Consort of Hrothgar, of courtesy mindful,
Gold-decked saluted the men in the building,
And the freeborn woman the beaker presented
{She offers the cup to her husband first.}
To the lord of the kingdom, first of the East-Danes,
60 Bade him be blithesome when beer was a-flowing,
Lief to his liegemen; he lustily tasted
Of banquet and beaker, battle-famed ruler.
The Helmingish lady then graciously circled
'Mid all the liegemen lesser and greater:
[23]
{She gives presents to the heroes.}
65 Treasure-cups tendered, till time was afforded
That the decorous-mooded, diademed folk-queen
{Then she offers the cup to Beowulf, thanking God that aid has come.}
Might bear to Beowulf the bumper o'errunning;
She greeted the Geat-prince, God she did thank,
Most wise in her words, that her wish was accomplished,
70 That in any of earlmen she ever should look for
Solace in sorrow. He accepted the beaker,
Battle-bold warrior, at Wealhtheow's giving,
{Beowulf states to the queen the object of his visit.}
Then equipped for combat quoth he in measures,
Beowulf spake, offspring of Ecgtheow:
75 "I purposed in spirit when I mounted the ocean,
{I determined to do or die.}
When I boarded my boat with a band of my liegemen,
I would work to the fullest the will of your people
Or in foe's-clutches fastened fall in the battle.
Deeds I shall do of daring and prowess,
80 Or the last of my life-days live in this mead-hall."
These words to the lady were welcome and pleasing,
The boast of the Geatman; with gold trappings broidered
Went the freeborn folk-queen her fond-lord to sit by.
{Glee is high.}
Then again as of yore was heard in the building
85 Courtly discussion, conquerors' shouting,
Heroes were happy, till Healfdene's son would
Go to his slumber to seek for refreshing;
For the horrid hell-monster in the hall-building knew he
A fight was determined,[2] since the light of the sun they
90 No longer could see, and lowering darkness
O'er all had descended, and dark under heaven
Shadowy shapes came shying around them.
{Hrothgar retires, leaving Beowulf in charge of the hall.}
The liegemen all rose then. One saluted the other,
Hrothgar Beowulf, in rhythmical measures,
95 Wishing him well, and, the wassail-hall giving
To his care and keeping, quoth he departing:
[24] "Not to any one else have I ever entrusted,
But thee and thee only, the hall of the Danemen,
Since high I could heave my hand and my buckler.
100 Take thou in charge now the noblest of houses;
Be mindful of honor, exhibiting prowess,
Watch 'gainst the foeman! Thou shalt want no enjoyments,
Survive thou safely adventure so glorious!"
[1] The repetition of 'hwæðere' (574 and 578) is regarded by some
scholars as a defect. B. suggests 'swá Þær' for the first: _So there
it befell me, etc._ Another suggestion is to change the second
'hwæðere' into 'swá Þær': _So there I escaped with my life, etc._
[2] Kl. suggests a period after 'determined.' This would give the
passage as follows: _Since they no longer could see the light of the
sun, and lowering darkness was down over all, dire under the heavens
shadowy beings came going around them_.
XI.
ALL SLEEP SAVE ONE.
{Hrothgar retires.}
Then Hrothgar departed, his earl-throng attending him,
Folk-lord of Scyldings, forth from the building;
The war-chieftain wished then Wealhtheow to look for,
The queen for a bedmate. To keep away Grendel
{God has provided a watch for the hall.}
5 The Glory of Kings had given a hall-watch,
As men heard recounted: for the king of the Danemen
He did special service, gave the giant a watcher:
And the prince of the Geatmen implicitly trusted
{Beowulf is self-confident}
His warlike strength and the Wielder's protection.
{He prepares for rest.}
10 His armor of iron off him he did then,
His helmet from his head, to his henchman committed
His chased-handled chain-sword, choicest of weapons,
And bade him bide with his battle-equipments.
The good one then uttered words of defiance,
15 Beowulf Geatman, ere his bed he upmounted:
{Beowulf boasts of his ability to cope with Grendel.}
"I hold me no meaner in matters of prowess,
In warlike achievements, than Grendel does himself;
Hence I seek not with sword-edge to sooth him to slumber,
Of life to bereave him, though well I am able.
{We will fight with nature's weapons only.}
20 No battle-skill[1] has he, that blows he should strike me,
To shatter my shield, though sure he is mighty
[25] In strife and destruction; but struggling by night we
Shall do without edges, dare he to look for
Weaponless warfare, and wise-mooded Father
25 The glory apportion, God ever-holy,
{God may decide who shall conquer}
On which hand soever to him seemeth proper."
Then the brave-mooded hero bent to his slumber,
The pillow received the cheek of the noble;
{The Geatish warriors lie down.}
And many a martial mere-thane attending
30 Sank to his slumber. Seemed it unlikely
{They thought it very unlikely that they should ever see their homes
again.}
That ever thereafter any should hope to
Be happy at home, hero-friends visit
Or the lordly troop-castle where he lived from his childhood;
They had heard how slaughter had snatched from the wine-hall,
35 Had recently ravished, of the race of the Scyldings
{But God raised up a deliverer.}
Too many by far. But the Lord to them granted
The weaving of war-speed, to Wederish heroes
Aid and comfort, that every opponent
By one man's war-might they worsted and vanquished,
{God rules the world.}
40 By the might of himself; the truth is established
That God Almighty hath governed for ages
Kindreds and nations. A night very lurid
{Grendel comes to Heorot.}
The trav'ler-at-twilight came tramping and striding.
The warriors were sleeping who should watch the horned-building,
{Only one warrior is awake.}
45 One only excepted. 'Mid earthmen 'twas 'stablished,
Th' implacable foeman was powerless to hurl them
To the land of shadows, if the Lord were unwilling;
But serving as warder, in terror to foemen,
He angrily bided the issue of battle.[2]
[1] Gr. understood 'gódra' as meaning 'advantages in battle.' This
rendering H.-So. rejects. The latter takes the passage as meaning that
Grendel, though mighty and formidable, has no skill in the art of war.
[2] B. in his masterly articles on Beowulf (P. and B. XII.) rejects
the division usually made at this point, 'Þá.' (711), usually rendered
'then,' he translates 'when,' and connects its clause with the
foregoing sentence. These changes he makes to reduce the number of
'cóm's' as principal verbs. (Cf. 703, 711, 721.) With all deference to
this acute scholar, I must say that it seems to me that the poet is
exhausting his resources to bring out clearly the supreme event on
which the whole subsequent action turns. First, he (Grendel) came _in
the wan night_; second, he came _from the moor_; third, he came _to
the hall_. Time, place from which, place to which, are all given.
[26]
XII.
GRENDEL AND BEOWULF.
{Grendel comes from the fens.}
'Neath the cloudy cliffs came from the moor then
Grendel going, God's anger bare he.
The monster intended some one of earthmen
In the hall-building grand to entrap and make way with:
{He goes towards the joyous building.}
5 He went under welkin where well he knew of
The wine-joyous building, brilliant with plating,
Gold-hall of earthmen. Not the earliest occasion
{This was not his first visit there.}
He the home and manor of Hrothgar had sought:
Ne'er found he in life-days later nor earlier
10 Hardier hero, hall-thanes[1] more sturdy!
Then came to the building the warrior marching,
{His horrid fingers tear the door open.}
Bereft of his joyance. The door quickly opened
On fire-hinges fastened, when his fingers had touched it;
The fell one had flung then--his fury so bitter--
15 Open the entrance. Early thereafter
The foeman trod the shining hall-pavement,
{He strides furiously into the hall.}
Strode he angrily; from the eyes of him glimmered
A lustre unlovely likest to fire.
He beheld in the hall the heroes in numbers,
20 A circle of kinsmen sleeping together,
{He exults over his supposed prey.}
A throng of thanemen: then his thoughts were exultant,
He minded to sunder from each of the thanemen
The life from his body, horrible demon,
Ere morning came, since fate had allowed him
{Fate has decreed that he shall devour no more heroes. Beowulf suffers
from suspense.}
25 The prospect of plenty. Providence willed not
To permit him any more of men under heaven
To eat in the night-time. Higelac's kinsman
Great sorrow endured how the dire-mooded creature
[27] In unlooked-for assaults were likely to bear him.
30 No thought had the monster of deferring the matter,
{Grendel immediately seizes a sleeping warrior, and devours him.}
But on earliest occasion he quickly laid hold of
A soldier asleep, suddenly tore him,
Bit his bone-prison, the blood drank in currents,
Swallowed in mouthfuls: he soon had the dead man's
35 Feet and hands, too, eaten entirely.
Nearer he strode then, the stout-hearted warrior
{Beowulf and Grendel grapple.}
Snatched as he slumbered, seizing with hand-grip,
Forward the foeman foined with his hand;
Caught he quickly the cunning deviser,
40 On his elbow he rested. This early discovered
The master of malice, that in middle-earth's regions,
'Neath the whole of the heavens, no hand-grapple greater
{The monster is amazed at Beowulf's strength.}
In any man else had he ever encountered:
Fearful in spirit, faint-mooded waxed he,
45 Not off could betake him; death he was pondering,
{He is anxious to flee.}
Would fly to his covert, seek the devils' assembly:
His calling no more was the same he had followed
Long in his lifetime. The liege-kinsman worthy
{Beowulf recalls his boast of the evening, and determines to fulfil it.}
Of Higelac minded his speech of the evening,
50 Stood he up straight and stoutly did seize him.
His fingers crackled; the giant was outward,
The earl stepped farther. The famous one minded
To flee away farther, if he found an occasion,
And off and away, avoiding delay,
55 To fly to the fen-moors; he fully was ware of
The strength of his grapple in the grip of the foeman.
{'Twas a luckless day for Grendel.}
'Twas an ill-taken journey that the injury-bringing,
Harrying harmer to Heorot wandered:
{The hall groans.}
The palace re-echoed; to all of the Danemen,
60 Dwellers in castles, to each of the bold ones,
Earlmen, was terror. Angry they both were,
Archwarders raging.[2] Rattled the building;
[28] 'Twas a marvellous wonder that the wine-hall withstood then
The bold-in-battle, bent not to earthward,
65 Excellent earth-hall; but within and without it
Was fastened so firmly in fetters of iron,
By the art of the armorer. Off from the sill there
Bent mead-benches many, as men have informed me,
Adorned with gold-work, where the grim ones did struggle.
70 The Scylding wise men weened ne'er before
That by might and main-strength a man under heaven
Might break it in pieces, bone-decked, resplendent,
Crush it by cunning, unless clutch of the fire
In smoke should consume it. The sound mounted upward
{Grendel's cries terrify the Danes.}
75 Novel enough; on the North Danes fastened
A terror of anguish, on all of the men there
Who heard from the wall the weeping and plaining,
The song of defeat from the foeman of heaven,
Heard him hymns of horror howl, and his sorrow
80 Hell-bound bewailing. He held him too firmly
Who was strongest of main-strength of men of that era.
[1] B. and t.B. emend so as to make lines 9 and 10 read: _Never in his
life, earlier or later, had he, the hell-thane, found a braver
hero_.--They argue that Beowulf's companions had done nothing to merit
such encomiums as the usual readings allow them.
[2] For 'réðe rén-weardas' (771), t.B. suggests 'réðe, rénhearde.'
Translate: _They were both angry, raging and mighty_.
XIII.
GRENDEL IS VANQUISHED.
{Beowulf has no idea of letting Grendel live.}
For no cause whatever would the earlmen's defender
Leave in life-joys the loathsome newcomer,
He deemed his existence utterly useless
To men under heaven. Many a noble
5 Of Beowulf brandished his battle-sword old,
Would guard the life of his lord and protector,
The far-famous chieftain, if able to do so;
While waging the warfare, this wist they but little,
Brave battle-thanes, while his body intending
{No weapon would harm Grendel; he bore a charmed life.}
10 To slit into slivers, and seeking his spirit:
That the relentless foeman nor finest of weapons
Of all on the earth, nor any of war-bills
[29] Was willing to injure; but weapons of victory
Swords and suchlike he had sworn to dispense with.
15 His death at that time must prove to be wretched,
And the far-away spirit widely should journey
Into enemies' power. This plainly he saw then
Who with mirth[1] of mood malice no little
Had wrought in the past on the race of the earthmen
20 (To God he was hostile), that his body would fail him,
But Higelac's hardy henchman and kinsman
Held him by the hand; hateful to other
{Grendel is sorely wounded.}
Was each one if living. A body-wound suffered
The direful demon, damage incurable
{His body bursts.}
25 Was seen on his shoulder, his sinews were shivered,
His body did burst. To Beowulf was given
Glory in battle; Grendel from thenceward
Must flee and hide him in the fen-cliffs and marshes,
Sick unto death, his dwelling must look for
30 Unwinsome and woful; he wist the more fully
{The monster flees away to hide in the moors.}
The end of his earthly existence was nearing,
His life-days' limits. At last for the Danemen,
When the slaughter was over, their wish was accomplished.
The comer-from-far-land had cleansed then of evil,
35 Wise and valiant, the war-hall of Hrothgar,
Saved it from violence. He joyed in the night-work,
In repute for prowess; the prince of the Geatmen
For the East-Danish people his boast had accomplished,
Bettered their burdensome bale-sorrows fully,
40 The craft-begot evil they erstwhile had suffered
And were forced to endure from crushing oppression,
Their manifold misery. 'Twas a manifest token,
{Beowulf suspends Grendel's hand and arm in Heorot.}
When the hero-in-battle the hand suspended,
The arm and the shoulder (there was all of the claw
45 Of Grendel together) 'neath great-stretching hall-roof.
[1] It has been proposed to translate 'myrðe' by _with sorrow_; but
there seems no authority for such a rendering. To the present
translator, the phrase 'módes myrðe' seems a mere padding for
_gladly_; i.e., _he who gladly harassed mankind_.
[30]
XIV.
REJOICING OF THE DANES.
{At early dawn, warriors from far and near come together to hear of the
night's adventures.}
In the mist of the morning many a warrior
Stood round the gift-hall, as the story is told me:
Folk-princes fared then from far and from near
Through long-stretching journeys to look at the wonder,
5 The footprints of the foeman. Few of the warriors
{Few warriors lamented Grendel's destruction.}
Who gazed on the foot-tracks of the inglorious creature
His parting from life pained very deeply,
How, weary in spirit, off from those regions
In combats conquered he carried his traces,
10 Fated and flying, to the flood of the nickers.
{Grendel's blood dyes the waters.}
There in bloody billows bubbled the currents,
The angry eddy was everywhere mingled
And seething with gore, welling with sword-blood;[1]
He death-doomed had hid him, when reaved of his joyance
15 He laid down his life in the lair he had fled to,
His heathenish spirit, where hell did receive him.
Thence the friends from of old backward turned them,
And many a younker from merry adventure,
Striding their stallions, stout from the seaward,
20 Heroes on horses. There were heard very often
{Beowulf is the hero of the hour.}
Beowulf's praises; many often asserted
That neither south nor north, in the circuit of waters,
{He is regarded as a probable successor to Hrothgar.}
O'er outstretching earth-plain, none other was better
'Mid bearers of war-shields, more worthy to govern,
25 'Neath the arch of the ether. Not any, however,
'Gainst the friend-lord muttered, mocking-words uttered
{But no word is uttered to derogate from the old king}
Of Hrothgar the gracious (a good king he).
Oft the famed ones permitted their fallow-skinned horses
[31] To run in rivalry, racing and chasing,
30 Where the fieldways appeared to them fair and inviting,
Known for their excellence; oft a thane of the folk-lord,[2]
{The gleeman sings the deeds of heroes.}
[3]A man of celebrity, mindful of rhythms,
Who ancient traditions treasured in memory,
New word-groups found properly bound:
35 The bard after 'gan then Beowulf's venture
{He sings in alliterative measures of Beowulf's prowess.}
Wisely to tell of, and words that were clever
To utter skilfully, earnestly speaking,
Everything told he that he heard as to Sigmund's
{Also of Sigemund, who has slain a great fire-dragon.}
Mighty achievements, many things hidden,
40 The strife of the Wælsing, the wide-going ventures
The children of men knew of but little,
The feud and the fury, but Fitela with him,
When suchlike matters he minded to speak of,
Uncle to nephew, as in every contention
45 Each to other was ever devoted:
A numerous host of the race of the scathers
They had slain with the sword-edge. To Sigmund accrued then
No little of glory, when his life-days were over,
Since he sturdy in struggle had destroyed the great dragon,
50 The hoard-treasure's keeper; 'neath the hoar-grayish stone he,
The son of the atheling, unaided adventured
The perilous project; not present was Fitela,
Yet the fortune befell him of forcing his weapon
Through the marvellous dragon, that it stood in the wall,
55 Well-honored weapon; the worm was slaughtered.
The great one had gained then by his glorious achievement
To reap from the ring-hoard richest enjoyment,
[32] As best it did please him: his vessel he loaded,
Shining ornaments on the ship's bosom carried,
60 Kinsman of Wæls: the drake in heat melted.
{Sigemund was widely famed.}
He was farthest famed of fugitive pilgrims,
Mid wide-scattered world-folk, for works of great prowess,
War-troopers' shelter: hence waxed he in honor.[4]
{Heremod, an unfortunate Danish king, is introduced by way of contrast.}
Afterward Heremod's hero-strength failed him,
65 His vigor and valor. 'Mid venomous haters
To the hands of foemen he was foully delivered,
Offdriven early. Agony-billows
{Unlike Sigemund and Beowulf, Heremod was a burden to his people.}
Oppressed him too long, to his people he became then,
To all the athelings, an ever-great burden;
70 And the daring one's journey in days of yore
Many wise men were wont to deplore,
Such as hoped he would bring them help in their sorrow,
That the son of their ruler should rise into power,
Holding the headship held by his fathers,
75 Should govern the people, the gold-hoard and borough,
The kingdom of heroes, the realm of the Scyldings.
{Beowulf is an honor to his race.}
He to all men became then far more beloved,
Higelac's kinsman, to kindreds and races,
To his friends much dearer; him malice assaulted.--
{The story is resumed.}
80 Oft running and racing on roadsters they measured
The dun-colored highways. Then the light of the morning
Was hurried and hastened. Went henchmen in numbers
To the beautiful building, bold ones in spirit,
To look at the wonder; the liegelord himself then
85 From his wife-bower wending, warden of treasures,
Glorious trod with troopers unnumbered,
Famed for his virtues, and with him the queen-wife
Measured the mead-ways, with maidens attending.
[1] S. emends, suggesting 'déop' for 'déog,' and removing semicolon
after 'wéol.' The two half-lines 'welling ... hid him' would then
read: _The bloody deep welled with sword-gore_. B. accepts 'déop' for
'déog,' but reads 'déað-fæges': _The deep boiled with the sword-gore
of the death-doomed one_.
[2] Another and quite different rendering of this passage is as
follows: _Oft a liegeman of the king, a fame-covered man mindful of
songs, who very many ancient traditions remembered (he found other
word-groups accurately bound together) began afterward to tell of
Beowulf's adventure, skilfully to narrate it, etc_.
[3] Might 'guma gilp-hladen' mean 'a man laden with boasts of the
deeds of others'?
[4] t.B. accepts B.'s 'hé þæs áron þáh' as given by H.-So., but puts a
comma after 'þáh,' and takes 'siððan' as introducing a dependent
clause: _He throve in honor since Heremod's strength ... had
decreased_.
[33]
XV.
HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE.
Hrothgar discoursed (to the hall-building went he,
He stood by the pillar,[1] saw the steep-rising hall-roof
Gleaming with gold-gems, and Grendel his hand there):
{Hrothgar gives thanks for the overthrow of the monster.}
"For the sight we behold now, thanks to the Wielder
5 Early be offered! Much evil I bided,
Snaring from Grendel:[2] God can e'er 'complish
Wonder on wonder, Wielder of Glory!
{I had given up all hope, when this brave liegeman came to our aid.}
But lately I reckoned ne'er under heaven
Comfort to gain me for any of sorrows,
10 While the handsomest of houses horrid with bloodstain
Gory uptowered; grief had offfrightened[3]
Each of the wise ones who weened not that ever
The folk-troop's defences 'gainst foes they should strengthen,
'Gainst sprites and monsters. Through the might of the Wielder
15 A doughty retainer hath a deed now accomplished
Which erstwhile we all with our excellent wisdom
{If his mother yet liveth, well may she thank God for this son.}
Failed to perform. May affirm very truly
What woman soever in all of the nations
Gave birth to the child, if yet she surviveth,
20 That the long-ruling Lord was lavish to herward
In the birth of the bairn. Now, Beowulf dear,
{Hereafter, Beowulf, thou shalt be my son.}
Most excellent hero, I'll love thee in spirit
As bairn of my body; bear well henceforward
The relationship new. No lack shall befall thee
25 Of earth-joys any I ever can give thee.
Full often for lesser service I've given
[34] Hero less hardy hoard-treasure precious,
{Thou hast won immortal distinction.}
To a weaker in war-strife. By works of distinction
Thou hast gained for thyself now that thy glory shall flourish
30 Forever and ever. The All-Ruler quite thee
With good from His hand as He hitherto did thee!"
{Beowulf replies: I was most happy to render thee this service.}
Beowulf answered, Ecgtheow's offspring:
"That labor of glory most gladly achieved we,
The combat accomplished, unquailing we ventured
35 The enemy's grapple; I would grant it much rather
Thou wert able to look at the creature in person,
Faint unto falling, the foe in his trappings!
On murder-bed quickly I minded to bind him,
With firm-holding fetters, that forced by my grapple
40 Low he should lie in life-and-death struggle
'Less his body escape; I was wholly unable,
{I could not keep the monster from escaping, as God did not will that I
should.}
Since God did not will it, to keep him from going,
Not held him that firmly, hated opposer;
Too swift was the foeman. Yet safety regarding
45 He suffered his hand behind him to linger,
His arm and shoulder, to act as watcher;
{He left his hand and arm behind.}
No shadow of solace the woe-begone creature
Found him there nathless: the hated destroyer
Liveth no longer, lashed for his evils,
50 But sorrow hath seized him, in snare-meshes hath him
Close in its clutches, keepeth him writhing
In baleful bonds: there banished for evil
The man shall wait for the mighty tribunal,
{God will give him his deserts.}
How the God of glory shall give him his earnings."
55 Then the soldier kept silent, son of old Ecglaf,
{Unferth has nothing more to say, for Beowulf's actions speak louder than
words.}
From boasting and bragging of battle-achievements,
Since the princes beheld there the hand that depended
'Neath the lofty hall-timbers by the might of the nobleman,
Each one before him, the enemy's fingers;
60 Each finger-nail strong steel most resembled,
The heathen one's hand-spur, the hero-in-battle's
Claw most uncanny; quoth they agreeing,
[35]
{No sword will harm the monster.}