Hunferth’s taunt. The swimming-match with Breca. Joy in Heorot.
IX. Hunferth then spoke, the son of Ecglaf,
Who at the feet sat of the lord of the Scyldings, 500
Unloosed his war-secret (was the coming of Beowulf,
The proud sea-farer, to him mickle grief,
For that he granted not that any man else
Ever more honor of this mid-earth
Should gain under heavens than he himself): 505
‘Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca
On the broad sea in swimming-match,
When ye two for pride the billows tried
And for vain boasting in the deep water
Riskéd your lives. You two no man, 510
Nor friend nor foe, might then dissuade
From sorrowful venture, when ye on the sea swam,
When ye the sea-waves with your arms covered,
Measured the sea-ways, struck with your hands,
Glided o’er ocean; with its great billows 515
Welled up winter’s flood. In the power of the waters
Ye seven nights strove: he in swimming thee conquered,
He had greater might. Then him in the morning
On the Heathoremes’ land the ocean bore up,
Whence he did seek his pleasant home, 520
Dear to his people, the land of the Brondings
His fair strong city, where he had people,
A city and rings. All his boast against thee
The son of Beanstan truly fulfilled.’
_Criticism of the Translation._
The translation, in its revised form, is throughout a faithful version
of the original text. The fault of Garnett’s translation is the fault of
all merely literal translations--inadequacy to render fully the content
of the original. The rendering may be word for word, but it will not be
idea for idea. Examples of this inadequacy may be given from the printed
extract. ‘Grief’ in line 502 is a very insufficient rendering of
_æf-þunca_, a unique word which suggests at once vexation,
mortification, and jealousy. Had the poet simply meant to express the
notion of _grief_, he would have used _sorh_, _cearu_, or some other
common word. In line 508 ‘pride’ hardly gives full expression to the
idea of _wlence,_ which signifies not only _pride_, but _vain pride, of
empty end_. In line 517 ‘conquered’ is insufficient as a translation of
_oferflāt_, which means to _overcome in swimming, to outswim_.
Examples of this sort can be brought forward from any part of the poem.
At line 2544 Garnett translates--
Struggles of battle when warriors contended,
a translation of--