' {3c} clansmen climbed ashore, +anchored their sea-wood, with armor clashing +and gear of battle: God they thanked +or passing in peace o'er the paths of the sea. +Now saw from the cliff a Scylding clansman, +a warden that watched the water-side, +how they bore o'er the gangway glittering shields, +war-gear in readiness; wonder seized him +to know what manner of men they were. +Straight to the strand his steed he rode, +Hrothgar's henchman; with hand of might +he shook his spear, and spake in parley. +"Who are ye, then, ye armed men, +mailed folk, that yon mighty vessel +have urged thus over the ocean ways, +here o'er the waters? A warden I, +sentinel set o'er the sea-march here, +lest any foe to the folk of Danes +with harrying fleet should harm the land. +No aliens ever at ease thus bore them, +linden-wielders: {3d} yet word-of-leave +clearly ye lack from clansmen here, +my folk's agreement. -- A greater ne'er saw I +of warriors in world than is one of you, -- +yon hero in harness! No henchman he +worthied by weapons, if witness his features, +his peerless presence! I pray you, though, tell +your folk and home, lest hence ye fare +suspect to wander your way as spies +in Danish land. Now, dwellers afar, +ocean-travellers, take from me +simple advice: the sooner the better +I hear of the country whence ye came." + + + +IV + +To him the stateliest spake in answer; +the warriors' leader his word-hoard unlocked: -- +"We are by kin of the clan of Geats, +and Hygelac's own hearth-fellows we. +To folk afar was my father known, +noble atheling, Ecgtheow named. +Full of winters, he fared away +aged from earth; he is honored still +through width of the world by wise men all. +To thy lord and liege in loyal mood +we hasten hither, to Healfdene's son, +people-protector: be pleased to advise us! +To that mighty-one come we on mickle errand, +to the lord of the Danes; nor deem I right +that aught be hidden. We hear -- thou knowest +if sooth it is -- the saying of men, +that amid the Scyldings a scathing monster, +dark ill-doer, in dusky nights +shows terrific his rage unmatched, +hatred and murder. To Hrothgar I +in greatness of soul would succor bring, +so the Wise-and-Brave {4a} may worst his foes, -- +if ever the end of ills is fated, +of cruel contest, if cure shall follow, +and the boiling care-waves cooler grow; +else ever afterward anguish-days +he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place +high on its hill that house unpeered!" +Astride his steed, the strand-ward answered, +clansman unquailing: "The keen-souled thane +must be skilled to sever and sunder duly +words and works, if he well intends. +I gather, this band is graciously bent +to the Scyldings' master. March, then, bearing +weapons and weeds the way I show you. +I will bid my men your boat meanwhile +to guard for fear lest foemen come, -- +your new-tarred ship by shore of ocean +faithfully watching till once again +it waft o'er the waters those well-loved thanes, +-- winding-neck'd wood, -- to Weders' bounds, +heroes such as the hest of fate +shall succor and save from the shock of war." +They bent them to march, -- the boat lay still, +fettered by cable and fast at anchor, +broad-bosomed ship. -- Then shone the boars {4b} +over the cheek-guard; chased with gold, +keen and gleaming, guard it kept +o'er the man of war, as marched along +heroes in haste, till the hall they saw, +broad of gable and bright with gold: +that was the fairest, 'mid folk of earth, +of houses 'neath heaven, where Hrothgar lived, +and the gleam of it lightened o'er lands afar. +The sturdy shieldsman showed that bright +burg-of-the-boldest; bade them go +straightway thither; his steed then turned, +hardy hero, and hailed them thus: -- +"'Tis time that I fare from you. Father Almighty +in grace and mercy guard you well, +safe in your seekings. Seaward I go, +'gainst hostile warriors hold my watch." + + + +V + +STONE-BRIGHT the street: {5a} it showed the way +to the crowd of clansmen. Corselets glistened +hand-forged, hard; on their harness bright +the steel ring sang, as they strode along +in mail of battle, and marched to the hall. +There, weary of ocean, the wall along +they set their bucklers, their broad shields, down, +and bowed them to bench: the breastplates clanged, +war-gear of men; their weapons stacked, +spears of the seafarers stood together, +gray-tipped ash: that iron band +was worthily weaponed! -- A warrior proud +asked of the heroes their home and kin. +"Whence, now, bear ye burnished shields, +harness gray and helmets grim, +spears in multitude? Messenger, I, +Hrothgar's herald! Heroes so many +ne'er met I as strangers of mood so strong. +'Tis plain that for prowess, not plunged into exile, +for high-hearted valor, Hrothgar ye seek!" +Him the sturdy-in-war bespake with words, +proud earl of the Weders answer made, +hardy 'neath helmet: -- "Hygelac's, we, +fellows at board; I am Beowulf named. +I am seeking to say to the son of Healfdene +this mission of mine, to thy master-lord, +the doughty prince, if he deign at all +grace that we greet him, the good one, now." +Wulfgar spake, the Wendles' chieftain, +whose might of mind to many was known, +his courage and counsel: "The king of Danes, +the Scyldings' friend, I fain will tell, +the Breaker-of-Rings, as the boon thou askest, +the famed prince, of thy faring hither, +and, swiftly after, such answer bring +as the doughty monarch may deign to give." +Hied then in haste to where Hrothgar sat +white-haired and old, his earls about him, +till the stout thane stood at the shoulder there +of the Danish king: good courtier he! +Wulfgar spake to his winsome lord: -- +"Hither have fared to thee far-come men +o'er the paths of ocean, people of Geatland; +and the stateliest there by his sturdy band +is Beowulf named. This boon they seek, +that they, my master, may with thee +have speech at will: nor spurn their prayer +to give them hearing, gracious Hrothgar! +In weeds of the warrior worthy they, +methinks, of our liking; their leader most surely, +a hero that hither his henchmen has led." + + + +VI + +HROTHGAR answered, helmet of Scyldings: -- +"I knew him of yore in his youthful days; +his aged father was Ecgtheow named, +to whom, at home, gave Hrethel the Geat +his only daughter. Their offspring bold +fares hither to seek the steadfast friend. +And seamen, too, have said me this, -- +who carried my gifts to the Geatish court, +thither for thanks, -- he has thirty men's +heft of grasp in the gripe of his hand, +the bold-in-battle. Blessed God +out of his mercy this man hath sent +to Danes of the West, as I ween indeed, +against horror of Grendel. I hope to give +the good youth gold for his gallant thought. +Be thou in haste, and bid them hither, +clan of kinsmen, to come before me; +and add this word, -- they are welcome guests +to folk of the Danes." +[To the door of the hall +Wulfgar went] and the word declared: -- +"To you this message my master sends, +East-Danes' king, that your kin he knows, +hardy heroes, and hails you all +welcome hither o'er waves of the sea! +Ye may wend your way in war-attire, +and under helmets Hrothgar greet; +but let here the battle-shields bide your parley, +and wooden war-shafts wait its end." +Uprose the mighty one, ringed with his men, +brave band of thanes: some bode without, +battle-gear guarding, as bade the chief. +Then hied that troop where the herald led them, +under Heorot's roof: [the hero strode,] +hardy 'neath helm, till the hearth he neared. +Beowulf spake, -- his breastplate gleamed, +war-net woven by wit of the smith: -- +"Thou Hrothgar, hail! Hygelac's I, +kinsman and follower. Fame a plenty +have I gained in youth! These Grendel-deeds +I heard in my home-land heralded clear. +Seafarers say how stands this hall, +of buildings best, for your band of thanes +empty and idle, when evening sun +in the harbor of heaven is hidden away. +So my vassals advised me well, -- +brave and wise, the best of men, -- +O sovran Hrothgar, to seek thee here, +for my nerve and my might they knew full well. +Themselves had seen me from slaughter come +blood-flecked from foes, where five I bound, +and that wild brood worsted. I' the waves I slew +nicors {6a} by night, in need and peril +avenging the Weders, {6b} whose woe they sought, -- +crushing the grim ones. Grendel now, +monster cruel, be mine to quell +in single battle! So, from thee, +thou sovran of the Shining-Danes, +Scyldings'-bulwark, a boon I seek, -- +and, Friend-of-the-folk, refuse it not, +O Warriors'-shield, now I've wandered far, -- +that I alone with my liegemen here, +this hardy band, may Heorot purge! +More I hear, that the monster dire, +in his wanton mood, of weapons recks not; +hence shall I scorn -- so Hygelac stay, +king of my kindred, kind to me! -- +brand or buckler to bear in the fight, +gold-colored targe: but with gripe alone +must I front the fiend and fight for life, +foe against foe. Then faith be his +in the doom of the Lord whom death shall take. +Fain, I ween, if the fight he win, +in this hall of gold my Geatish band +will he fearless eat, -- as oft before, -- +my noblest thanes. Nor need'st thou then +to hide my head; {6c} for his shall I be, +dyed in gore, if death must take me; +and my blood-covered body he'll bear as prey, +ruthless devour it, the roamer-lonely, +with my life-blood redden his lair in the fen: +no further for me need'st food prepare! +To Hygelac send, if Hild {6d} should take me, +best of war-weeds, warding my breast, +armor excellent, heirloom of Hrethel +and work of Wayland. {6e} Fares Wyrd {6f} as she must." + + + +VII + +HROTHGAR spake, the Scyldings'-helmet: -- +"For fight defensive, Friend my Beowulf, +to succor and save, thou hast sought us here. +Thy father's combat {7a} a feud enkindled +when Heatholaf with hand he slew +among the Wylfings; his Weder kin +for horror of fighting feared to hold him. +Fleeing, he sought our South-Dane folk, +over surge of ocean the Honor-Scyldings, +when first I was ruling the folk of Danes, +wielded, youthful, this widespread realm, +this hoard-hold of heroes. Heorogar was dead, +my elder brother, had breathed his last, +Healfdene's bairn: he was better than I! +Straightway the feud with fee {7b} I settled, +to the Wylfings sent, o'er watery ridges, +treasures olden: oaths he {7c} swore me. +Sore is my soul to say to any +of the race of man what ruth for me +in Heorot Grendel with hate hath wrought, +what sudden harryings. Hall-folk fail me, +my warriors wane; for Wyrd hath swept them +into Grendel's grasp. But God is able +this deadly foe from his deeds to turn! +Boasted full oft, as my beer they drank, +earls o'er the ale-cup, armed men, +that they would bide in the beer-hall here, +Grendel's attack with terror of blades. +Then was this mead-house at morning tide +dyed with gore, when the daylight broke, +all the boards of the benches blood-besprinkled, +gory the hall: I had heroes the less, +doughty dear-ones that death had reft. +-- But sit to the banquet, unbind thy words, +hardy hero, as heart shall prompt thee." + +Gathered together, the Geatish men +in the banquet-hall on bench assigned, +sturdy-spirited, sat them down, +hardy-hearted. A henchman attended, +carried the carven cup in hand, +served the clear mead. Oft minstrels sang +blithe in Heorot. Heroes revelled, +no dearth of warriors, Weder and Dane. + + + +VIII + +UNFERTH spake, the son of Ecglaf, +who sat at the feet of the Scyldings' lord, +unbound the battle-runes. {8a} -- Beowulf's quest, +sturdy seafarer's, sorely galled him; +ever he envied that other men +should more achieve in middle-earth +of fame under heaven than he himself. -- +"Art thou that Beowulf, Breca's rival, +who emulous swam on the open sea, +when for pride the pair of you proved the floods, +and wantonly dared in waters deep +to risk your lives? No living man, +or lief or loath, from your labor dire +could you dissuade, from swimming the main. +Ocean-tides with your arms ye covered, +with strenuous hands the sea-streets measured, +swam o'er the waters. Winter's storm +rolled the rough waves. In realm of sea +a sennight strove ye. In swimming he topped thee, +had more of main! Him at morning-tide +billows bore to the Battling Reamas, +whence he hied to his home so dear +beloved of his liegemen, to land of Brondings, +fastness fair, where his folk he ruled, +town and treasure. In triumph o'er thee +Beanstan's bairn {8b} his boast achieved. +So ween I for thee a worse adventure +-- though in buffet of battle thou brave hast been, +in struggle grim, -- if Grendel's approach +thou darst await through the watch of night!" + +Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"What a deal hast uttered, dear my Unferth, +drunken with beer, of Breca now, +told of his triumph! Truth I claim it, +that I had more of might in the sea +than any man else, more ocean-endurance. +We twain had talked, in time of youth, +and made our boast, -- we were merely boys, +striplings still, -- to stake our lives +far at sea: and so we performed it. +Naked swords, as we swam along, +we held in hand, with hope to guard us +against the whales. Not a whit from me +could he float afar o'er the flood of waves, +haste o'er the billows; nor him I abandoned. +Together we twain on the tides abode +five nights full till the flood divided us, +churning waves and chillest weather, +darkling night, and the northern wind +ruthless rushed on us: rough was the surge. +Now the wrath of the sea-fish rose apace; +yet me 'gainst the monsters my mailed coat, +hard and hand-linked, help afforded, -- +battle-sark braided my breast to ward, +garnished with gold. There grasped me firm +and haled me to bottom the hated foe, +with grimmest gripe. 'Twas granted me, though, +to pierce the monster with point of sword, +with blade of battle: huge beast of the sea +was whelmed by the hurly through hand of mine. + + + +IX + +ME thus often the evil monsters +thronging threatened. With thrust of my sword, +the darling, I dealt them due return! +Nowise had they bliss from their booty then +to devour their victim, vengeful creatures, +seated to banquet at bottom of sea; +but at break of day, by my brand sore hurt, +on the edge of ocean up they lay, +put to sleep by the sword. And since, by them +on the fathomless sea-ways sailor-folk +are never molested. -- Light from east, +came bright God's beacon; the billows sank, +so that I saw the sea-cliffs high, +windy walls. For Wyrd oft saveth +earl undoomed if he doughty be! +And so it came that I killed with my sword +nine of the nicors. Of night-fought battles +ne'er heard I a harder 'neath heaven's dome, +nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man! +Yet I came unharmed from that hostile clutch, +though spent with swimming. The sea upbore me, +flood of the tide, on Finnish land, +the welling waters. No wise of thee +have I heard men tell such terror of falchions, +bitter battle. Breca ne'er yet, +not one of you pair, in the play of war +such daring deed has done at all +with bloody brand, -- I boast not of it! -- +though thou wast the bane {9a} of thy brethren dear, +thy closest kin, whence curse of hell +awaits thee, well as thy wit may serve! +For I say in sooth, thou son of Ecglaf, +never had Grendel these grim deeds wrought, +monster dire, on thy master dear, +in Heorot such havoc, if heart of thine +were as battle-bold as thy boast is loud! +But he has found no feud will happen; +from sword-clash dread of your Danish clan +he vaunts him safe, from the Victor-Scyldings. +He forces pledges, favors none +of the land of Danes, but lustily murders, +fights and feasts, nor feud he dreads +from Spear-Dane men. But speedily now +shall I prove him the prowess and pride of the Geats, +shall bid him battle. Blithe to mead +go he that listeth, when light of dawn +this morrow morning o'er men of earth, +ether-robed sun from the south shall beam!" +Joyous then was the Jewel-giver, +hoar-haired, war-brave; help awaited +the Bright-Danes' prince, from Beowulf hearing, +folk's good shepherd, such firm resolve. +Then was laughter of liegemen loud resounding +with winsome words. Came Wealhtheow forth, +queen of Hrothgar, heedful of courtesy, +gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall; +and the high-born lady handed the cup +first to the East-Danes' heir and warden, +bade him be blithe at the beer-carouse, +the land's beloved one. Lustily took he +banquet and beaker, battle-famed king. + +Through the hall then went the Helmings' Lady, +to younger and older everywhere +carried the cup, till come the moment +when the ring-graced queen, the royal-hearted, +to Beowulf bore the beaker of mead. +She greeted the Geats' lord, God she thanked, +in wisdom's words, that her will was granted, +that at last on a hero her hope could lean +for comfort in terrors. The cup he took, +hardy-in-war, from Wealhtheow's hand, +and answer uttered the eager-for-combat. +Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"This was my thought, when my thanes and I +bent to the ocean and entered our boat, +that I would work the will of your people +fully, or fighting fall in death, +in fiend's gripe fast. I am firm to do +an earl's brave deed, or end the days +of this life of mine in the mead-hall here." +Well these words to the woman seemed, +Beowulf's battle-boast. -- Bright with gold +the stately dame by her spouse sat down. +Again, as erst, began in hall +warriors' wassail and words of power, +the proud-band's revel, till presently +the son of Healfdene hastened to seek +rest for the night; he knew there waited +fight for the fiend in that festal hall, +when the sheen of the sun they saw no more, +and dusk of night sank darkling nigh, +and shadowy shapes came striding on, +wan under welkin. The warriors rose. +Man to man, he made harangue, +Hrothgar to Beowulf, bade him hail, +let him wield the wine hall: a word he added: -- +"Never to any man erst I trusted, +since I could heave up hand and shield, +this noble Dane-Hall, till now to thee. +Have now and hold this house unpeered; +remember thy glory; thy might declare; +watch for the foe! No wish shall fail thee +if thou bidest the battle with bold-won life." + + + +X + +THEN Hrothgar went with his hero-train, +defence-of-Scyldings, forth from hall; +fain would the war-lord Wealhtheow seek, +couch of his queen. The King-of-Glory +against this Grendel a guard had set, +so heroes heard, a hall-defender, +who warded the monarch and watched for the monster. +In truth, the Geats' prince gladly trusted +his mettle, his might, the mercy of God! +Cast off then his corselet of iron, +helmet from head; to his henchman gave, -- +choicest of weapons, -- the well-chased sword, +bidding him guard the gear of battle. +Spake then his Vaunt the valiant man, +Beowulf Geat, ere the bed be sought: -- +"Of force in fight no feebler I count me, +in grim war-deeds, than Grendel deems him. +Not with the sword, then, to sleep of death +his life will I give, though it lie in my power. +No skill is his to strike against me, +my shield to hew though he hardy be, +bold in battle; we both, this night, +shall spurn the sword, if he seek me here, +unweaponed, for war. Let wisest God, +sacred Lord, on which side soever +doom decree as he deemeth right." +Reclined then the chieftain, and cheek-pillows held +the head of the earl, while all about him +seamen hardy on hall-beds sank. +None of them thought that thence their steps +to the folk and fastness that fostered them, +to the land they loved, would lead them back! +Full well they wist that on warriors many +battle-death seized, in the banquet-hall, +of Danish clan. But comfort and help, +war-weal weaving, to Weder folk +the Master gave, that, by might of one, +over their enemy all prevailed, +by single strength. In sooth 'tis told +that highest God o'er human kind +hath wielded ever! -- Thro' wan night striding, +came the walker-in-shadow. Warriors slept +whose hest was to guard the gabled hall, -- +all save one. 'Twas widely known +that against God's will the ghostly ravager +him {10a} could not hurl to haunts of darkness; +wakeful, ready, with warrior's wrath, +bold he bided the battle's issue. + + + +XI + +THEN from the moorland, by misty crags, +with God's wrath laden, Grendel came. +The monster was minded of mankind now +sundry to seize in the stately house. +Under welkin he walked, till the wine-palace there, +gold-hall of men, he gladly discerned, +flashing with fretwork. Not first time, this, +that he the home of Hrothgar sought, -- +yet ne'er in his life-day, late or early, +such hardy heroes, such hall-thanes, found! +To the house the warrior walked apace, +parted from peace; {11a} the portal opended, +though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had +struck it, +and baleful he burst in his blatant rage, +the house's mouth. All hastily, then, +o'er fair-paved floor the fiend trod on, +ireful he strode; there streamed from his eyes +fearful flashes, like flame to see. + +He spied in hall the hero-band, +kin and clansmen clustered asleep, +hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart; +for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn, +savage, to sever the soul of each, +life from body, since lusty banquet +waited his will! But Wyrd forbade him +to seize any more of men on earth +after that evening. Eagerly watched +Hygelac's kinsman his cursed foe, +how he would fare in fell attack. +Not that the monster was minded to pause! +Straightway he seized a sleeping warrior +for the first, and tore him fiercely asunder, +the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams, +swallowed him piecemeal: swiftly thus +the lifeless corse was clear devoured, +e'en feet and hands. Then farther he hied; +for the hardy hero with hand he grasped, +felt for the foe with fiendish claw, +for the hero reclining, -- who clutched it boldly, +prompt to answer, propped on his arm. +Soon then saw that shepherd-of-evils +that never he met in this middle-world, +in the ways of earth, another wight +with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared, +sorrowed in soul, -- none the sooner escaped! +Fain would he flee, his fastness seek, +the den of devils: no doings now +such as oft he had done in days of old! +Then bethought him the hardy Hygelac-thane +of his boast at evening: up he bounded, +grasped firm his foe, whose fingers cracked. +The fiend made off, but the earl close followed. +The monster meant -- if he might at all -- +to fling himself free, and far away +fly to the fens, -- knew his fingers' power +in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march +to Heorot this monster of harm had made! +Din filled the room; the Danes were bereft, +castle-dwellers and clansmen all, +earls, of their ale. Angry were both +those savage hall-guards: the house resounded. +Wonder it was the wine-hall firm +in the strain of their struggle stood, to earth +the fair house fell not; too fast it was +within and without by its iron bands +craftily clamped; though there crashed from sill +many a mead-bench -- men have told me -- +gay with gold, where the grim foes wrestled. +So well had weened the wisest Scyldings +that not ever at all might any man +that bone-decked, brave house break asunder, +crush by craft, -- unless clasp of fire +in smoke engulfed it. -- Again uprose +din redoubled. Danes of the North +with fear and frenzy were filled, each one, +who from the wall that wailing heard, +God's foe sounding his grisly song, +cry of the conquered, clamorous pain +from captive of hell. Too closely held him +he who of men in might was strongest +in that same day of this our life. + + + +XII + +NOT in any wise would the earls'-defence {12a} +suffer that slaughterous stranger to live, +useless deeming his days and years +to men on earth. Now many an earl +of Beowulf brandished blade ancestral, +fain the life of their lord to shield, +their praised prince, if power were theirs; +never they knew, -- as they neared the foe, +hardy-hearted heroes of war, +aiming their swords on every side +the accursed to kill, -- no keenest blade, +no farest of falchions fashioned on earth, +could harm or hurt that hideous fiend! +He was safe, by his spells, from sword of battle, +from edge of iron. Yet his end and parting +on that same day of this our life +woful should be, and his wandering soul +far off flit to the fiends' domain. +Soon he found, who in former days, +harmful in heart and hated of God, +on many a man such murder wrought, +that the frame of his body failed him now. +For him the keen-souled kinsman of Hygelac +held in hand; hateful alive +was each to other. The outlaw dire +took mortal hurt; a mighty wound +showed on his shoulder, and sinews cracked, +and the bone-frame burst. To Beowulf now +the glory was given, and Grendel thence +death-sick his den in the dark moor sought, +noisome abode: he knew too well +that here was the last of life, an end +of his days on earth. -- To all the Danes +by that bloody battle the boon had come. +From ravage had rescued the roving stranger +Hrothgar's hall; the hardy and wise one +had purged it anew. His night-work pleased him, +his deed and its honor. To Eastern Danes +had the valiant Geat his vaunt made good, +all their sorrow and ills assuaged, +their bale of battle borne so long, +and all the dole they erst endured +pain a-plenty. -- 'Twas proof of this, +when the hardy-in-fight a hand laid down, +arm and shoulder, -- all, indeed, +of Grendel's gripe, -- 'neath the gabled roof. + + + +XIII + +MANY at morning, as men have told me, +warriors gathered the gift-hall round, +folk-leaders faring from far and near, +o'er wide-stretched ways, the wonder to view, +trace of the traitor. Not troublous seemed +the enemy's end to any man +who saw by the gait of the graceless foe +how the weary-hearted, away from thence, +baffled in battle and banned, his steps +death-marked dragged to the devils' mere. +Bloody the billows were boiling there, +turbid the tide of tumbling waves +horribly seething, with sword-blood hot, +by that doomed one dyed, who in den of the moor +laid forlorn his life adown, +his heathen soul, and hell received it. +Home then rode the hoary clansmen +from that merry journey, and many a youth, +on horses white, the hardy warriors, +back from the mere. Then Beowulf's glory +eager they echoed, and all averred +that from sea to sea, or south or north, +there was no other in earth's domain, +under vault of heaven, more valiant found, +of warriors none more worthy to rule! +(On their lord beloved they laid no slight, +gracious Hrothgar: a good king he!) +From time to time, the tried-in-battle +their gray steeds set to gallop amain, +and ran a race when the road seemed fair. +From time to time, a thane of the king, +who had made many vaunts, and was mindful of verses, +stored with sagas and songs of old, +bound word to word in well-knit rime, +welded his lay; this warrior soon +of Beowulf's quest right cleverly sang, +and artfully added an excellent tale, +in well-ranged words, of the warlike deeds +he had heard in saga of Sigemund. +Strange the story: he said it all, -- +the Waelsing's wanderings wide, his struggles, +which never were told to tribes of men, +the feuds and the frauds, save to Fitela only, +when of these doings he deigned to speak, +uncle to nephew; as ever the twain +stood side by side in stress of war, +and multitude of the monster kind +they had felled with their swords. Of Sigemund grew, +when he passed from life, no little praise; +for the doughty-in-combat a dragon killed +that herded the hoard: {13a} under hoary rock +the atheling dared the deed alone +fearful quest, nor was Fitela there. +Yet so it befell, his falchion pierced +that wondrous worm, -- on the wall it struck, +best blade; the dragon died in its blood. +Thus had the dread-one by daring achieved +over the ring-hoard to rule at will, +himself to pleasure; a sea-boat he loaded, +and bore on its bosom the beaming gold, +son of Waels; the worm was consumed. +He had of all heroes the highest renown +among races of men, this refuge-of-warriors, +for deeds of daring that decked his name +since the hand and heart of Heremod +grew slack in battle. He, swiftly banished +to mingle with monsters at mercy of foes, +to death was betrayed; for torrents of sorrow +had lamed him too long; a load of care +to earls and athelings all he proved. +Oft indeed, in earlier days, +for the warrior's wayfaring wise men mourned, +who had hoped of him help from harm and bale, +and had thought their sovran's son would thrive, +follow his father, his folk protect, +the hoard and the stronghold, heroes' land, +home of Scyldings. -- But here, thanes said, +the kinsman of Hygelac kinder seemed +to all: the other {13b} was urged to crime! +And afresh to the race, {13c} the fallow roads +by swift steeds measured! The morning sun +was climbing higher. Clansmen hastened +to the high-built hall, those hardy-minded, +the wonder to witness. Warden of treasure, +crowned with glory, the king himself, +with stately band from the bride-bower strode; +and with him the queen and her crowd of maidens +measured the path to the mead-house fair. + + + +XIV + +HROTHGAR spake, -- to the hall he went, +stood by the steps, the steep roof saw, +garnished with gold, and Grendel's hand: -- +"For the sight I see to the Sovran Ruler +be speedy thanks! A throng of sorrows +I have borne from Grendel; but God still works +wonder on wonder, the Warden-of-Glory. +It was but now that I never more +for woes that weighed on me waited help +long as I lived, when, laved in blood, +stood sword-gore-stained this stateliest house, -- +widespread woe for wise men all, +who had no hope to hinder ever +foes infernal and fiendish sprites +from havoc in hall. This hero now, +by the Wielder's might, a work has done +that not all of us erst could ever do +by wile and wisdom. Lo, well can she say +whoso of women this warrior bore +among sons of men, if still she liveth, +that the God of the ages was good to her +in the birth of her bairn. Now, Beowulf, thee, +of heroes best, I shall heartily love +as mine own, my son; preserve thou ever +this kinship new: thou shalt never lack +wealth of the world that I wield as mine! +Full oft for less have I largess showered, +my precious hoard, on a punier man, +less stout in struggle. Thyself hast now +fulfilled such deeds, that thy fame shall endure +through all the ages. As ever he did, +well may the Wielder reward thee still!" +Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"This work of war most willingly +we have fought, this fight, and fearlessly dared +force of the foe. Fain, too, were I +hadst thou but seen himself, what time +the fiend in his trappings tottered to fall! +Swiftly, I thought, in strongest gripe +on his bed of death to bind him down, +that he in the hent of this hand of mine +should breathe his last: but he broke away. +Him I might not -- the Maker willed not -- +hinder from flight, and firm enough hold +the life-destroyer: too sturdy was he, +the ruthless, in running! For rescue, however, +he left behind him his hand in pledge, +arm and shoulder; nor aught of help +could the cursed one thus procure at all. +None the longer liveth he, loathsome fiend, +sunk in his sins, but sorrow holds him +tightly grasped in gripe of anguish, +in baleful bonds, where bide he must, +evil outlaw, such awful doom +as the Mighty Maker shall mete him out." + +More silent seemed the son of Ecglaf {14a} +in boastful speech of his battle-deeds, +since athelings all, through the earl's great prowess, +beheld that hand, on the high roof gazing, +foeman's fingers, -- the forepart of each +of the sturdy nails to steel was likest, -- +heathen's "hand-spear," hostile warrior's +claw uncanny. 'Twas clear, they said, +that him no blade of the brave could touch, +how keen soever, or cut away +that battle-hand bloody from baneful foe. + + + +XV + +THERE was hurry and hest in Heorot now +for hands to bedeck it, and dense was the throng +of men and women the wine-hall to cleanse, +the guest-room to garnish. Gold-gay shone the hangings +that were wove on the wall, and wonders many +to delight each mortal that looks upon them. +Though braced within by iron bands, +that building bright was broken sorely; {15a} +rent were its hinges; the roof alone +held safe and sound, when, seared with crime, +the fiendish foe his flight essayed, +of life despairing. -- No light thing that, +the flight for safety, -- essay it who will! +Forced of fate, he shall find his way +to the refuge ready for race of man, +for soul-possessors, and sons of earth; +and there his body on bed of death +shall rest after revel. +Arrived was the hour +when to hall proceeded Healfdene's son: +the king himself would sit to banquet. +Ne'er heard I of host in haughtier throng +more graciously gathered round giver-of-rings! +Bowed then to bench those bearers-of-glory, +fain of the feasting. Featly received +many a mead-cup the mighty-in-spirit, +kinsmen who sat in the sumptuous hall, +Hrothgar and Hrothulf. Heorot now +was filled with friends; the folk of Scyldings +ne'er yet had tried the traitor's deed. +To Beowulf gave the bairn of Healfdene +a gold-wove banner, guerdon of triumph, +broidered battle-flag, breastplate and helmet; +and a splendid sword was seen of many +borne to the brave one. Beowulf took +cup in hall: {15b} for such costly gifts +he suffered no shame in that soldier throng. +For I heard of few heroes, in heartier mood, +with four such gifts, so fashioned with gold, +on the ale-bench honoring others thus! +O'er the roof of the helmet high, a ridge, +wound with wires, kept ward o'er the head, +lest the relict-of-files {15c} should fierce invade, +sharp in the strife, when that shielded hero +should go to grapple against his foes. +Then the earls'-defence {15d} on the floor {15e} bade lead +coursers eight, with carven head-gear, +adown the hall: one horse was decked +with a saddle all shining and set in jewels; +'twas the battle-seat of the best of kings, +when to play of swords the son of Healfdene +was fain to fare. Ne'er failed his valor +in the crush of combat when corpses fell. +To Beowulf over them both then gave +the refuge-of-Ingwines right and power, +o'er war-steeds and weapons: wished him joy of them. +Manfully thus the mighty prince, +hoard-guard for heroes, that hard fight repaid +with steeds and treasures contemned by none +who is willing to say the sooth aright. + + + +XVI + +AND the lord of earls, to each that came +with Beowulf over the briny ways, +an heirloom there at the ale-bench gave, +precious gift; and the price {16a} bade pay +in gold for him whom Grendel erst +murdered, -- and fain of them more had killed, +had not wisest God their Wyrd averted, +and the man's {16b} brave mood. The Maker then +ruled human kind, as here and now. +Therefore is insight always best, +and forethought of mind. How much awaits him +of lief and of loath, who long time here, +through days of warfare this world endures! + +Then song and music mingled sounds +in the presence of Healfdene's head-of-armies {16c} +and harping was heard with the hero-lay +as Hrothgar's singer the hall-joy woke +along the mead-seats, making his song +of that sudden raid on the sons of Finn. {16d} +Healfdene's hero, Hnaef the Scylding, +was fated to fall in the Frisian slaughter. {16e} +Hildeburh needed not hold in value +her enemies' honor! {16f} Innocent both +were the loved ones she lost at the linden-play, +bairn and brother, they bowed to fate, +stricken by spears; 'twas a sorrowful woman! +None doubted why the daughter of Hoc +bewailed her doom when dawning came, +and under the sky she saw them lying, +kinsmen murdered, where most she had kenned +of the sweets of the world! By war were swept, too, +Finn's own liegemen, and few were left; +in the parleying-place {16g} he could ply no longer +weapon, nor war could he wage on Hengest, +and rescue his remnant by right of arms +from the prince's thane. A pact he offered: +another dwelling the Danes should have, +hall and high-seat, and half the power +should fall to them in Frisian land; +and at the fee-gifts, Folcwald's son +day by day the Danes should honor, +the folk of Hengest favor with rings, +even as truly, with treasure and jewels, +with fretted gold, as his Frisian kin +he meant to honor in ale-hall there. +Pact of peace they plighted further +on both sides firmly. Finn to Hengest +with oath, upon honor, openly promised +that woful remnant, with wise-men's aid, +nobly to govern, so none of the guests +by word or work should warp the treaty, {16h} +or with malice of mind bemoan themselves +as forced to follow their fee-giver's slayer, +lordless men, as their lot ordained. +Should Frisian, moreover, with foeman's taunt, +that murderous hatred to mind recall, +then edge of the sword must seal his doom. + +Oaths were given, and ancient gold +heaped from hoard. -- The hardy Scylding, +battle-thane best, {16i} on his balefire lay. +All on the pyre were plain to see +the gory sark, the gilded swine-crest, +boar of hard iron, and athelings many +slain by the sword: at the slaughter they fell. +It was Hildeburh's hest, at Hnaef's own pyre +the bairn of her body on brands to lay, +his bones to burn, on the balefire placed, +at his uncle's side. In sorrowful dirges +bewept them the woman: great wailing ascended. +Then wound up to welkin the wildest of death-fires, +roared o'er the hillock: {16j} heads all were melted, +gashes burst, and blood gushed out +from bites {16k} of the body. Balefire devoured, +greediest spirit, those spared not by war +out of either folk: their flower was gone. + + + +XVII + +THEN hastened those heroes their home to see, +friendless, to find the Frisian land, +houses and high burg. Hengest still +through the death-dyed winter dwelt with Finn, +holding pact, yet of home he minded, +though powerless his ring-decked prow to drive +over the waters, now waves rolled fierce +lashed by the winds, or winter locked them +in icy fetters. Then fared another +year to men's dwellings, as yet they do, +the sunbright skies, that their season ever +duly await. Far off winter was driven; +fair lay earth's breast; and fain was the rover, +the guest, to depart, though more gladly he pondered +on wreaking his vengeance than roaming the deep, +and how to hasten the hot encounter +where sons of the Frisians were sure to be. +So he escaped not the common doom, +when Hun with "Lafing," the light-of-battle, +best of blades, his bosom pierced: +its edge was famed with the Frisian earls. +On fierce-heart Finn there fell likewise, +on himself at home, the horrid sword-death; +for Guthlaf and Oslaf of grim attack +had sorrowing told, from sea-ways landed, +mourning their woes. {17a} Finn's wavering spirit +bode not in breast. The burg was reddened +with blood of foemen, and Finn was slain, +king amid clansmen; the queen was taken. +To their ship the Scylding warriors bore +all the chattels the chieftain owned, +whatever they found in Finn's domain +of gems and jewels. The gentle wife +o'er paths of the deep to the Danes they bore, +led to her land. +The lay was finished, +the gleeman's song. Then glad rose the revel; +bench-joy brightened. Bearers draw +from their "wonder-vats" wine. Comes Wealhtheow forth, +under gold-crown goes where the good pair sit, +uncle and nephew, true each to the other one, +kindred in amity. Unferth the spokesman +at the Scylding lord's feet sat: men had faith in his spirit, +his keenness of courage, though kinsmen had found him +unsure at the sword-play. The Scylding queen spoke: +"Quaff of this cup, my king and lord, +breaker of rings, and blithe be thou, +gold-friend of men; to the Geats here speak +such words of mildness as man should use. +Be glad with thy Geats; of those gifts be mindful, +or near or far, which now thou hast. + +Men say to me, as son thou wishest +yon hero to hold. Thy Heorot purged, +jewel-hall brightest, enjoy while thou canst, +with many a largess; and leave to thy kin +folk and realm when forth thou goest +to greet thy doom. For gracious I deem +my Hrothulf, {17b} willing to hold and rule +nobly our youths, if thou yield up first, +prince of Scyldings, thy part in the world. +I ween with good he will well requite +offspring of ours, when all he minds +that for him we did in his helpless days +of gift and grace to gain him honor!" +Then she turned to the seat where her sons wereplaced, +Hrethric and Hrothmund, with heroes' bairns, +young men together: the Geat, too, sat there, +Beowulf brave, the brothers between. + + + +XVIII + +A CUP she gave him, with kindly greeting +and winsome words. Of wounden gold, +she offered, to honor him, arm-jewels twain, +corselet and rings, and of collars the noblest +that ever I knew the earth around. +Ne'er heard I so mighty, 'neath heaven's dome, +a hoard-gem of heroes, since Hama bore +to his bright-built burg the Brisings' necklace, +jewel and gem casket. -- Jealousy fled he, +Eormenric's hate: chose help eternal. +Hygelac Geat, grandson of Swerting, +on the last of his raids this ring bore with him, +under his banner the booty defending, +the war-spoil warding; but Wyrd o'erwhelmed him +what time, in his daring, dangers he sought, +feud with Frisians. Fairest of gems +he bore with him over the beaker-of-waves, +sovran strong: under shield he died. +Fell the corpse of the king into keeping of Franks, +gear of the breast, and that gorgeous ring; +weaker warriors won the spoil, +after gripe of battle, from Geatland's lord, +and held the death-field. +Din rose in hall. +Wealhtheow spake amid warriors, and said: -- +"This jewel enjoy in thy jocund youth, +Beowulf lov'd, these battle-weeds wear, +a royal treasure, and richly thrive! +Preserve thy strength, and these striplings here +counsel in kindness: requital be mine. +Hast done such deeds, that for days to come +thou art famed among folk both far and near, +so wide as washeth the wave of Ocean +his windy walls. Through the ways of life +prosper, O prince! I pray for thee +rich possessions. To son of mine +be helpful in deed and uphold his joys! +Here every earl to the other is true, +mild of mood, to the master loyal! +Thanes are friendly, the throng obedient, +liegemen are revelling: list and obey!" +Went then to her place. -- That was proudest of feasts; +flowed wine for the warriors. Wyrd they knew not, +destiny dire, and the doom to be seen +by many an earl when eve should come, +and Hrothgar homeward hasten away, +royal, to rest. The room was guarded +by an army of earls, as erst was done. +They bared the bench-boards; abroad they spread +beds and bolsters. -- One beer-carouser +in danger of doom lay down in the hall. -- + +At their heads they set their shields of war, +bucklers bright; on the bench were there +over each atheling, easy to see, +the high battle-helmet, the haughty spear, +the corselet of rings. 'Twas their custom so +ever to be for battle prepared, +at home, or harrying, which it were, +even as oft as evil threatened +their sovran king. -- They were clansmen good. + + + +XIX + +THEN sank they to sleep. With sorrow one bought +his rest of the evening, -- as ofttime had happened +when Grendel guarded that golden hall, +evil wrought, till his end drew nigh, +slaughter for sins. 'Twas seen and told +how an avenger survived the fiend, +as was learned afar. The livelong time +after that grim fight, Grendel's mother, +monster of women, mourned her woe. +She was doomed to dwell in the dreary waters, +cold sea-courses, since Cain cut down +with edge of the sword his only brother, +his father's offspring: outlawed he fled, +marked with murder, from men's delights +warded the wilds. -- There woke from him +such fate-sent ghosts as Grendel, who, +war-wolf horrid, at Heorot found +a warrior watching and waiting the fray, +with whom the grisly one grappled amain. +But the man remembered his mighty power, +the glorious gift that God had sent him, +in his Maker's mercy put his trust +for comfort and help: so he conquered the foe, +felled the fiend, who fled abject, +reft of joy, to the realms of death, +mankind's foe. And his mother now, +gloomy and grim, would go that quest +of sorrow, the death of her son to avenge. +To Heorot came she, where helmeted Danes +slept in the hall. Too soon came back +old ills of the earls, when in she burst, +the mother of Grendel. Less grim, though, that terror, +e'en as terror of woman in war is less, +might of maid, than of men in arms +when, hammer-forged, the falchion hard, +sword gore-stained, through swine of the helm, +crested, with keen blade carves amain. +Then was in hall the hard-edge drawn, +the swords on the settles, {19a} and shields a-many +firm held in hand: nor helmet minded +nor harness of mail, whom that horror seized. +Haste was hers; she would hie afar +and save her life when the liegemen saw her. +Yet a single atheling up she seized +fast and firm, as she fled to the moor. +He was for Hrothgar of heroes the dearest, +of trusty vassals betwixt the seas, +whom she killed on his couch, a clansman famous, +in battle brave. -- Nor was Beowulf there; +another house had been held apart, +after giving of gold, for the Geat renowned. -- +Uproar filled Heorot; the hand all had viewed, +blood-flecked, she bore with her; bale was returned, +dole in the dwellings: 'twas dire exchange +where Dane and Geat were doomed to give +the lives of loved ones. Long-tried king, +the hoary hero, at heart was sad +when he knew his noble no more lived, +and dead indeed was his dearest thane. +To his bower was Beowulf brought in haste, +dauntless victor. As daylight broke, +along with his earls the atheling lord, +with his clansmen, came where the king abode +waiting to see if the Wielder-of-All +would turn this tale of trouble and woe. +Strode o'er floor the famed-in-strife, +with his hand-companions, -- the hall resounded, -- +wishing to greet the wise old king, +Ingwines' lord; he asked if the night +had passed in peace to the prince's mind. + + + +XX + +HROTHGAR spake, helmet-of-Scyldings: -- +"Ask not of pleasure! Pain is renewed +to Danish folk. Dead is Aeschere, +of Yrmenlaf the elder brother, +my sage adviser and stay in council, +shoulder-comrade in stress of fight +when warriors clashed and we warded our heads, +hewed the helm-boars; hero famed +should be every earl as Aeschere was! +But here in Heorot a hand hath slain him +of wandering death-sprite. I wot not whither, {20a} +proud of the prey, her path she took, +fain of her fill. The feud she avenged +that yesternight, unyieldingly, +Grendel in grimmest grasp thou killedst, -- +seeing how long these liegemen mine +he ruined and ravaged. Reft of life, +in arms he fell. Now another comes, +keen and cruel, her kin to avenge, +faring far in feud of blood: +so that many a thane shall think, who e'er +sorrows in soul for that sharer of rings, +this is hardest of heart-bales. The hand lies low +that once was willing each wish to please. +Land-dwellers here {20b} and liegemen mine, +who house by those parts, I have heard relate +that such a pair they have sometimes seen, +march-stalkers mighty the moorland haunting, +wandering spirits: one of them seemed, +so far as my folk could fairly judge, +of womankind; and one, accursed, +in man's guise trod the misery-track +of exile, though huger than human bulk. +Grendel in days long gone they named him, +folk of the land; his father they knew not, +nor any brood that was born to him +of treacherous spirits. Untrod is their home; +by wolf-cliffs haunt they and windy headlands, +fenways fearful, where flows the stream +from mountains gliding to gloom of the rocks, +underground flood. Not far is it hence +in measure of miles that the mere expands, +and o'er it the frost-bound forest hanging, +sturdily rooted, shadows the wave. +By night is a wonder weird to see, +fire on the waters. So wise lived none +of the sons of men, to search those depths! +Nay, though the heath-rover, harried by dogs, +the horn-proud hart, this holt should seek, +long distance driven, his dear life first +on the brink he yields ere he brave the plunge +to hide his head: 'tis no happy place! +Thence the welter of waters washes up +wan to welkin when winds bestir +evil storms, and air grows dusk, +and the heavens weep. Now is help once more +with thee alone! The land thou knowst not, +place of fear, where thou findest out +that sin-flecked being. Seek if thou dare! +I will reward thee, for waging this fight, +with ancient treasure, as erst I did, +with winding gold, if thou winnest back." + + + +XXI + +BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: +"Sorrow not, sage! It beseems us better +friends to avenge than fruitlessly mourn them. +Each of us all must his end abide +in the ways of the world; so win who may +glory ere death! When his days are told, +that is the warrior's worthiest doom. +Rise, O realm-warder! Ride we anon, +and mark the trail of the mother of Grendel. +No harbor shall hide her -- heed my promise! -- +enfolding of field or forested mountain +or floor of the flood, let her flee where she will! +But thou this day endure in patience, +as I ween thou wilt, thy woes each one." +Leaped up the graybeard: God he thanked, +mighty Lord, for the man's brave words. +For Hrothgar soon a horse was saddled +wave-maned steed. The sovran wise +stately rode on; his shield-armed men +followed in force. The footprints led +along the woodland, widely seen, +a path o'er the plain, where she passed, and trod +the murky moor; of men-at-arms +she bore the bravest and best one, dead, +him who with Hrothgar the homestead ruled. +On then went the atheling-born +o'er stone-cliffs steep and strait defiles, +narrow passes and unknown ways, +headlands sheer, and the haunts of the Nicors. +Foremost he {21a} fared, a few at his side +of the wiser men, the ways to scan, +till he found in a flash the forested hill +hanging over the hoary rock, +a woful wood: the waves below +were dyed in blood. The Danish men +had sorrow of soul, and for Scyldings all, +for many a hero, 'twas hard to bear, +ill for earls, when Aeschere's head +they found by the flood on the foreland there. +Waves were welling, the warriors saw, +hot with blood; but the horn sang oft +battle-song bold. The band sat down, +and watched on the water worm-like things, +sea-dragons strange that sounded the deep, +and nicors that lay on the ledge of the ness -- +such as oft essay at hour of morn +on the road-of-sails their ruthless quest, -- +and sea-snakes and monsters. These started away, +swollen and savage that song to hear, +that war-horn's blast. The warden of Geats, +with bolt from bow, then balked of life, +of wave-work, one monster, amid its heart +went the keen war-shaft; in water it seemed +less doughty in swimming whom death had seized. +Swift on the billows, with boar-spears well +hooked and barbed, it was hard beset, +done to death and dragged on the headland, +wave-roamer wondrous. Warriors viewed +the grisly guest. +Then girt him Beowulf +in martial mail, nor mourned for his life. +His breastplate broad and bright of hues, +woven by hand, should the waters try; +well could it ward the warrior's body +that battle should break on his breast in vain +nor harm his heart by the hand of a foe. +And the helmet white that his head protected +was destined to dare the deeps of the flood, +through wave-whirl win: 'twas wound with chains, +decked with gold, as in days of yore +the weapon-smith worked it wondrously, +with swine-forms set it, that swords nowise, +brandished in battle, could bite that helm. +Nor was that the meanest of mighty helps +which Hrothgar's orator offered at need: +"Hrunting" they named the hilted sword, +of old-time heirlooms easily first; +iron was its edge, all etched with poison, +with battle-blood hardened, nor blenched it at fight +in hero's hand who held it ever, +on paths of peril prepared to go +to folkstead {21b} of foes. Not first time this +it was destined to do a daring task. +For he bore not in mind, the bairn of Ecglaf +sturdy and strong, that speech he had made, +drunk with wine, now this weapon he lent +to a stouter swordsman. Himself, though, durst not +under welter of waters wager his life +as loyal liegeman. So lost he his glory, +honor of earls. With the other not so, +who girded him now for the grim encounter. + + + +XXII + +BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"Have mind, thou honored offspring of Healfdene +gold-friend of men, now I go on this quest, +sovran wise, what once was said: +if in thy cause it came that I +should lose my life, thou wouldst loyal bide +to me, though fallen, in father's place! +Be guardian, thou, to this group of my thanes, +my warrior-friends, if War should seize me; +and the goodly gifts thou gavest me, +Hrothgar beloved, to Hygelac send! +Geatland's king may ken by the gold, +Hrethel's son see, when he stares at the treasure, +that I got me a friend for goodness famed, +and joyed while I could in my jewel-bestower. +And let Unferth wield this wondrous sword, +earl far-honored, this heirloom precious, +hard of edge: with Hrunting I +seek doom of glory, or Death shall take me." + +After these words the Weder-Geat lord +boldly hastened, biding never +answer at all: the ocean floods +closed o'er the hero. Long while of the day +fled ere he felt the floor of the sea. + +Soon found the fiend who the flood-domain +sword-hungry held these hundred winters, +greedy and grim, that some guest from above, +some man, was raiding her monster-realm. +She grasped out for him with grisly claws, +and the warrior seized; yet scathed she not +his body hale; the breastplate hindered, +as she strove to shatter the sark of war, +the linked harness, with loathsome hand. +Then bore this brine-wolf, when bottom she touched, +the lord of rings to the lair she haunted +whiles vainly he strove, though his valor held, +weapon to wield against wondrous monsters +that sore beset him; sea-beasts many +tried with fierce tusks to tear his mail, +and swarmed on the stranger. But soon he marked +he was now in some hall, he knew not which, +where water never could work him harm, +nor through the roof could reach him ever +fangs of the flood. Firelight he saw, +beams of a blaze that brightly shone. +Then the warrior was ware of that wolf-of-the-deep, +mere-wife monstrous. For mighty stroke +he swung his blade, and the blow withheld not. +Then sang on her head that seemly blade +its war-song wild. But the warrior found +the light-of-battle {22a} was loath to bite, +to harm the heart: its hard edge failed +the noble at need, yet had known of old +strife hand to hand, and had helmets cloven, +doomed men's fighting-gear. First time, this, +for the gleaming blade that its glory fell. +Firm still stood, nor failed in valor, +heedful of high deeds, Hygelac's kinsman; +flung away fretted sword, featly jewelled, +the angry earl; on earth it lay +steel-edged and stiff. His strength he trusted, +hand-gripe of might. So man shall do +whenever in war he weens to earn him +lasting fame, nor fears for his life! +Seized then by shoulder, shrank not from combat, +the Geatish war-prince Grendel's mother. +Flung then the fierce one, filled with wrath, +his deadly foe, that she fell to ground. +Swift on her part she paid him back +with grisly grasp, and grappled with him. +Spent with struggle, stumbled the warrior, +fiercest of fighting-men, fell adown. +On the hall-guest she hurled herself, hent her short sword, +broad and brown-edged, {22b} the bairn to avenge, +the sole-born son. -- On his shoulder lay +braided breast-mail, barring death, +withstanding entrance of edge or blade. +Life would have ended for Ecgtheow's son, +under wide earth for that earl of Geats, +had his armor of war not aided him, +battle-net hard, and holy God +wielded the victory, wisest Maker. +The Lord of Heaven allowed his cause; +and easily rose the earl erect. + + + + +XXIII + +'MID the battle-gear saw he a blade triumphant, +old-sword of Eotens, with edge of proof, +warriors' heirloom, weapon unmatched, +-- save only 'twas more than other men +to bandy-of-battle could bear at all -- +as the giants had wrought it, ready and keen. +Seized then its chain-hilt the Scyldings' chieftain, +bold and battle-grim, brandished the sword, +reckless of life, and so wrathfully smote +that it gripped her neck and grasped her hard, +her bone-rings breaking: the blade pierced through +that fated-one's flesh: to floor she sank. +Bloody the blade: he was blithe of his deed. +Then blazed forth light. 'Twas bright within +as when from the sky there shines unclouded +heaven's candle. The hall he scanned. +By the wall then went he; his weapon raised +high by its hilts the Hygelac-thane, +angry and eager. That edge was not useless +to the warrior now. He wished with speed +Grendel to guerdon for grim raids many, +for the war he waged on Western-Danes +oftener far than an only time, +when of Hrothgar's hearth-companions +he slew in slumber, in sleep devoured, +fifteen men of the folk of Danes, +and as many others outward bore, +his horrible prey. Well paid for that +the wrathful prince! For now prone he saw +Grendel stretched there, spent with war, +spoiled of life, so scathed had left him +Heorot's battle. The body sprang far +when after death it endured the blow, +sword-stroke savage, that severed its head. +Soon, {23a} then, saw the sage companions +who waited with Hrothgar, watching the flood, +that the tossing waters turbid grew, +blood-stained the mere. Old men together, +hoary-haired, of the hero spake; +the warrior would not, they weened, again, +proud of conquest, come to seek +their mighty master. To many it seemed +the wolf-of-the-waves had won his life. +The ninth hour came. The noble Scyldings +left the headland; homeward went +the gold-friend of men. {23b} But the guests sat on, +stared at the surges, sick in heart, +and wished, yet weened not, their winsome lord +again to see. + +Now that sword began, +from blood of the fight, in battle-droppings, {23c} +war-blade, to wane: 'twas a wondrous thing +that all of it melted as ice is wont +when frosty fetters the Father loosens, +unwinds the wave-bonds, wielding all +seasons and times: the true God he! +Nor took from that dwelling the duke of the Geats +save only the head and that hilt withal +blazoned with jewels: the blade had melted, +burned was the bright sword, her blood was so hot, +so poisoned the hell-sprite who perished within there. +Soon he was swimming who safe saw in combat +downfall of demons; up-dove through the flood. +The clashing waters were cleansed now, +waste of waves, where the wandering fiend +her life-days left and this lapsing world. +Swam then to strand the sailors'-refuge, +sturdy-in-spirit, of sea-booty glad, +of burden brave he bore with him. +Went then to greet him, and God they thanked, +the thane-band choice of their chieftain blithe, +that safe and sound they could see him again. +Soon from the hardy one helmet and armor +deftly they doffed: now drowsed the mere, +water 'neath welkin, with war-blood stained. +Forth they fared by the footpaths thence, +merry at heart the highways measured, +well-known roads. Courageous men +carried the head from the cliff by the sea, +an arduous task for all the band, +the firm in fight, since four were needed +on the shaft-of-slaughter {23d} strenuously +to bear to the gold-hall Grendel's head. +So presently to the palace there +foemen fearless, fourteen Geats, +marching came. Their master-of-clan +mighty amid them the meadow-ways trod. +Strode then within the sovran thane +fearless in fight, of fame renowned, +hardy hero, Hrothgar to greet. +And next by the hair into hall was borne +Grendel's head, where the henchmen were drinking, +an awe to clan and queen alike, +a monster of marvel: the men looked on. + + + +XXIV + +BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"Lo, now, this sea-booty, son of Healfdene, +Lord of Scyldings, we've lustily brought thee, +sign of glory; thou seest it here. +Not lightly did I with my life escape! +In war under water this work I essayed +with endless effort; and even so +my strength had been lost had the Lord not shielded me. +Not a whit could I with Hrunting do +in work of war, though the weapon is good; +yet a sword the Sovran of Men vouchsafed me +to spy on the wall there, in splendor hanging, +old, gigantic, -- how oft He guides +the friendless wight! -- and I fought with that brand, +felling in fight, since fate was with me, +the house's wardens. That war-sword then +all burned, bright blade, when the blood gushed o'er it, +battle-sweat hot; but the hilt I brought back +from my foes. So avenged I their fiendish deeds +death-fall of Danes, as was due and right. +And this is my hest, that in Heorot now +safe thou canst sleep with thy soldier band, +and every thane of all thy folk +both old and young; no evil fear, +Scyldings' lord, from that side again, +aught ill for thy earls, as erst thou must!" +Then the golden hilt, for that gray-haired leader, +hoary hero, in hand was laid, +giant-wrought, old. So owned and enjoyed it +after downfall of devils, the Danish lord, +wonder-smiths' work, since the world was rid +of that grim-souled fiend, the foe of God, +murder-marked, and his mother as well. +Now it passed into power of the people's king, +best of all that the oceans bound +who have scattered their gold o'er Scandia's isle. +Hrothgar spake -- the hilt he viewed, +heirloom old, where was etched the rise +of that far-off fight when the floods o'erwhelmed, +raging waves, the race of giants +(fearful their fate!), a folk estranged +from God Eternal: whence guerdon due +in that waste of waters the Wielder paid them. +So on the guard of shining gold +in runic staves it was rightly said +for whom the serpent-traced sword was wrought, +best of blades, in bygone days, +and the hilt well wound. -- The wise-one spake, +son of Healfdene; silent were all: -- +"Lo, so may he say who sooth and right +follows 'mid folk, of far times mindful, +a land-warden old, {24a} that this earl belongs +to the better breed! So, borne aloft, +thy fame must fly, O friend my Beowulf, +far and wide o'er folksteads many. Firmly thou +shalt all maintain, +mighty strength with mood of wisdom. Love of +mine will I assure thee, +as, awhile ago, I promised; thou shalt prove a stay +in future, +in far-off years, to folk of thine, +to the heroes a help. Was not Heremod thus +to offspring of Ecgwela, Honor-Scyldings, +nor grew for their grace, but for grisly slaughter, +for doom of death to the Danishmen. + +He slew, wrath-swollen, his shoulder-comrades, +companions at board! So he passed alone, +chieftain haughty, from human cheer. +Though him the Maker with might endowed, +delights of power, and uplifted high +above all men, yet blood-fierce his mind, +his breast-hoard, grew, no bracelets gave he +to Danes as was due; he endured all joyless +strain of struggle and stress of woe, +long feud with his folk. Here find thy lesson! +Of virtue advise thee! This verse I have said for thee, +wise from lapsed winters. Wondrous seems +how to sons of men Almighty God +in the strength of His spirit sendeth wisdom, +estate, high station: He swayeth all things. +Whiles He letteth right lustily fare +the heart of the hero of high-born race, -- +in seat ancestral assigns him bliss, +his folk's sure fortress in fee to hold, +puts in his power great parts of the earth, +empire so ample, that end of it +this wanter-of-wisdom weeneth none. +So he waxes in wealth, nowise can harm him +illness or age; no evil cares +shadow his spirit; no sword-hate threatens +from ever an enemy: all the world +wends at his will, no worse he knoweth, +till all within him obstinate pride +waxes and wakes while the warden slumbers, +the spirit's sentry; sleep is too fast +which masters his might, and the murderer nears, +stealthily shooting the shafts from his bow! + + + +XXV + +"UNDER harness his heart then is hit indeed +by sharpest shafts; and no shelter avails +from foul behest of the hellish fiend. {25a} +Him seems too little what long he possessed. +Greedy and grim, no golden rings +he gives for his pride; the promised future +forgets he and spurns, with all God has sent him, +Wonder-Wielder, of wealth and fame. +Yet in the end it ever comes +that the frame of the body fragile yields, +fated falls; and there follows another +who joyously the jewels divides, +the royal riches, nor recks of his forebear. +Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest, +best of men, and the better part choose, +profit eternal; and temper thy pride, +warrior famous! The flower of thy might +lasts now a while: but erelong it shall be +that sickness or sword thy strength shall minish, +or fang of fire, or flooding billow, +or bite of blade, or brandished spear, +or odious age; or the eyes' clear beam +wax dull and darken: Death even thee +in haste shall o'erwhelm, thou hero of war! +So the Ring-Danes these half-years a hundred I ruled, +wielded 'neath welkin, and warded them bravely +from mighty-ones many o'er middle-earth, +from spear and sword, till it seemed for me +no foe could be found under fold of the sky. +Lo, sudden the shift! To me seated secure +came grief for joy when Grendel began +to harry my home, the hellish foe; +for those ruthless raids, unresting I suffered +heart-sorrow heavy. Heaven be thanked, +Lord Eternal, for life extended +that I on this head all hewn and bloody, +after long evil, with eyes may gaze! +-- Go to the bench now! Be glad at banquet, +warrior worthy! A wealth of treasure +at dawn of day, be dealt between us!" +Glad was the Geats' lord, going betimes +to seek his seat, as the Sage commanded. +Afresh, as before, for the famed-in-battle, +for the band of the hall, was a banquet dight +nobly anew. The Night-Helm darkened +dusk o'er the drinkers. +The doughty ones rose: +for the hoary-headed would hasten to rest, +aged Scylding; and eager the Geat, +shield-fighter sturdy, for sleeping yearned. +Him wander-weary, warrior-guest +from far, a hall-thane heralded forth, +who by custom courtly cared for all +needs of a thane as in those old days +warrior-wanderers wont to have. +So slumbered the stout-heart. Stately the hall +rose gabled and gilt where the guest slept on +till a raven black the rapture-of-heaven {25b} +blithe-heart boded. Bright came flying +shine after shadow. The swordsmen hastened, +athelings all were eager homeward +forth to fare; and far from thence +the great-hearted guest would guide his keel. +Bade then the hardy-one Hrunting be brought +to the son of Ecglaf, the sword bade him take, +excellent iron, and uttered his thanks for it, +quoth that he counted it keen in battle, +"war-friend" winsome: with words he slandered not +edge of the blade: 'twas a big-hearted man! +Now eager for parting and armed at point +warriors waited, while went to his host +that Darling of Danes. The doughty atheling +to high-seat hastened and Hrothgar greeted. + + + +XXVI + +BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"Lo, we seafarers say our will, +far-come men, that we fain would seek +Hygelac now. We here have found +hosts to our heart: thou hast harbored us well. +If ever on earth I am able to win me +more of thy love, O lord of men, +aught anew, than I now have done, +for work of war I am willing still! +If it come to me ever across the seas +that neighbor foemen annoy and fright thee, -- +as they that hate thee erewhile have used, -- +thousands then of thanes I shall bring, +heroes to help thee. Of Hygelac I know, +ward of his folk, that, though few his years, +the lord of the Geats will give me aid +by word and by work, that well I may serve thee, +wielding the war-wood to win thy triumph +and lending thee might when thou lackest men. +If thy Hrethric should come to court of Geats, +a sovran's son, he will surely there +find his friends. A far-off land +each man should visit who vaunts him brave." +Him then answering, Hrothgar spake: -- +"These words of thine the wisest God +sent to thy soul! No sager counsel +from so young in years e'er yet have I heard. +Thou art strong of main and in mind art wary, +art wise in words! I ween indeed +if ever it hap that Hrethel's heir +by spear be seized, by sword-grim battle, +by illness or iron, thine elder and lord, +people's leader, -- and life be thine, -- +no seemlier man will the Sea-Geats find +at all to choose for their chief and king, +for hoard-guard of heroes, if hold thou wilt +thy kinsman's kingdom! Thy keen mind pleases me +the longer the better, Beowulf loved! + +Thou hast brought it about that both our peoples, +sons of the Geat and Spear-Dane folk, +shall have mutual peace, and from murderous strife, +such as once they waged, from war refrain. +Long as I rule this realm so wide, +let our hoards be common, let heroes with gold +each other greet o'er the gannet's-bath, +and the ringed-prow bear o'er rolling waves +tokens of love. I trow my landfolk +towards friend and foe are firmly joined, +and honor they keep in the olden way." +To him in the hall, then, Healfdene's son +gave treasures twelve, and the trust-of-earls +bade him fare with the gifts to his folk beloved, +hale to his home, and in haste return. +Then kissed the king of kin renowned, +Scyldings' chieftain, that choicest thane, +and fell on his neck. Fast flowed the tears +of the hoary-headed. Heavy with winters, +he had chances twain, but he clung to this, {26a} -- +that each should look on the other again, +and hear him in hall. Was this hero so dear to him. +his breast's wild billows he banned in vain; +safe in his soul a secret longing, +locked in his mind, for that loved man +burned in his blood. Then Beowulf strode, +glad of his gold-gifts, the grass-plot o'er, +warrior blithe. The wave-roamer bode +riding at anchor, its owner awaiting. +As they hastened onward, Hrothgar's gift +they lauded at length. -- 'Twas a lord unpeered, +every way blameless, till age had broken +-- it spareth no mortal -- his splendid might. + + + +XXVII + +CAME now to ocean the ever-courageous +hardy henchmen, their harness bearing, +woven war-sarks. The warden marked, +trusty as ever, the earl's return. +From the height of the hill no hostile words +reached the guests as he rode to greet them; +but "Welcome!" he called to that Weder clan +as the sheen-mailed spoilers to ship marched on. +Then on the strand, with steeds and treasure +and armor their roomy and ring-dight ship +was heavily laden: high its mast +rose over Hrothgar's hoarded gems. +A sword to the boat-guard Beowulf gave, +mounted with gold; on the mead-bench since +he was better esteemed, that blade possessing, +heirloom old. -- Their ocean-keel boarding, +they drove through the deep, and Daneland left. +A sea-cloth was set, a sail with ropes, +firm to the mast; the flood-timbers moaned; {27a} +nor did wind over billows that wave-swimmer blow +across from her course. The craft sped on, +foam-necked it floated forth o'er the waves, +keel firm-bound over briny currents, +till they got them sight of the Geatish cliffs, +home-known headlands. High the boat, +stirred by winds, on the strand updrove. +Helpful at haven the harbor-guard stood, +who long already for loved companions +by the water had waited and watched afar. +He bound to the beach the broad-bosomed ship +with anchor-bands, lest ocean-billows +that trusty timber should tear away. +Then Beowulf bade them bear the treasure, +gold and jewels; no journey far +was it thence to go to the giver of rings, +Hygelac Hrethling: at home he dwelt +by the sea-wall close, himself and clan. +Haughty that house, a hero the king, +high the hall, and Hygd {27b} right young, +wise and wary, though winters few +in those fortress walls she had found a home, +Haereth's daughter. Nor humble her ways, +nor grudged she gifts to the Geatish men, +of precious treasure. Not Thryth's pride showed she, +folk-queen famed, or that fell deceit. +Was none so daring that durst make bold +(save her lord alone) of the liegemen dear +that lady full in the face to look, +but forged fetters he found his lot, +bonds of death! And brief the respite; +soon as they seized him, his sword-doom was spoken, +and the burnished blade a baleful murder +proclaimed and closed. No queenly way +for woman to practise, though peerless she, +that the weaver-of-peace {27c} from warrior dear +by wrath and lying his life should reave! +But Hemming's kinsman hindered this. -- +For over their ale men also told +that of these folk-horrors fewer she wrought, +onslaughts of evil, after she went, +gold-decked bride, to the brave young prince, +atheling haughty, and Offa's hall +o'er the fallow flood at her father's bidding +safely sought, where since she prospered, +royal, throned, rich in goods, +fain of the fair life fate had sent her, +and leal in love to the lord of warriors. +He, of all heroes I heard of ever +from sea to sea, of the sons of earth, +most excellent seemed. Hence Offa was praised +for his fighting and feeing by far-off men, +the spear-bold warrior; wisely he ruled +over his empire. Eomer woke to him, +help of heroes, Hemming's kinsman, +Grandson of Garmund, grim in war. + + + +XXVIII + +HASTENED the hardy one, henchmen with him, +sandy strand of the sea to tread +and widespread ways. The world's great candle, +sun shone from south. They strode along +with sturdy steps to the spot they knew +where the battle-king young, his burg within, +slayer of Ongentheow, shared the rings, +shelter-of-heroes. To Hygelac +Beowulf's coming was quickly told, -- +that there in the court the clansmen's refuge, +the shield-companion sound and alive, +hale from the hero-play homeward strode. +With haste in the hall, by highest order, +room for the rovers was readily made. +By his sovran he sat, come safe from battle, +kinsman by kinsman. His kindly lord +he first had greeted in gracious form, +with manly words. The mead dispensing, +came through the high hall Haereth's daughter, +winsome to warriors, wine-cup bore +to the hands of the heroes. Hygelac then +his comrade fairly with question plied +in the lofty hall, sore longing to know +what manner of sojourn the Sea-Geats made. +"What came of thy quest, my kinsman Beowulf, +when thy yearnings suddenly swept thee yonder +battle to seek o'er the briny sea, +combat in Heorot? Hrothgar couldst thou +aid at all, the honored chief, +in his wide-known woes? With waves of care +my sad heart seethed; I sore mistrusted +my loved one's venture: long I begged thee +by no means to seek that slaughtering monster, +but suffer the South-Danes to settle their feud +themselves with Grendel. Now God be thanked +that safe and sound I can see thee now!" +Beowulf spake, the bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"'Tis known and unhidden, Hygelac Lord, +to many men, that meeting of ours, +struggle grim between Grendel and me, +which we fought on the field where full too many +sorrows he wrought for the Scylding-Victors, +evils unending. These all I avenged. +No boast can be from breed of Grendel, +any on earth, for that uproar at dawn, +from the longest-lived of the loathsome race +in fleshly fold! -- But first I went +Hrothgar to greet in the hall of gifts, +where Healfdene's kinsman high-renowned, +soon as my purpose was plain to him, +assigned me a seat by his son and heir. +The liegemen were lusty; my life-days never +such merry men over mead in hall +have I heard under heaven! The high-born queen, +people's peace-bringer, passed through the hall, +cheered the young clansmen, clasps of gold, +ere she sought her seat, to sundry gave. +Oft to the heroes Hrothgar's daughter, +to earls in turn, the ale-cup tendered, -- +she whom I heard these hall-companions +Freawaru name, when fretted gold +she proffered the warriors. Promised is she, +gold-decked maid, to the glad son of Froda. +Sage this seems to the Scylding's-friend, +kingdom's-keeper: he counts it wise +the woman to wed so and ward off feud, +store of slaughter. But seldom ever +when men are slain, does the murder-spear sink +but briefest while, though the bride be fair! {28a} +"Nor haply will like it the Heathobard lord, +and as little each of his liegemen all, +when a thane of the Danes, in that doughty throng, +goes with the lady along their hall, +and on him the old-time heirlooms glisten +hard and ring-decked, Heathobard's treasure, +weapons that once they wielded fair +until they lost at the linden-play {28b} +liegeman leal and their lives as well. +Then, over the ale, on this heirloom gazing, +some ash-wielder old who has all in mind +that spear-death of men, {28c} -- he is stern of mood, +heavy at heart, -- in the hero young +tests the temper and tries the soul +and war-hate wakens, with words like these: -- +Canst thou not, comrade, ken that sword +which to the fray thy father carried +in his final feud, 'neath the fighting-mask, +dearest of blades, when the Danish slew him +and wielded the war-place on Withergild's fall, +after havoc of heroes, those hardy Scyldings? +Now, the son of a certain slaughtering Dane, +proud of his treasure, paces this hall, +joys in the killing, and carries the jewel {28d} +that rightfully ought to be owned by thee!_ +Thus he urges and eggs him all the time +with keenest words, till occasion offers +that Freawaru's thane, for his father's deed, +after bite of brand in his blood must slumber, +losing his life; but that liegeman flies +living away, for the land he kens. +And thus be broken on both their sides +oaths of the earls, when Ingeld's breast +wells with war-hate, and wife-love now +after the care-billows cooler grows. +"So {28e} I hold not high the Heathobards' faith +due to the Danes, or their during love +and pact of peace. -- But I pass from that, +turning to Grendel, O giver-of-treasure, +and saying in full how the fight resulted, +hand-fray of heroes. When heaven's jewel +had fled o'er far fields, that fierce sprite came, +night-foe savage, to seek us out +where safe and sound we sentried the hall. +To Hondscio then was that harassing deadly, +his fall there was fated. He first was slain, +girded warrior. Grendel on him +turned murderous mouth, on our mighty kinsman, +and all of the brave man's body devoured. +Yet none the earlier, empty-handed, +would the bloody-toothed murderer, mindful of bale, +outward go from the gold-decked hall: +but me he attacked in his terror of might, +with greedy hand grasped me. A glove hung by him {28f} +wide and wondrous, wound with bands; +and in artful wise it all was wrought, +by devilish craft, of dragon-skins. +Me therein, an innocent man, +the fiendish foe was fain to thrust +with many another. He might not so, +when I all angrily upright stood. +'Twere long to relate how that land-destroyer +I paid in kind for his cruel deeds; +yet there, my prince, this people of thine +got fame by my fighting. He fled away, +and a little space his life preserved; +but there staid behind him his stronger hand +left in Heorot; heartsick thence +on the floor of the ocean that outcast fell. +Me for this struggle the Scyldings'-friend +paid in plenty with plates of gold, +with many a treasure, when morn had come +and we all at the banquet-board sat down. +Then was song and glee. The gray-haired Scylding, +much tested, told of the times of yore. +Whiles the hero his harp bestirred, +wood-of-delight; now lays he chanted +of sooth and sadness, or said aright +legends of wonder, the wide-hearted king; +or for years of his youth he would yearn at times, +for strength of old struggles, now stricken with age, +hoary hero: his heart surged full +when, wise with winters, he wailed their flight. +Thus in the hall the whole of that day +at ease we feasted, till fell o'er earth +another night. Anon full ready +in greed of vengeance, Grendel's mother +set forth all doleful. Dead was her son +through war-hate of Weders; now, woman monstrous +with fury fell a foeman she slew, +avenged her offspring. From Aeschere old, +loyal councillor, life was gone; +nor might they e'en, when morning broke, +those Danish people, their death-done comrade +burn with brands, on balefire lay +the man they mourned. Under mountain stream +she had carried the corpse with cruel hands. +For Hrothgar that was the heaviest sorrow +of all that had laden the lord of his folk. +The leader then, by thy life, besought me +(sad was his soul) in the sea-waves' coil +to play the hero and hazard my being +for glory of prowess: my guerdon he pledged. +I then in the waters -- 'tis widely known -- +that sea-floor-guardian savage found. +Hand-to-hand there a while we struggled; +billows welled blood; in the briny hall +her head I hewed with a hardy blade +from Grendel's mother, -- and gained my life, +though not without danger. My doom was not yet. +Then the haven-of-heroes, Healfdene's son, +gave me in guerdon great gifts of price. + + + +XXIX + +"So held this king to the customs old, +that I wanted for nought in the wage I gained, +the meed of my might; he made me gifts, +Healfdene's heir, for my own disposal. +Now to thee, my prince, I proffer them all, +gladly give them. Thy grace alone +can find me favor. Few indeed +have I of kinsmen, save, Hygelac, thee!" +Then he bade them bear him the boar-head standard, +the battle-helm high, and breastplate gray, +the splendid sword; then spake in form: -- +"Me this war-gear the wise old prince, +Hrothgar, gave, and his hest he added, +that its story be straightway said to thee. -- +A while it was held by Heorogar king, +for long time lord of the land of Scyldings; +yet not to his son the sovran left it, +to daring Heoroweard, -- dear as he was to him, +his harness of battle. -- Well hold thou it all!" +And I heard that soon passed o'er the path of this treasure, +all apple-fallow, four good steeds, +each like the others, arms and horses +he gave to the king. So should kinsmen be, +not weave one another the net of wiles, +or with deep-hid treachery death contrive +for neighbor and comrade. His nephew was ever +by hardy Hygelac held full dear, +and each kept watch o'er the other's weal. +I heard, too, the necklace to Hygd he presented, +wonder-wrought treasure, which Wealhtheow gave him +sovran's daughter: three steeds he added, +slender and saddle-gay. Since such gift +the gem gleamed bright on the breast of the queen. +Thus showed his strain the son of Ecgtheow +as a man remarked for mighty deeds +and acts of honor. At ale he slew not +comrade or kin; nor cruel his mood, +though of sons of earth his strength was greatest, +a glorious gift that God had sent +the splendid leader. Long was he spurned, +and worthless by Geatish warriors held; +him at mead the master-of-clans +failed full oft to favor at all. +Slack and shiftless the strong men deemed him, +profitless prince; but payment came, +to the warrior honored, for all his woes. -- +Then the bulwark-of-earls {29a} bade bring within, +hardy chieftain, Hrethel's heirloom +garnished with gold: no Geat e'er knew +in shape of a sword a statelier prize. +The brand he laid in Beowulf's lap; +and of hides assigned him seven thousand, {29b} +with house and high-seat. They held in common +land alike by their line of birth, +inheritance, home: but higher the king +because of his rule o'er the realm itself. + +Now further it fell with the flight of years, +with harryings horrid, that Hygelac perished, {29c} +and Heardred, too, by hewing of swords +under the shield-wall slaughtered lay, +when him at the van of his victor-folk +sought hardy heroes, Heatho-Scilfings, +in arms o'erwhelming Hereric's nephew. +Then Beowulf came as king this broad +realm to wield; and he ruled it well +fifty winters, {29d} a wise old prince, +warding his land, until One began +in the dark of night, a Dragon, to rage. +In the grave on the hill a hoard it guarded, +in the stone-barrow steep. A strait path reached it, +unknown to mortals. Some man, however, +came by chance that cave within +to the heathen hoard. {29e} In hand he took +a golden goblet, nor gave he it back, +stole with it away, while the watcher slept, +by thievish wiles: for the warden's wrath +prince and people must pay betimes! + + + +XXX + +THAT way he went with no will of his own, +in danger of life, to the dragon's hoard, +but for pressure of peril, some prince's thane. +He fled in fear the fatal scourge, +seeking shelter, a sinful man, +and entered in. At the awful sight +tottered that guest, and terror seized him; +yet the wretched fugitive rallied anon +from fright and fear ere he fled away, +and took the cup from that treasure-hoard. +Of such besides there was store enough, +heirlooms old, the earth below, +which some earl forgotten, in ancient years, +left the last of his lofty race, +heedfully there had hidden away, +dearest treasure. For death of yore +had hurried all hence; and he alone +left to live, the last of the clan, +weeping his friends, yet wished to bide +warding the treasure, his one delight, +though brief his respite. The barrow, new-ready, +to strand and sea-waves stood anear, +hard by the headland, hidden and closed; +there laid within it his lordly heirlooms +and heaped hoard of heavy gold +that warden of rings. Few words he spake: +"Now hold thou, earth, since heroes may not, +what earls have owned! Lo, erst from thee +brave men brought it! But battle-death seized +and cruel killing my clansmen all, +robbed them of life and a liegeman's joys. +None have I left to lift the sword, +or to cleanse the carven cup of price, +beaker bright. My brave are gone. +And the helmet hard, all haughty with gold, +shall part from its plating. Polishers sleep +who could brighten and burnish the battle-mask; +and those weeds of war that were wont to brave +over bicker of shields the bite of steel +rust with their bearer. The ringed mail +fares not far with famous chieftain, +at side of hero! No harp's delight, +no glee-wood's gladness! No good hawk now +flies through the hall! Nor horses fleet +stamp in the burgstead! Battle and death +the flower of my race have reft away." +Mournful of mood, thus he moaned his woe, +alone, for them all, and unblithe wept +by day and by night, till death's fell wave +o'erwhelmed his heart. His hoard-of-bliss +that old ill-doer open found, +who, blazing at twilight the barrows haunteth, +naked foe-dragon flying by night +folded in fire: the folk of earth +dread him sore. 'Tis his doom to seek +hoard in the graves, and heathen gold +to watch, many-wintered: nor wins he thereby! +Powerful this plague-of-the-people thus +held the house of the hoard in earth +three hundred winters; till One aroused +wrath in his breast, to the ruler bearing +that costly cup, and the king implored +for bond of peace. So the barrow was plundered, +borne off was booty. His boon was granted +that wretched man; and his ruler saw +first time what was fashioned in far-off days. +When the dragon awoke, new woe was kindled. +O'er the stone he snuffed. The stark-heart found +footprint of foe who so far had gone +in his hidden craft by the creature's head. -- +So may the undoomed easily flee +evils and exile, if only he gain +the grace of The Wielder! -- That warden of gold +o'er the ground went seeking, greedy to find +the man who wrought him such wrong in sleep. +Savage and burning, the barrow he circled +all without; nor was any there, +none in the waste.... Yet war he desired, +was eager for battle. The barrow he entered, +sought the cup, and discovered soon +that some one of mortals had searched his treasure, +his lordly gold. The guardian waited +ill-enduring till evening came; +boiling with wrath was the barrow's keeper, +and fain with flame the foe to pay +for the dear cup's loss. -- Now day was fled +as the worm had wished. By its wall no more +was it glad to bide, but burning flew +folded in flame: a fearful beginning +for sons of the soil; and soon it came, +in the doom of their lord, to a dreadful end. + + + +XXXI + +THEN the baleful fiend its fire belched out, +and bright homes burned. The blaze stood high +all landsfolk frighting. No living thing +would that loathly one leave as aloft it flew. +Wide was the dragon's warring seen, +its fiendish fury far and near, +as the grim destroyer those Geatish people +hated and hounded. To hidden lair, +to its hoard it hastened at hint of dawn. +Folk of the land it had lapped in flame, +with bale and brand. In its barrow it trusted, +its battling and bulwarks: that boast was vain! + +To Beowulf then the bale was told +quickly and truly: the king's own home, +of buildings the best, in brand-waves melted, +that gift-throne of Geats. To the good old man +sad in heart, 'twas heaviest sorrow. +The sage assumed that his sovran God +he had angered, breaking ancient law, +and embittered the Lord. His breast within +with black thoughts welled, as his wont was never. +The folk's own fastness that fiery dragon +with flame had destroyed, and the stronghold all +washed by waves; but the warlike king, +prince of the Weders, plotted vengeance. +Warriors'-bulwark, he bade them work +all of iron -- the earl's commander -- +a war-shield wondrous: well he knew +that forest-wood against fire were worthless, +linden could aid not. -- Atheling brave, +he was fated to finish this fleeting life, {31a} +his days on earth, and the dragon with him, +though long it had watched o'er the wealth of the hoard! -- +Shame he reckoned it, sharer-of-rings, +to follow the flyer-afar with a host, +a broad-flung band; nor the battle feared he, +nor deemed he dreadful the dragon's warring, +its vigor and valor: ventures desperate +he had passed a-plenty, and perils of war, +contest-crash, since, conqueror proud, +Hrothgar's hall he had wholly purged, +and in grapple had killed the kin of Grendel, +loathsome breed! Not least was that +of hand-to-hand fights where Hygelac fell, +when the ruler of Geats in rush of battle, +lord of his folk, in the Frisian land, +son of Hrethel, by sword-draughts died, +by brands down-beaten. Thence Beowulf fled +through strength of himself and his swimming power, +though alone, and his arms were laden with thirty +coats of mail, when he came to the sea! +Nor yet might Hetwaras {31b} haughtily boast +their craft of contest, who carried against him +shields to the fight: but few escaped +from strife with the hero to seek their homes! +Then swam over ocean Ecgtheow's son +lonely and sorrowful, seeking his land, +where Hygd made him offer of hoard and realm, +rings and royal-seat, reckoning naught +the strength of her son to save their kingdom +from hostile hordes, after Hygelac's death. +No sooner for this could the stricken ones +in any wise move that atheling's mind +over young Heardred's head as lord +and ruler of all the realm to be: +yet the hero upheld him with helpful words, +aided in honor, till, older grown, +he wielded the Weder-Geats. -- Wandering exiles +sought him o'er seas, the sons of Ohtere, +who had spurned the sway of the Scylfings'-helmet, +the bravest and best that broke the rings, +in Swedish land, of the sea-kings' line, +haughty hero. {31c} Hence Heardred's end. +For shelter he gave them, sword-death came, +the blade's fell blow, to bairn of Hygelac; +but the son of Ongentheow sought again +house and home when Heardred fell, +leaving Beowulf lord of Geats +and gift-seat's master. -- A good king he! + + + +XXXII + +THE fall of his lord he was fain to requite +in after days; and to Eadgils he proved +friend to the friendless, and forces sent +over the sea to the son of Ohtere, +weapons and warriors: well repaid he +those care-paths cold when the king he slew. {32a} +Thus safe through struggles the son of Ecgtheow +had passed a plenty, through perils dire, +with daring deeds, till this day was come +that doomed him now with the dragon to strive. +With comrades eleven the lord of Geats +swollen in rage went seeking the dragon. +He had heard whence all the harm arose +and the killing of clansmen; that cup of price +on the lap of the lord had been laid by the finder. +In the throng was this one thirteenth man, +starter of all the strife and ill, +care-laden captive; cringing thence +forced and reluctant, he led them on +till he came in ken of that cavern-hall, +the barrow delved near billowy surges, +flood of ocean. Within 'twas full +of wire-gold and jewels; a jealous warden, +warrior trusty, the treasures held, +lurked in his lair. Not light the task +of entrance for any of earth-born men! +Sat on the headland the hero king, +spake words of hail to his hearth-companions, +gold-friend of Geats. All gloomy his soul, +wavering, death-bound. Wyrd full nigh +stood ready to greet the gray-haired man, +to seize his soul-hoard, sunder apart +life and body. Not long would be +the warrior's spirit enwound with flesh. +Beowulf spake, the bairn of Ecgtheow: -- +"Through store of struggles I strove in youth, +mighty feuds; I mind them all. +I was seven years old when the sovran of rings, +friend-of-his-folk, from my father took me, +had me, and held me, Hrethel the king, +with food and fee, faithful in kinship. +Ne'er, while I lived there, he loathlier found me, +bairn in the burg, than his birthright sons, +Herebeald and Haethcyn and Hygelac mine. +For the eldest of these, by unmeet chance, +by kinsman's deed, was the death-bed strewn, +when Haethcyn killed him with horny bow, +his own dear liege laid low with an arrow, +missed the mark and his mate shot down, +one brother the other, with bloody shaft. +A feeless fight, {32b} and a fearful sin, +horror to Hrethel; yet, hard as it was, +unavenged must the atheling die! +Too awful it is for an aged man +to bide and bear, that his bairn so young +rides on the gallows. A rime he makes, +sorrow-song for his son there hanging +as rapture of ravens; no rescue now +can come from the old, disabled man! +Still is he minded, as morning breaks, +of the heir gone elsewhere; {32c} another he hopes not +he will bide to see his burg within +as ward for his wealth, now the one has found +doom of death that the deed incurred. +Forlorn he looks on the lodge of his son, +wine-hall waste and wind-swept chambers +reft of revel. The rider sleepeth, +the hero, far-hidden; {32d} no harp resounds, +in the courts no wassail, as once was heard. + + + +XXXIII + +"THEN he goes to his chamber, a grief-song chants +alone for his lost. Too large all seems, +homestead and house. So the helmet-of-Weders +hid in his heart for Herebeald +waves of woe. No way could he take +to avenge on the slayer slaughter so foul; +nor e'en could he harass that hero at all +with loathing deed, though he loved him not. +And so for the sorrow his soul endured, +men's gladness he gave up and God's light chose. +Lands and cities he left his sons +(as the wealthy do) when he went from earth. +There was strife and struggle 'twixt Swede and Geat +o'er the width of waters; war arose, +hard battle-horror, when Hrethel died, +and Ongentheow's offspring grew +strife-keen, bold, nor brooked o'er the seas +pact of peace, but pushed their hosts +to harass in hatred by Hreosnabeorh. +Men of my folk for that feud had vengeance, +for woful war ('tis widely known), +though one of them bought it with blood of his heart, +a bargain hard: for Haethcyn proved +fatal that fray, for the first-of-Geats. +At morn, I heard, was the murderer killed +by kinsman for kinsman, {33a} with clash of sword, +when Ongentheow met Eofor there. +Wide split the war-helm: wan he fell, +hoary Scylfing; the hand that smote him +of feud was mindful, nor flinched from the death-blow. +-- "For all that he {33b} gave me, my gleaming sword +repaid him at war, -- such power I wielded, -- +for lordly treasure: with land he entrusted me, +homestead and house. He had no need +from Swedish realm, or from Spear-Dane folk, +or from men of the Gifths, to get him help, -- +some warrior worse for wage to buy! +Ever I fought in the front of all, +sole to the fore; and so shall I fight +while I bide in life and this blade shall last +that early and late hath loyal proved +since for my doughtiness Daeghrefn fell, +slain by my hand, the Hugas' champion. +Nor fared he thence to the Frisian king +with the booty back, and breast-adornments; +but, slain in struggle, that standard-bearer +fell, atheling brave. Not with blade was he slain, +but his bones were broken by brawny gripe, +his heart-waves stilled. -- The sword-edge now, +hard blade and my hand, for the hoard shall strive." +Beowulf spake, and a battle-vow made +his last of all: "I have lived through many +wars in my youth; now once again, +old folk-defender, feud will I seek, +do doughty deeds, if the dark destroyer +forth from his cavern come to fight me!" +Then hailed he the helmeted heroes all, +for the last time greeting his liegemen dear, +comrades of war: "I should carry no weapon, +no sword to the serpent, if sure I knew +how, with such enemy, else my vows +I could gain as I did in Grendel's day. +But fire in this fight I must fear me now, +and poisonous breath; so I bring with me +breastplate and board. {33c} From the barrow's keeper +no footbreadth flee I. One fight shall end +our war by the wall, as Wyrd allots, +all mankind's master. My mood is bold +but forbears to boast o'er this battling-flyer. +-- Now abide by the barrow, ye breastplate-mailed, +ye heroes in harness, which of us twain +better from battle-rush bear his wounds. +Wait ye the finish. The fight is not yours, +nor meet for any but me alone +to measure might with this monster here +and play the hero. Hardily I +shall win that wealth, or war shall seize, +cruel killing, your king and lord!" +Up stood then with shield the sturdy champion, +stayed by the strength of his single manhood, +and hardy 'neath helmet his harness bore +under cleft of the cliffs: no coward's path! +Soon spied by the wall that warrior chief, +survivor of many a victory-field +where foemen fought with furious clashings, +an arch of stone; and within, a stream +that broke from the barrow. The brooklet's wave +was hot with fire. The hoard that way +he never could hope unharmed to near, +or endure those deeps, {33d} for the dragon's flame. +Then let from his breast, for he burst with rage, +the Weder-Geat prince a word outgo; +stormed the stark-heart; stern went ringing +and clear his cry 'neath the cliff-rocks gray. +The hoard-guard heard a human voice; +his rage was enkindled. No respite now +for pact of peace! The poison-breath +of that foul worm first came forth from the cave, +hot reek-of-fight: the rocks resounded. +Stout by the stone-way his shield he raised, +lord of the Geats, against the loathed-one; +while with courage keen that coiled foe +came seeking strife. The sturdy king +had drawn his sword, not dull of edge, +heirloom old; and each of the two +felt fear of his foe, though fierce their mood. +Stoutly stood with his shield high-raised +the warrior king, as the worm now coiled +together amain: the mailed-one waited. +Now, spire by spire, fast sped and glided +that blazing serpent. The shield protected, +soul and body a shorter while +for the hero-king than his heart desired, +could his will have wielded the welcome respite +but once in his life! But Wyrd denied it, +and victory's honors. -- His arm he lifted +lord of the Geats, the grim foe smote +with atheling's heirloom. Its edge was turned +brown blade, on the bone, and bit more feebly +than its noble master had need of then +in his baleful stress. -- Then the barrow's keeper +waxed full wild for that weighty blow, +cast deadly flames; wide drove and far +those vicious fires. No victor's glory +the Geats' lord boasted; his brand had failed, +naked in battle, as never it should, +excellent iron! -- 'Twas no easy path +that Ecgtheow's honored heir must tread +over the plain to the place of the foe; +for against his will he must win a home +elsewhere far, as must all men, leaving +this lapsing life! -- Not long it was +ere those champions grimly closed again. +The hoard-guard was heartened; high heaved his breast +once more; and by peril was pressed again, +enfolded in flames, the folk-commander! +Nor yet about him his band of comrades, +sons of athelings, armed stood +with warlike front: to the woods they bent them, +their lives to save. But the soul of one +with care was cumbered. Kinship true +can never be marred in a noble mind! + + + +XXXIV + +WIGLAF his name was, Weohstan's son, +linden-thane loved, the lord of Scylfings, +Aelfhere's kinsman. His king he now saw +with heat under helmet hard oppressed. +He minded the prizes his prince had given him, +wealthy seat of the Waegmunding line, +and folk-rights that his father owned +Not long he lingered. The linden yellow, +his shield, he seized; the old sword he drew: -- +as heirloom of Eanmund earth-dwellers knew it, +who was slain by the sword-edge, son of Ohtere, +friendless exile, erst in fray +killed by Weohstan, who won for his kin +brown-bright helmet, breastplate ringed, +old sword of Eotens, Onela's gift, +weeds of war of the warrior-thane, +battle-gear brave: though a brother's child +had been felled, the feud was unfelt by Onela. {34a} +For winters this war-gear Weohstan kept, +breastplate and board, till his bairn had grown +earlship to earn as the old sire did: +then he gave him, mid Geats, the gear of battle, +portion huge, when he passed from life, +fared aged forth. For the first time now +with his leader-lord the liegeman young +was bidden to share the shock of battle. +Neither softened his soul, nor the sire's bequest +weakened in war. {34b} So the worm found out +when once in fight the foes had met! +Wiglaf spake, -- and his words were sage; +sad in spirit, he said to his comrades: -- +"I remember the time, when mead we took, +what promise we made to this prince of ours +in the banquet-hall, to our breaker-of-rings, +for gear of combat to give him requital, +for hard-sword and helmet, if hap should bring +stress of this sort! Himself who chose us +from all his army to aid him now, +urged us to glory, and gave these treasures, +because he counted us keen with the spear +and hardy 'neath helm, though this hero-work +our leader hoped unhelped and alone +to finish for us, -- folk-defender +who hath got him glory greater than all men +for daring deeds! Now the day is come +that our noble master has need of the might +of warriors stout. Let us stride along +the hero to help while the heat is about him +glowing and grim! For God is my witness +I am far more fain the fire should seize +along with my lord these limbs of mine! {34c} +Unsuiting it seems our shields to bear +homeward hence, save here we essay +to fell the foe and defend the life +of the Weders' lord. I wot 'twere shame +on the law of our land if alone the king +out of Geatish warriors woe endured +and sank in the struggle! My sword and helmet, +breastplate and board, for us both shall serve!" +Through slaughter-reek strode he to succor his chieftain, +his battle-helm bore, and brief words spake: -- +"Beowulf dearest, do all bravely, +as in youthful days of yore thou vowedst +that while life should last thou wouldst let no wise +thy glory droop! Now, great in deeds, +atheling steadfast, with all thy strength +shield thy life! I will stand to help thee." +At the words the worm came once again, +murderous monster mad with rage, +with fire-billows flaming, its foes to seek, +the hated men. In heat-waves burned +that board {34d} to the boss, and the breastplate failed +to shelter at all the spear-thane young. +Yet quickly under his kinsman's shield +went eager the earl, since his own was now +all burned by the blaze. The bold king again +had mind of his glory: with might his glaive +was driven into the dragon's head, -- +blow nerved by hate. But Naegling {34e} was shivered, +broken in battle was Beowulf's sword, +old and gray. 'Twas granted him not +that ever the edge of iron at all +could help him at strife: too strong was his hand, +so the tale is told, and he tried too far +with strength of stroke all swords he wielded, +though sturdy their steel: they steaded him nought. +Then for the third time thought on its feud +that folk-destroyer, fire-dread dragon, +and rushed on the hero, where room allowed, +battle-grim, burning; its bitter teeth +closed on his neck, and covered him +with waves of blood from his breast that welled. + + + +XXXV + +'TWAS now, men say, in his sovran's need +that the earl made known his noble strain, +craft and keenness and courage enduring. +Heedless of harm, though his hand was burned, +hardy-hearted, he helped his kinsman. +A little lower the loathsome beast +he smote with sword; his steel drove in +bright and burnished; that blaze began +to lose and lessen. At last the king +wielded his wits again, war-knife drew, +a biting blade by his breastplate hanging, +and the Weders'-helm smote that worm asunder, +felled the foe, flung forth its life. +So had they killed it, kinsmen both, +athelings twain: thus an earl should be +in danger's day! -- Of deeds of valor +this conqueror's-hour of the king was last, +of his work in the world. The wound began, +which that dragon-of-earth had erst inflicted, +to swell and smart; and soon he found +in his breast was boiling, baleful and deep, +pain of poison. The prince walked on, +wise in his thought, to the wall of rock; +then sat, and stared at the structure of giants, +where arch of stone and steadfast column +upheld forever that hall in earth. +Yet here must the hand of the henchman peerless +lave with water his winsome lord, +the king and conqueror covered with blood, +with struggle spent, and unspan his helmet. +Beowulf spake in spite of his hurt, +his mortal wound; full well he knew +his portion now was past and gone +of earthly bliss, and all had fled +of his file of days, and death was near: +"I would fain bestow on son of mine +this gear of war, were given me now +that any heir should after me come +of my proper blood. This people I ruled +fifty winters. No folk-king was there, +none at all, of the neighboring clans +who war would wage me with 'warriors'-friends' {35a} +and threat me with horrors. At home I bided +what fate might come, and I cared for mine own; +feuds I sought not, nor falsely swore +ever on oath. For all these things, +though fatally wounded, fain am I! +From the Ruler-of-Man no wrath shall seize me, +when life from my frame must flee away, +for killing of kinsmen! Now quickly go +and gaze on that hoard 'neath the hoary rock, +Wiglaf loved, now the worm lies low, +sleeps, heart-sore, of his spoil bereaved. +And fare in haste. I would fain behold +the gorgeous heirlooms, golden store, +have joy in the jewels and gems, lay down +softlier for sight of this splendid hoard +my life and the lordship I long have held." + + + +XXXVI + +I HAVE heard that swiftly the son of Weohstan +at wish and word of his wounded king, -- +war-sick warrior, -- woven mail-coat, +battle-sark, bore 'neath the barrow's roof. +Then the clansman keen, of conquest proud, +passing the seat, {36a} saw store of jewels +and glistening gold the ground along; +by the wall were marvels, and many a vessel +in the den of the dragon, the dawn-flier old: +unburnished bowls of bygone men +reft of richness; rusty helms +of the olden age; and arm-rings many +wondrously woven. -- Such wealth of gold, +booty from barrow, can burden with pride +each human wight: let him hide it who will! -- +His glance too fell on a gold-wove banner +high o'er the hoard, of handiwork noblest, +brilliantly broidered; so bright its gleam, +all the earth-floor he easily saw +and viewed all these vessels. No vestige now +was seen of the serpent: the sword had ta'en him. +Then, I heard, the hill of its hoard was reft, +old work of giants, by one alone; +he burdened his bosom with beakers and plate +at his own good will, and the ensign took, +brightest of beacons. -- The blade of his lord +-- its edge was iron -- had injured deep +one that guarded the golden hoard +many a year and its murder-fire +spread hot round the barrow in horror-billows +at midnight hour, till it met its doom. +Hasted the herald, the hoard so spurred him +his track to retrace; he was troubled by doubt, +high-souled hero, if haply he'd find +alive, where he left him, the lord of Weders, +weakening fast by the wall of the cave. +So he carried the load. His lord and king +he found all bleeding, famous chief +at the lapse of life. The liegeman again +plashed him with water, till point of word +broke through the breast-hoard. Beowulf spake, +sage and sad, as he stared at the gold. -- +"For the gold and treasure, to God my thanks, +to the Wielder-of-Wonders, with words I say, +for what I behold, to Heaven's Lord, +for the grace that I give such gifts to my folk +or ever the day of my death be run! +Now I've bartered here for booty of treasure +the last of my life, so look ye well +to the needs of my land! No longer I tarry. +A barrow bid ye the battle-fanned raise +for my ashes. 'Twill shine by the shore of the flood, +to folk of mine memorial fair +on Hrones Headland high uplifted, +that ocean-wanderers oft may hail +Beowulf's Barrow, as back from far +they drive their keels o'er the darkling wave." +From his neck he unclasped the collar of gold, +valorous king, to his vassal gave it +with bright-gold helmet, breastplate, and ring, +to the youthful thane: bade him use them in joy. +"Thou art end and remnant of all our race +the Waegmunding name. For Wyrd hath swept them, +all my line, to the land of doom, +earls in their glory: I after them go." +This word was the last which the wise old man +harbored in heart ere hot death-waves +of balefire he chose. From his bosom fled +his soul to seek the saints' reward. + + + +XXXVII + +IT was heavy hap for that hero young +on his lord beloved to look and find him +lying on earth with life at end, +sorrowful sight. But the slayer too, +awful earth-dragon, empty of breath, +lay felled in fight, nor, fain of its treasure, +could the writhing monster rule it more. +For edges of iron had ended its days, +hard and battle-sharp, hammers' leaving; {37a} +and that flier-afar had fallen to ground +hushed by its hurt, its hoard all near, +no longer lusty aloft to whirl +at midnight, making its merriment seen, +proud of its prizes: prone it sank +by the handiwork of the hero-king. +Forsooth among folk but few achieve, +-- though sturdy and strong, as stories tell me, +and never so daring in deed of valor, -- +the perilous breath of a poison-foe +to brave, and to rush on the ring-board hall, +whenever his watch the warden keeps +bold in the barrow. Beowulf paid +the price of death for that precious hoard; +and each of the foes had found the end +of this fleeting life. +Befell erelong +that the laggards in war the wood had left, +trothbreakers, cowards, ten together, +fearing before to flourish a spear +in the sore distress of their sovran lord. +Now in their shame their shields they carried, +armor of fight, where the old man lay; +and they gazed on Wiglaf. Wearied he sat +at his sovran's shoulder, shieldsman good, +to wake him with water. {37b} Nowise it availed. +Though well he wished it, in world no more +could he barrier life for that leader-of-battles +nor baffle the will of all-wielding God. +Doom of the Lord was law o'er the deeds +of every man, as it is to-day. +Grim was the answer, easy to get, +from the youth for those that had yielded to fear! +Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan, -- +mournful he looked on those men unloved: -- +"Who sooth will speak, can say indeed +that the ruler who gave you golden rings +and the harness of war in which ye stand +-- for he at ale-bench often-times +bestowed on hall-folk helm and breastplate, +lord to liegemen, the likeliest gear +which near of far he could find to give, -- +threw away and wasted these weeds of battle, +on men who failed when the foemen came! +Not at all could the king of his comrades-in-arms +venture to vaunt, though the Victory-Wielder, +God, gave him grace that he got revenge +sole with his sword in stress and need. +To rescue his life, 'twas little that I +could serve him in struggle; yet shift I made +(hopeless it seemed) to help my kinsman. +Its strength ever waned, when with weapon I struck +that fatal foe, and the fire less strongly +flowed from its head. -- Too few the heroes +in throe of contest that thronged to our king! +Now gift of treasure and girding of sword, +joy of the house and home-delight +shall fail your folk; his freehold-land +every clansman within your kin +shall lose and leave, when lords high-born +hear afar of that flight of yours, +a fameless deed. Yea, death is better +for liegemen all than a life of shame!" + + + +XXXVIII + +THAT battle-toil bade he at burg to announce, +at the fort on the cliff, where, full of sorrow, +all the morning earls had sat, +daring shieldsmen, in doubt of twain: +would they wail as dead, or welcome home, +their lord beloved? Little {38a} kept back +of the tidings new, but told them all, +the herald that up the headland rode. -- +"Now the willing-giver to Weder folk +in death-bed lies; the Lord of Geats +on the slaughter-bed sleeps by the serpent's deed! +And beside him is stretched that slayer-of-men +with knife-wounds sick: {38b} no sword availed +on the awesome thing in any wise +to work a wound. There Wiglaf sitteth, +Weohstan's bairn, by Beowulf's side, +the living earl by the other dead, +and heavy of heart a head-watch {38c} keeps +o'er friend and foe. -- Now our folk may look +for waging of war when once unhidden +to Frisian and Frank the fall of the king +is spread afar. -- The strife began +when hot on the Hugas {38d} Hygelac fell +and fared with his fleet to the Frisian land. +Him there the Hetwaras humbled in war, +plied with such prowess their power o'erwhelming +that the bold-in-battle bowed beneath it +and fell in fight. To his friends no wise +could that earl give treasure! And ever since +the Merowings' favor has failed us wholly. +Nor aught expect I of peace and faith +from Swedish folk. 'Twas spread afar +how Ongentheow reft at Ravenswood +Haethcyn Hrethling of hope and life, +when the folk of Geats for the first time sought +in wanton pride the Warlike-Scylfings. +Soon the sage old sire {38e} of Ohtere, +ancient and awful, gave answering blow; +the sea-king {38f} he slew, and his spouse redeemed, +his good wife rescued, though robbed of her gold, +mother of Ohtere and Onela. +Then he followed his foes, who fled before him +sore beset and stole their way, +bereft of a ruler, to Ravenswood. + +With his host he besieged there what swords had left, +the weary and wounded; woes he threatened +the whole night through to that hard-pressed throng: +some with the morrow his sword should kill, +some should go to the gallows-tree +for rapture of ravens. But rescue came +with dawn of day for those desperate men +when they heard the horn of Hygelac sound, +tones of his trumpet; the trusty king +had followed their trail with faithful band. + + + +XXXIX + +"THE bloody swath of Swedes and Geats +and the storm of their strife, were seen afar, +how folk against folk the fight had wakened. +The ancient king with his atheling band +sought his citadel, sorrowing much: +Ongentheow earl went up to his burg. +He had tested Hygelac's hardihood, +the proud one's prowess, would prove it no longer, +defied no more those fighting-wanderers +nor hoped from the seamen to save his hoard, +his bairn and his bride: so he bent him again, +old, to his earth-walls. Yet after him came +with slaughter for Swedes the standards of Hygelac +o'er peaceful plains in pride advancing, +till Hrethelings fought in the fenced town. {39a} +Then Ongentheow with edge of sword, +the hoary-bearded, was held at bay, +and the folk-king there was forced to suffer +Eofor's anger. In ire, at the king +Wulf Wonreding with weapon struck; +and the chieftain's blood, for that blow, in streams +flowed 'neath his hair. No fear felt he, +stout old Scylfing, but straightway repaid +in better bargain that bitter stroke +and faced his foe with fell intent. +Nor swift enough was the son of Wonred +answer to render the aged chief; +too soon on his head the helm was cloven; +blood-bedecked he bowed to earth, +and fell adown; not doomed was he yet, +and well he waxed, though the wound was sore. +Then the hardy Hygelac-thane, {39b} +when his brother fell, with broad brand smote, +giants' sword crashing through giants'-helm +across the shield-wall: sank the king, +his folk's old herdsman, fatally hurt. +There were many to bind the brother's wounds +and lift him, fast as fate allowed +his people to wield the place-of-war. +But Eofor took from Ongentheow, +earl from other, the iron-breastplate, +hard sword hilted, and helmet too, +and the hoar-chief's harness to Hygelac carried, +who took the trappings, and truly promised +rich fee 'mid folk, -- and fulfilled it so. +For that grim strife gave the Geatish lord, +Hrethel's offspring, when home he came, +to Eofor and Wulf a wealth of treasure, +Each of them had a hundred thousand {39c} +in land and linked rings; nor at less price reckoned +mid-earth men such mighty deeds! +And to Eofor he gave his only daughter +in pledge of grace, the pride of his home. + +"Such is the feud, the foeman's rage, +death-hate of men: so I deem it sure +that the Swedish folk will seek us home +for this fall of their friends, the fighting-Scylfings, +when once they learn that our warrior leader +lifeless lies, who land and hoard +ever defended from all his foes, +furthered his folk's weal, finished his course +a hardy hero. -- Now haste is best, +that we go to gaze on our Geatish lord, +and bear the bountiful breaker-of-rings +to the funeral pyre. No fragments merely +shall burn with the warrior. Wealth of jewels, +gold untold and gained in terror, +treasure at last with his life obtained, +all of that booty the brands shall take, +fire shall eat it. No earl must carry +memorial jewel. No maiden fair +shall wreathe her neck with noble ring: +nay, sad in spirit and shorn of her gold, +oft shall she pass o'er paths of exile +now our lord all laughter has laid aside, +all mirth and revel. Many a spear +morning-cold shall be clasped amain, +lifted aloft; nor shall lilt of harp +those warriors wake; but the wan-hued raven, +fain o'er the fallen, his feast shall praise +and boast to the eagle how bravely he ate +when he and the wolf were wasting the slain." + +So he told his sorrowful tidings, +and little {39d} he lied, the loyal man +of word or of work. The warriors rose; +sad, they climbed to the Cliff-of-Eagles, +went, welling with tears, the wonder to view. +Found on the sand there, stretched at rest, +their lifeless lord, who had lavished rings +of old upon them. Ending-day +had dawned on the doughty-one; death had seized +in woful slaughter the Weders' king. +There saw they, besides, the strangest being, +loathsome, lying their leader near, +prone on the field. The fiery dragon, +fearful fiend, with flame was scorched. +Reckoned by feet, it was fifty measures +in length as it lay. Aloft erewhile +it had revelled by night, and anon come back, +seeking its den; now in death's sure clutch +it had come to the end of its earth-hall joys. +By it there stood the stoups and jars; +dishes lay there, and dear-decked swords +eaten with rust, as, on earth's lap resting, +a thousand winters they waited there. +For all that heritage huge, that gold +of bygone men, was bound by a spell, {39e} +so the treasure-hall could be touched by none +of human kind, -- save that Heaven's King, +God himself, might give whom he would, +Helper of Heroes, the hoard to open, -- +even such a man as seemed to him meet. + + + +XL + +A PERILOUS path, it proved, he {40a} trod +who heinously hid, that hall within, +wealth under wall! Its watcher had killed +one of a few, {40b} and the feud was avenged +in woful fashion. Wondrous seems it, +what manner a man of might and valor +oft ends his life, when the earl no longer +in mead-hall may live with loving friends. +So Beowulf, when that barrow's warden +he sought, and the struggle; himself knew not +in what wise he should wend from the world at last. +For {40c} princes potent, who placed the gold, +with a curse to doomsday covered it deep, +so that marked with sin the man should be, +hedged with horrors, in hell-bonds fast, +racked with plagues, who should rob their hoard. +Yet no greed for gold, but the grace of heaven, +ever the king had kept in view. {40d} +Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan: -- +"At the mandate of one, oft warriors many +sorrow must suffer; and so must we. +The people's-shepherd showed not aught +of care for our counsel, king beloved! +That guardian of gold he should grapple not, urged we, +but let him lie where he long had been +in his earth-hall waiting the end of the world, +the hest of heaven. -- This hoard is ours +but grievously gotten; too grim the fate +which thither carried our king and lord. +I was within there, and all I viewed, +the chambered treasure, when chance allowed me +(and my path was made in no pleasant wise) +under the earth-wall. Eager, I seized +such heap from the hoard as hands could bear +and hurriedly carried it hither back +to my liege and lord. Alive was he still, +still wielding his wits. The wise old man +spake much in his sorrow, and sent you greetings +and bade that ye build, when he breathed no more, +on the place of his balefire a barrow high, +memorial mighty. Of men was he +worthiest warrior wide earth o'er +the while he had joy of his jewels and burg. +Let us set out in haste now, the second time +to see and search this store of treasure, +these wall-hid wonders, -- the way I show you, -- +where, gathered near, ye may gaze your fill +at broad-gold and rings. Let the bier, soon made, +be all in order when out we come, +our king and captain to carry thither +-- man beloved -- where long he shall bide +safe in the shelter of sovran God." +Then the bairn of Weohstan bade command, +hardy chief, to heroes many +that owned their homesteads, hither to bring +firewood from far -- o'er the folk they ruled -- +for the famed-one's funeral. " Fire shall devour +and wan flames feed on the fearless warrior +who oft stood stout in the iron-shower, +when, sped from the string, a storm of arrows +shot o'er the shield-wall: the shaft held firm, +featly feathered, followed the barb." +And now the sage young son of Weohstan +seven chose of the chieftain's thanes, +the best he found that band within, +and went with these warriors, one of eight, +under hostile roof. In hand one bore +a lighted torch and led the way. +No lots they cast for keeping the hoard +when once the warriors saw it in hall, +altogether without a guardian, +lying there lost. And little they mourned +when they had hastily haled it out, +dear-bought treasure! The dragon they cast, +the worm, o'er the wall for the wave to take, +and surges swallowed that shepherd of gems. +Then the woven gold on a wain was laden -- +countless quite! -- and the king was borne, +hoary hero, to Hrones-Ness. + + + +XLI + +THEN fashioned for him the folk of Geats +firm on the earth a funeral-pile, +and hung it with helmets and harness of war +and breastplates bright, as the boon he asked; +and they laid amid it the mighty chieftain, +heroes mourning their master dear. +Then on the hill that hugest of balefires +the warriors wakened. Wood-smoke rose +black over blaze, and blent was the roar +of flame with weeping (the wind was still), +till the fire had broken the frame of bones, +hot at the heart. In heavy mood +their misery moaned they, their master's death. +Wailing her woe, the widow {41a} old, +her hair upbound, for Beowulf's death +sung in her sorrow, and said full oft +she dreaded the doleful days to come, +deaths enow, and doom of battle, +and shame. -- The smoke by the sky was devoured. +The folk of the Weders fashioned there +on the headland a barrow broad and high, +by ocean-farers far descried: +in ten days' time their toil had raised it, +the battle-brave's beacon. Round brands of the pyre +a wall they built, the worthiest ever +that wit could prompt in their wisest men. +They placed in the barrow that precious booty, +the rounds and the rings they had reft erewhile, +hardy heroes, from hoard in cave, -- +trusting the ground with treasure of earls, +gold in the earth, where ever it lies +useless to men as of yore it was. +Then about that barrow the battle-keen rode, +atheling-born, a band of twelve, +lament to make, to mourn their king, +chant their dirge, and their chieftain honor. +They praised his earlship, his acts of prowess +worthily witnessed: and well it is +that men their master-friend mightily laud, +heartily love, when hence he goes +from life in the body forlorn away. + +Thus made their mourning the men of Geatland, +for their hero's passing his hearth-companions: +quoth that of all the kings of earth, +of men he was mildest and most beloved, +to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise. + + + +Footnotes: + +{0a} Not, of course, Beowulf the Great, hero of the epic. + +{0b} Kenning for king or chieftain of a comitatus: he breaks off +gold from the spiral rings -- often worn on the arm -- and so +rewards his followers. + +{1a} That is, "The Hart," or "Stag," so called from decorations in +the gables that resembled the antlers of a deer. This hall has been +carefully described in a pamphlet by Heyne. The building was +rectangular, with opposite doors -- mainly west and east -- and a +hearth in the middle of th single room. A row of pillars down each +side, at some distance from the walls, made a space which was raised +a little above the main floor, and was furnished with two rows of +seats. On one side, usually south, was the high-seat midway between +the doors. Opposite this, on the other raised space, was another +seat of honor. At the banquet soon to be described, Hrothgar sat in +the south or chief high-seat, and Beowulf opposite to him. The scene +for a flying (see below, v.499) was thus very effectively set. +Planks on trestles -- the "board" of later English literature -- +formed the tables just in front of the long rows of seats, and were +taken away after banquets, when the retainers were ready to stretch +themselves out for sleep on the benches. + +{1b} Fire was the usual end of these halls. See v. 781 below. One +thinks of the splendid scene at the end of the Nibelungen, of the +Nialssaga, of Saxo's story of Amlethus, and many a less famous +instance. + +{1c} It is to be supposed that all hearers of this poem knew how +Hrothgar's hall was burnt, -- perhaps in the unsuccessful attack +made on him by his son-in-law Ingeld. + +{1d} A skilled minstrel. The Danes are heathens, as one is told +presently; but this lay of beginnings is taken from Genesis. + +{1e} A disturber of the border, one who sallies from his haunt in +the fen and roams over the country near by. This probably pagan +nuisance is now furnished with biblical credentials as a fiend or +devil in good standing, so that all Christian Englishmen might read +about him. "Grendel" may mean one who grinds and crushes. + +{1f} Cain's. + +{1g} Giants. + +{2a} The smaller buildings within the main enclosure but separate +from the hall. + +{2b} Grendel. + +{2c} "Sorcerers-of-hell." + +{2d} Hrothgar, who is the "Scyldings'-friend" of 170. + +{2e} That is, in formal or prescribed phrase. + +{3a} Ship. + +{3b} That is, since Beowulf selected his ship and led his men to the +harbor. + +{3c} One of the auxiliary names of the Geats. + +{3d} Or: Not thus openly ever came warriors hither; yet... + +{4a} Hrothgar. + +{4b} Beowulf's helmet has several boar-images on it; he is the "man +of war"; and the boar-helmet guards him as typical representative of +the marching party as a whole. The boar was sacred to Freyr, who was +the favorite god of the Germanic tribes about the North Sea and the +Baltic. Rude representations of warriors show the boar on the helmet +quite as large as the helmet itself. + +{5a} Either merely paved, the strata via of the Romans, or else +thought of as a sort of mosaic, an extravagant touch like the +reckless waste of gold on the walls and roofs of a hall. + +{6a} The nicor, says Bugge, is a hippopotamus; a walrus, says Ten +Brink. But that water-goblin who covers the space from Old Nick of +jest to the Neckan and Nix of poetry and tale, is all one needs, and +Nicor is a good name for him. + +{6b} His own people, the Geats. + +{6c} That is, cover it as with a face-cloth. "There will be no need +of funeral rites." + +{6d} Personification of Battle. + +{6e} The Germanic Vulcan. + +{6f} This mighty power, whom the Christian poet can still revere, +has here the general force of "Destiny." + +{7a} There is no irrelevance here. Hrothgar sees in Beowulf's +mission a heritage of duty, a return of the good offices which the +Danish king rendered to Beowulf's father in time of dire need. + +{7b} Money, for wergild, or man-price. + +{7c} Ecgtheow, Beowulf's sire. + +{8a} "Began the fight." + +{8b} Breca. + +{9a} Murder. + +{10a} Beowulf, -- the "one." + +{11a} That is, he was a "lost soul," doomed to hell. + +{12a} Kenning for Beowulf. + +{13a} "Guarded the treasure." + +{13b} Sc. Heremod. + +{13c} The singer has sung his lays, and the epic resumes its story. +The time-relations are not altogether good in this long passage +which describes the rejoicings of "the day after"; but the present +shift from the riders on the road to the folk at the hall is not +very violent, and is of a piece with the general style. + +{14a} Unferth, Beowulf's sometime opponent in the flyting. + +{15a} There is no horrible inconsistency here such as the critics +strive and cry about. In spite of the ruin that Grendel and Beowulf +had made within the hall, the framework and roof held firm, and +swift repairs made the interior habitable. Tapestries were hung on +the walls, and willing hands prepared the banquet. + +{15b} From its formal use in other places, this phrase, to take cup +in hall, or "on the floor," would seem to mean that Beowulf stood up +to receive his gifts, drink to the donor, and say thanks. + +{15c} Kenning for sword. + +{15d} Hrothgar. He is also the "refuge of the friends of Ing," +below. Ing belongs to myth. + +{15e} Horses are frequently led or ridden into the hall where folk +sit at banquet: so in Chaucer's Squire's tale, in the ballad of +King Estmere, and in the romances. + +{16a} Man-price, wergild. + +{16b} Beowulf's. + +{16c} Hrothgar. + +{16d} There is no need to assume a gap in the Ms. As before about +Sigemund and Heremod, so now, though at greater length, about Finn +and his feud, a lay is chanted or recited; and the epic poet, +counting on his readers' familiarity with the story, -- a fragment +of it still exists, -- simply gives the headings. + +{16e} The exact story to which this episode refers in summary is not +to be determined, but the following account of it is reasonable and +has good support among scholars. Finn, a Frisian chieftain, who +nevertheless has a "castle" outside the Frisian border, marries +Hildeburh, a Danish princess; and her brother, Hnaef, with many +other Danes, pays Finn a visit. Relations between the two peoples +have been strained before. Something starts the old feud anew; and +the visitors are attacked in their quarters. Hnaef is killed; so is +a son of Hildeburh. Many fall on both sides. Peace is patched up; a +stately funeral is held; and the surviving visitors become in a way +vassals or liegemen of Finn, going back with him to Frisia. So +matters rest a while. Hengest is now leader of the Danes; but he is +set upon revenge for his former lord, Hnaef. Probably he is killed +in feud; but his clansmen, Guthlaf and Oslaf, gather at their home a +force of sturdy Danes, come back to Frisia, storm Finn's stronghold, +kill him, and carry back their kinswoman Hildeburh. + +{16f} The "enemies" must be the Frisians. + +{16g} Battlefield. -- Hengest is the "prince's thane," companion of +Hnaef. "Folcwald's son" is Finn. + +{16h} That is, Finn would govern in all honor the few Danish +warriors who were left, provided, of course, that none of them tried +to renew the quarrel or avenge Hnaef their fallen lord. If, again, +one of Finn's Frisians began a quarrel, he should die by the sword. + +{16i} Hnaef. + +{16j} The high place chosen for the funeral: see description of +Beowulf's funeral-pile at the end of the poem. + +{16k} Wounds. + +{17a} That is, these two Danes, escaping home, had told the story of +the attack on Hnaef, the slaying of Hengest, and all the Danish +woes. Collecting a force, they return to Frisia and kill Finn in his +home. + +{17b} Nephew to Hrothgar, with whom he subsequently quarrels, and +elder cousin to the two young sons of Hrothgar and Wealhtheow, -- +their natural guardian in the event of the king's death. There is +something finely feminine in this speech of Wealhtheow's, apart from +its somewhat irregular and irrelevant sequence of topics. Both she +and her lord probably distrust Hrothulf; but she bids the king to be +of good cheer, and, turning to the suspect, heaps affectionate +assurances on his probity. "My own Hrothulf" will surely not forget +these favors and benefits of the past, but will repay them to the +orphaned boy. + +{19a} They had laid their arms on the benches near where they slept. + +{20a} He surmises presently where she is. + +{20b} The connection is not difficult. The words of mourning, of +acute grief, are said; and according to Germanic sequence of +thought, inexorable here, the next and only topic is revenge. But is +it possible? Hrothgar leads up to his appeal and promise with a +skillful and often effective description of the horrors which +surround the monster's home and await the attempt of an avenging +foe. + +{21a} Hrothgar is probably meant. + +{21b} Meeting place. + +{22a} Kenning for "sword." Hrunting is bewitched, laid under a spell +of uselessness, along with all other swords. + +{22b} This brown of swords, evidently meaning burnished, bright, +continues to be a favorite adjective in the popular ballads. + +{23a} After the killing of the monster and Grendel's decapitation. + +{23b} Hrothgar. + +{23c} The blade slowly dissolves in blood-stained drops like +icicles. + +{23d} Spear. + +{24a} That is, "whoever has as wide authority as I have and can +remember so far back so many instances of heroism, may well say, as +I say, that no better hero ever lived than Beowulf." + +{25a} That is, he is now undefended by conscience from the +temptations (shafts) of the devil. + +{25b} Kenning for the sun. -- This is a strange role for the raven. +He is the warrior's bird of battle, exults in slaughter and carnage; +his joy here is a compliment to the sunrise. + +{26a} That is, he might or might not see Beowulf again. Old as he +was, the latter chance was likely; but he clung to the former, +hoping to see his young friend again "and exchange brave words in +the hall." + +{27a} With the speed of the boat. + +{27b} Queen to Hygelac. She is praised by contrast with the +antitype, Thryth, just as Beowulf was praised by contrast with +Heremod. + +{27c} Kenning for "wife." + +{28a} Beowulf gives his uncle the king not mere gossip of his +journey, but a statesmanlike forecast of the outcome of certain +policies at the Danish court. Talk of interpolation here is absurd. +As both Beowulf and Hygelac know, -- and the folk for whom the +Beowulf was put together also knew, -- Froda was king of the +Heathobards (probably the Langobards, once near neighbors of Angle +and Saxon tribes on the continent), and had fallen in fight with the +Danes. Hrothgar will set aside this feud by giving his daughter as +"peace-weaver" and wife to the young king Ingeld, son of the slain +Froda. But Beowulf, on general principles and from his observation +of the particular case, foretells trouble. Note: + +{28b} Play of shields, battle. A Danish warrior cuts down Froda in +the fight, and takes his sword and armor, leaving them to a son. +This son is selected to accompany his mistress, the young princess +Freawaru, to her new home when she is Ingeld's queen. Heedlessly he +wears the sword of Froda in hall. An old warrior points it out to +Ingeld, and eggs him on to vengeance. At his instigation the Dane is +killed; but the murderer, afraid of results, and knowing the land, +escapes. So the old feud must break out again. + +{28c} That is, their disastrous battle and the slaying of their +king. + +{28d} The sword. + +{28e} Beowulf returns to his forecast. Things might well go somewhat +as follows, he says; sketches a little tragic story; and with this +prophecy by illustration returns to the tale of his adventure. + +{28f} Not an actual glove, but a sort of bag. + +{29a} Hygelac. + +{29b} This is generally assumed to mean hides, though the text +simply says "seven thousand." A hide in England meant about 120 +acres, though "the size of the acre varied." + +{29c} On the historical raid into Frankish territory between 512 and +520 A.D. The subsequent course of events, as gathered from hints of +this epic, is partly told in Scandinavian legend. + +{29d} The chronology of this epic, as scholars have worked it out, +would make Beowulf well over ninety years of age when he fights the +dragon. But the fifty years of his reign need not be taken as +historical fact. + +{29e} The text is here hopelessly illegible, and only the general +drift of the meaning can be rescued. For one thing, we have the old +myth of a dragon who guards hidden treasure. But with this runs the +story of some noble, last of his race, who hides all his wealth +within this barrow and there chants his farewell to life's glories. +After his death the dragon takes possession of the hoard and watches +over it. A condemned or banished man, desperate, hides in the +barrow, discovers the treasure, and while the dragon sleeps, makes +off with a golden beaker or the like, and carries it for +propitiation to his master. The dragon discovers the loss and exacts +fearful penalty from the people round about. + +{31a} Literally "loan-days," days loaned to man. + +{31b} Chattuarii, a tribe that dwelt along the Rhine, and took part +in repelling the raid of (Hygelac) Chocilaicus. + +{31c} Onla, son of Ongentheow, who pursues his two nephews Eanmund +and Eadgils to Heardred's court, where they have taken refuge after +their unsuccessful rebellion. In the fighting Heardred is killed. + +{32a} That is, Beowulf supports Eadgils against Onela, who is slain +by Eadgils in revenge for the "care-paths" of exile into which Onela +forced him. + +{32b} That is, the king could claim no wergild, or man-price, from +one son for the killing of the other. + +{32c} Usual euphemism for death. + +{32d} Sc. in the grave. + +{33a} Eofor for Wulf. -- The immediate provocation for Eofor in +killing "the hoary Scylfing," Ongentheow, is that the latter has +just struck Wulf down; but the king, Haethcyn, is also avenged by +the blow. See the detailed description below. + +{33b} Hygelac. + +{33c} Shield. + +{33d} The hollow passage. + +{34a} That is, although Eanmund was brother's son to Onela, the +slaying of the former by Weohstan is not felt as cause of feud, and +is rewarded by gift of the slain man's weapons. + +{34b} Both Wiglaf and the sword did their duty. -- The following is +one of the classic passages for illustrating the comitatus as the +most conspicuous Germanic institution, and its underlying sense of +duty, based partly on the idea of loyalty and partly on the +practical basis of benefits received and repaid. + +{34c} Sc. "than to bide safely here," -- a common figure of +incomplete comparison. + +{34d} Wiglaf's wooden shield. + +{34e} Gering would translate "kinsman of the nail," as both are made +of iron. + +{35a} That is, swords. + +{36a} Where Beowulf lay. + +{37a} What had been left or made by the hammer; well-forged. + +{37b} Trying to revive him. + +{38a} Nothing. + +{38b} Dead. + +{38c} Death-watch, guard of honor, "lyke-wake." + +{38d} A name for the Franks. + +{38e} Ongentheow. + +{38f} Haethcyn. + +{39a} The line may mean: till Hrethelings stormed on the hedged +shields, -- i.e. the shield-wall or hedge of defensive war -- +Hrethelings, of course, are Geats. + +{39b} Eofor, brother to Wulf Wonreding. + +{39c} Sc. "value in" hides and the weight of the gold. + +{39d} Not at all. + +{39e} Laid on it when it was put in the barrow. This spell, or in +our days the "curse," either prevented discovery or brought dire +ills on the finder and taker. + +{40a} Probably the fugitive is meant who discovered the hoard. Ten +Brink and Gering assume that the dragon is meant. "Hid" may well +mean here "took while in hiding." + +{40b} That is "one and a few others." But Beowulf seems to be +indicated. + +{40c} Ten Brink points out the strongly heathen character of this +part of the epic. Beowulf's end came, so the old tradition ran, from +his unwitting interference with spell-bound treasure. + +{40d} A hard saying, variously interpreted. In any case, it is the +somewhat clumsy effort of the Christian poet to tone down the +heathenism of his material by an edifying observation. + +{41a} Nothing is said of Beowulf's wife in the poem, but Bugge +surmises that Beowulf finally accepted Hygd's offer of kingdom and +hoard, and, as was usual, took her into the bargain. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Beowulf, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEOWULF *** + +***** This file should be named 981.txt or 981.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/8/981/ + +Produced by Robin Katsuya-Corbet + +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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