“It well may discomfit the prince of the Heathobards
And each of the thanemen of earls that attend him,
[70]
When he goes to the building escorting the woman,
That a noble-born Daneman the knights should be feasting:
5
There gleam on his person the leavings of elders
Hard and ring-bright, Heathobards’ treasure,
While they wielded their arms, till they misled to the battle
Their own dear lives and belovèd companions.
He saith at the banquet who the collar beholdeth,
10
An ancient ash-warrior who earlmen’s destruction
Clearly recalleth (cruel his spirit),
Sadly beginneth sounding the youthful
Thane-champion’s spirit through the thoughts of his bosom,
War-grief to waken, and this word-answer speaketh:
Ingeld is stirred up to break the truce.
15
‘Art thou able, my friend, to know when thou seest it
The brand which thy father bare to the conflict
In his latest adventure, ’neath visor of helmet,
The dearly-loved iron, where Danemen did slay him,
And brave-mooded Scyldings, on the fall of the heroes,
20
(When vengeance was sleeping) the slaughter-place wielded?
E’en now some man of the murderer’s progeny
Exulting in ornaments enters the building,
Boasts of his blood-shedding, offbeareth the jewel
Which thou shouldst wholly hold in possession!’
25
So he urgeth and mindeth on every occasion
With woe-bringing words, till waxeth the season
When the woman’s thane for the works of his father,
The bill having bitten, blood-gory sleepeth,
Fated to perish; the other one thenceward
30
’Scapeth alive, the land knoweth thoroughly. 1
Then the oaths of the earlmen on each side are broken,
When rancors unresting are raging in Ingeld
And his wife-love waxeth less warm after sorrow.
So the Heathobards’ favor not faithful I reckon,
35
Their part in the treaty not true to the Danemen,
Their friendship not fast. I further shall tell thee
[71]
Having made these preliminary statements, I will now tell thee of Grendel,
the monster.
More about Grendel, that thou fully mayst hear,
Ornament-giver, what afterward came from
The hand-rush of heroes. When heaven’s bright jewel
40
O’er earthfields had glided, the stranger came raging,
The horrible night-fiend, us for to visit,
Where wholly unharmed the hall we were guarding.
Hondscio fell first
To Hondscio happened a hopeless contention,
Death to the doomed one, dead he fell foremost,
45
Girded war-champion; to him Grendel became then,
To the vassal distinguished, a tooth-weaponed murderer,
The well-beloved henchman’s body all swallowed.
Not the earlier off empty of hand did
The bloody-toothed murderer, mindful of evils,
50
Wish to escape from the gold-giver’s palace,
But sturdy of strength he strove to outdo me,
Hand-ready grappled. A glove was suspended
Spacious and wondrous, in art-fetters fastened,
Which was fashioned entirely by touch of the craftman
55
From the dragon’s skin by the devil’s devices:
He down in its depths would do me unsadly
One among many, deed-doer raging,
Though sinless he saw me; not so could it happen
When I in my anger upright did stand.
60
’Tis too long to recount how requital I furnished
For every evil to the earlmen’s destroyer;
I reflected honor upon my people.
’Twas there, my prince, that I proudly distinguished
Thy land with my labors. He left and retreated,
He lived his life a little while longer:
65
Yet his right-hand guarded his footstep in Heorot,
And sad-mooded thence to the sea-bottom fell he,
Mournful in mind. For the might-rush of battle
King Hrothgar lavished gifts upon me.
The friend of the Scyldings, with gold that was plated,
With ornaments many, much requited me,
70
When daylight had dawned, and down to the banquet
We had sat us together. There was chanting and joyance:
The age-stricken Scylding asked many questions
[72]
And of old-times related; oft light-ringing harp-strings,
Joy-telling wood, were touched by the brave one;
75
Now he uttered measures, mourning and truthful,
Then the large-hearted land-king a legend of wonder
Truthfully told us. Now troubled with years
The old king is sad over the loss of his youthful vigor.
The age-hoary warrior afterward began to
Mourn for the might that marked him in youth-days;
80
His breast within boiled, when burdened with winters
Much he remembered. From morning till night then
We joyed us therein as etiquette suffered,
Till the second night season came unto earth-folk.
Then early thereafter, the mother of Grendel
Grendel’s mother.
85
Was ready for vengeance, wretched she journeyed;
Her son had death ravished, the wrath of the Geatmen.
The horrible woman avengèd her offspring,
And with mighty mainstrength murdered a hero.
Æschere falls a prey to her vengeance.
There the spirit of Æschere, agèd adviser,
90
Was ready to vanish; nor when morn had lightened
Were they anywise suffered to consume him with fire,
Folk of the Danemen, the death-weakened hero,
Nor the belovèd liegeman to lay on the pyre;
She suffered not his body to be burned, but ate it.
She the corpse had offcarried in the clutch of the foeman2
95
’Neath mountain-brook’s flood. To Hrothgar ’twas saddest
Of pains that ever had preyed on the chieftain;
By the life of thee the land-prince then me3
Besought very sadly, in sea-currents’ eddies
To display my prowess, to peril my safety,
100
Might-deeds accomplish; much did he promise.
I sought the creature in her den,
I found then the famous flood-current’s cruel,
Horrible depth-warder. A while unto us two
[73]
Hand was in common; the currents were seething
With gore that was clotted, and Grendel’s fierce mother’s
and hewed her head off.
105
Head I offhacked in the hall at the bottom
With huge-reaching sword-edge, hardly I wrested
My life from her clutches; not doomed was I then,
Jewels were freely bestowed upon me.
But the warden of earlmen afterward gave me
Jewels in quantity, kinsman of Healfdene.
[1] For ‘lifigende’ (2063), a mere conjecture, ‘wígende’ has been suggested. The line would then read: Escapeth by fighting, knows the land
thoroughly.
[2] For ‘fæðmum,’ Gr.’s conjecture, B. proposes ‘færunga.’ These three half-verses would then read: She bore off the corpse of her foe suddenly
under the mountain-torrent.
[3] The phrase ‘þíne lýfe’ (2132) was long rendered ‘ with thy (presupposed) permission.’ The verse would read: The land-prince then
sadly besought me, with thy (presupposed) permission, etc.
GIFT-GIVING IS MUTUAL.
“So the belovèd land-prince lived in decorum;
I had missed no rewards, no meeds of my prowess,
But he gave me jewels, regarding my wishes,
Healfdene his bairn; I’ll bring them to thee, then,
All my gifts I lay at thy feet.
5
Atheling of earlmen, offer them gladly.
And still unto thee is all my affection:1
But few of my folk-kin find I surviving
But thee, dear Higelac!” Bade he in then to carry2
The boar-image, banner, battle-high helmet,
10
Iron-gray armor, the excellent weapon,
This armor I have belonged of yore to Heregar.
In song-measures said: “This suit-for-the-battle
Hrothgar presented me, bade me expressly,
Wise-mooded atheling, thereafter to tell thee3
The whole of its history, said King Heregar owned it,
15
Dane-prince for long: yet he wished not to give then
[74]
The mail to his son, though dearly he loved him,
Hereward the hardy. Hold all in joyance!”
I heard that there followed hard on the jewels
Two braces of stallions of striking resemblance,
20
Dappled and yellow; he granted him usance
Of horses and treasures. So a kinsman should bear him,
No web of treachery weave for another,
Nor by cunning craftiness cause the destruction
Higelac loves his nephew Beowulf.
Of trusty companion. Most precious to Higelac,
25
The bold one in battle, was the bairn of his sister,
And each unto other mindful of favors.
Beowulf gives Hygd the necklace that Wealhtheow had given him.
I am told that to Hygd he proffered the necklace,
Wonder-gem rare that Wealhtheow gave him,
The troop-leader’s daughter, a trio of horses
30
Slender and saddle-bright; soon did the jewel
Embellish her bosom, when the beer-feast was over.
So Ecgtheow’s bairn brave did prove him,
Beowulf is famous.
War-famous man, by deeds that were valiant,
He lived in honor, belovèd companions
35
Slew not carousing; his mood was not cruel,
But by hand-strength hugest of heroes then living
The brave one retained the bountiful gift that
The Lord had allowed him. Long was he wretched,
So that sons of the Geatmen accounted him worthless,
40
And the lord of the liegemen loth was to do him
Mickle of honor, when mead-cups were passing;
They fully believed him idle and sluggish,
He is requited for the slights suffered in earlier days.
An indolent atheling: to the honor-blest man there
Came requital for the cuts he had suffered.
45
The folk-troop’s defender bade fetch to the building
The heirloom of Hrethel, embellished with gold,
Higelac overwhelms the conqueror with gifts.
So the brave one enjoined it; there was jewel no richer
In the form of a weapon ’mong Geats of that era;
In Beowulf’s keeping he placed it and gave him
50
Seven of thousands, manor and lordship.
Common to both was land ’mong the people,
[75]
Estate and inherited rights and possessions,
To the second one specially spacious dominions,
To the one who was better. It afterward happened
55
In days that followed, befell the battle-thanes,
After Heardred’s death, Beowulf becomes king.
After Higelac’s death, and when Heardred was murdered
With weapons of warfare ’neath well-covered targets,
When valiant battlemen in victor-band sought him,
War-Scylfing heroes harassed the nephew
60
Of Hereric in battle. To Beowulf’s keeping
Turned there in time extensive dominions:
He rules the Geats fifty years.
He fittingly ruled them a fifty of winters
(He a man-ruler wise was, manor-ward old) till
A certain one ’gan, on gloom-darkening nights, a
The fire-drake.
65
Dragon, to govern, who guarded a treasure,
A high-rising stone-cliff, on heath that was grayish:
A path ’neath it lay, unknown unto mortals.
Some one of earthmen entered the mountain,
The heathenish hoard laid hold of with ardor;
70
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
[1] This verse B. renders, ‘ Now serve I again thee alone as my gracious king.’[2] For ‘eafor’ (2153), Kl. suggests ‘ealdor.’ Translate then: Bade the prince then to bear in the banner, battle-high helmet, etc. On the other hand, W.
takes ‘eaforhéafodsegn’ as a compound, meaning ‘helmet’: He bade them
bear in the helmet, battle-high helm, gray armor, etc.
[3] The H.-So. rendering (ærest = history, origin; ‘eft’ for ‘est’), though liable to objection, is perhaps the best offered. ‘That I should very early tell thee
of his favor, kindness’ sounds well; but ‘his’ is badly placed to limit ‘ést.’—
Perhaps, ‘eft’ with verbs of saying may have the force of Lat. prefix ‘re,’
and the H.-So. reading mean, ‘that I should its origin rehearse to thee.’
THE HOARD AND THE DRAGON.
* * * * * * *
He sought of himself who sorely did harm him,But, for need very pressing, the servant of one of
The sons of the heroes hate-blows evaded,
5
Seeking for shelter and the sin-driven warrior
Took refuge within there. He early looked in it,
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *[76]
* * * * * when the onset surprised him,
The hoard.
10
He a gem-vessel saw there: many of suchlike
Ancient ornaments in the earth-cave were lying,
As in days of yore some one of men of
Illustrious lineage, as a legacy monstrous,
There had secreted them, careful and thoughtful,
15
Dear-valued jewels. Death had offsnatched them,
In the days of the past, and the one man moreover
Of the flower of the folk who fared there the longest,
Was fain to defer it, friend-mourning warder,
A little longer to be left in enjoyment
20
Of long-lasting treasure. 1 A barrow all-ready Stood on the plain the stream-currents nigh to,
New by the ness-edge, unnethe of approaching:
The keeper of rings carried within a
2Ponderous deal of the treasure of nobles, 25
Of gold that was beaten, briefly he spake then:3
The ring-giver bewails the loss of retainers.
“Hold thou, O Earth, now heroes no more may,
The earnings of earlmen. Lo! erst in thy bosom
Worthy men won them; war-death hath ravished,
Perilous life-bale, all my warriors,
30
Liegemen belovèd, who this life have forsaken,
Who hall-pleasures saw. No sword-bearer have I,
And no one to burnish the gold-plated vessel,
The high-valued beaker: my heroes are vanished.
The hardy helmet behung with gilding
35
Shall be reaved of its riches: the ring-cleansers slumber
Who were charged to have ready visors-for-battle,
And the burnie that bided in battle-encounter
[77]
O’er breaking of war-shields the bite of the edges
Moulds with the hero. The ring-twisted armor,
40
Its lord being lifeless, no longer may journey
Hanging by heroes; harp-joy is vanished,
The rapture of glee-wood, no excellent falcon
Swoops through the building, no swift-footed charger
Grindeth the gravel. A grievous destruction
45
No few of the world-folk widely hath scattered!”
So, woful of spirit one after all
Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness
By day and by night, till death with its billows
The fire-dragon
Dashed on his spirit. Then the ancient dusk-scather
50
Found the great treasure standing all open,
He who flaming and fiery flies to the barrows,
Naked war-dragon, nightly escapeth
Encompassed with fire; men under heaven
Widely beheld him. ’Tis said that he looks for4
55
The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding
The heathenish treasure; he’ll be nowise the better.
The dragon meets his match.
So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples
Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall,
Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly:
60
The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain
And fullest remission for all his remissness
Begged of his liegelord. Then the hoard5 was discovered, The treasure was taken, his petition was granted
The hero plunders the dragon’s den
The lorn-mooded liegeman. His lord regarded
65
The old-work of earth-folk—’twas the earliest occasion.
When the dragon awoke, the strife was renewed there;
He snuffed ’long the stone then, stout-hearted found he
[78]
The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone
With cunning craftiness close to the head of
70
The fire-spewing dragon. So undoomed he may ’scape from
Anguish and exile with ease who possesseth
The favor of Heaven. The hoard-warden eagerly
Searched o’er the ground then, would meet with the person
That caused him sorrow while in slumber reclining:
75
Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern,
All of it outward; not any of earthmen
Was seen in that desert. 6 Yet he joyed in the battle, Rejoiced in the conflict: oft he turned to the barrow,
Sought for the gem-cup; 7 this he soon perceived then The dragon perceives that some one has disturbed his treasure.
80
That some man or other had discovered the gold,
The famous folk-treasure. Not fain did the hoard-ward
Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow
Was angry in spirit, the loathèd one wished to
Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire.
85
Then the day was done as the dragon would have it,
He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed
The dragon is infuriated.
Fire-impelled, flaming. Fearful the start was
To earls in the land, as it early thereafter
To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.
[1] For ‘long-gestréona,’ B. suggests ‘láengestréona,’ and renders, Of fleeting treasures. S. accepts H.’s ‘long-gestréona,’ but renders, The
treasure long in accumulating.
[2] For ‘hard-fyrdne’ (2246), B. first suggested ‘hard-fyndne,’ rendering: A heap of treasures … so great that its equal would be hard to find. The
same scholar suggests later ‘hord-wynne dæl’ = A deal of treasure-joy.
[3] Some read ‘fec-word’ (2247), and render: Banning words uttered.
[4] An earlier reading of H.’s gave the following meaning to this passage: He is said to inhabit a mound under the earth, where he, etc. The
translation in the text is more authentic.
[5] The repetition of ‘hord’ in this passage has led some scholars to suggest new readings to avoid the second ‘hord.’ This, however, is not
under the main stress, and, it seems to me, might easily be accepted.
[6] The reading of H.-So. is well defended in the notes to that volume. B.
emends and renders: Nor was there any man in that desert who rejoiced in
conflict, in battle-work. That is, the hoard-ward could not find any one who
had disturbed his slumbers, for no warrior was there, t.B.’s emendation
would give substantially the same translation.
[7] ‘Sinc-fæt’ (2301): this word both here and in v. 2232, t.B. renders
‘treasure.’
BRAVE THOUGH AGED.—