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 foeman[2]
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 me[3]
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_.
XXXI.
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 carry[2]
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 thee[3]
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.'
XXXII.
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
[2]Ponderous 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 for[4]
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 hoard[5] 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.'
XXXIII.
BRAVE THOUGH AGED.--REMINISCENCES.
{The dragon spits fire.}
The stranger began then to vomit forth fire,
To burn the great manor; the blaze then glimmered
For anguish to earlmen, not anything living
[79] Was the hateful air-goer willing to leave there.
5 The war of the worm widely was noticed,
The feud of the foeman afar and anear,
How the enemy injured the earls of the Geatmen,
Harried with hatred: back he hied to the treasure,
To the well-hidden cavern ere the coming of daylight.
10 He had circled with fire the folk of those regions,
With brand and burning; in the barrow he trusted,
In the wall and his war-might: the weening deceived him.
{Beowulf hears of the havoc wrought by the dragon.}
Then straight was the horror to Beowulf published,
Early forsooth, that his own native homestead,[1]
15 The best of buildings, was burning and melting,
Gift-seat of Geatmen. 'Twas a grief to the spirit
Of the good-mooded hero, the greatest of sorrows:
{He fears that Heaven is punishing him for some crime.}
The wise one weened then that wielding his kingdom
'Gainst the ancient commandments, he had bitterly angered
20 The Lord everlasting: with lorn meditations
His bosom welled inward, as was nowise his custom.
The fire-spewing dragon fully had wasted
The fastness of warriors, the water-land outward,
The manor with fire. The folk-ruling hero,
25 Prince of the Weders, was planning to wreak him.
The warmen's defender bade them to make him,
Earlmen's atheling, an excellent war-shield
{He orders an iron shield to be made from him, wood is useless.}
Wholly of iron: fully he knew then
That wood from the forest was helpless to aid him,
30 Shield against fire. The long-worthy ruler
Must live the last of his limited earth-days,
Of life in the world and the worm along with him,
Though he long had been holding hoard-wealth in plenty.
{He determines to fight alone.}
Then the ring-prince disdained to seek with a war-band,
35 With army extensive, the air-going ranger;
He felt no fear of the foeman's assaults and
He counted for little the might of the dragon,
[80] His power and prowess: for previously dared he
{Beowulf's early triumphs referred to}
A heap of hostility, hazarded dangers,
40 War-thane, when Hrothgar's palace he cleansèd,
Conquering combatant, clutched in the battle
The kinsmen of Grendel, of kindred detested.[2]
{Higelac's death recalled.}
'Twas of hand-fights not least where Higelac was slaughtered,
When the king of the Geatmen with clashings of battle,
45 Friend-lord of folks in Frisian dominions,
Offspring of Hrethrel perished through sword-drink,
With battle-swords beaten; thence Beowulf came then
On self-help relying, swam through the waters;
He bare on his arm, lone-going, thirty
50 Outfits of armor, when the ocean he mounted.
The Hetwars by no means had need to be boastful
Of their fighting afoot, who forward to meet him
Carried their war-shields: not many returned from
The brave-mooded battle-knight back to their homesteads.
55 Ecgtheow's bairn o'er the bight-courses swam then,
Lone-goer lorn to his land-folk returning,
Where Hygd to him tendered treasure and kingdom,
{Heardred's lack of capacity to rule.}
Rings and dominion: her son she not trusted,
To be able to keep the kingdom devised him
60 'Gainst alien races, on the death of King Higelac.
{Beowulf's tact and delicacy recalled.}
Yet the sad ones succeeded not in persuading the atheling
In any way ever, to act as a suzerain
To Heardred, or promise to govern the kingdom;
Yet with friendly counsel in the folk he sustained him,
65 Gracious, with honor, till he grew to be older,
{Reference is here made to a visit which Beowulf receives from Eanmund and
Eadgils, why they come is not known.}
Wielded the Weders. Wide-fleeing outlaws,
Ohthere's sons, sought him o'er the waters:
They had stirred a revolt 'gainst the helm of the Scylfings,
The best of the sea-kings, who in Swedish dominions
70 Distributed treasure, distinguished folk-leader.
[81] 'Twas the end of his earth-days; injury fatal[3]
By swing of the sword he received as a greeting,
Offspring of Higelac; Ongentheow's bairn
Later departed to visit his homestead,
75 When Heardred was dead; let Beowulf rule them,
Govern the Geatmen: good was that folk-king.
[1] 'Hám' (2326), the suggestion of B. is accepted by t.B. and other
scholars.
[2] For 'láðan cynnes' (2355), t.B. suggests 'láðan cynne,' apposition
to 'mægum.' From syntactical and other considerations, this is a most
excellent emendation.
[3] Gr. read 'on feorme' (2386), rendering: _He there at the banquet a
fatal wound received by blows of the sword._
XXXIV.
BEOWULF SEEKS THE DRAGON.--BEOWULF'S REMINISCENCES.
He planned requital for the folk-leader's ruin
In days thereafter, to Eadgils the wretched
Becoming an enemy. Ohthere's son then
Went with a war-troop o'er the wide-stretching currents
5 With warriors and weapons: with woe-journeys cold he
After avenged him, the king's life he took.
{Beowulf has been preserved through many perils.}
So he came off uninjured from all of his battles,
Perilous fights, offspring of Ecgtheow,
From his deeds of daring, till that day most momentous
10 When he fate-driven fared to fight with the dragon.
{With eleven comrades, he seeks the dragon.}
With eleven companions the prince of the Geatmen
Went lowering with fury to look at the fire-drake:
Inquiring he'd found how the feud had arisen,
Hate to his heroes; the highly-famed gem-vessel
15 Was brought to his keeping through the hand of th' informer.
{A guide leads the way, but}
That in the throng was thirteenth of heroes,
That caused the beginning of conflict so bitter,
Captive and wretched, must sad-mooded thenceward
{very reluctantly.}
Point out the place: he passed then unwillingly
20 To the spot where he knew of the notable cavern,
The cave under earth, not far from the ocean,
The anger of eddies, which inward was full of
Jewels and wires: a warden uncanny,
[82] Warrior weaponed, wardered the treasure,
25 Old under earth; no easy possession
For any of earth-folk access to get to.
Then the battle-brave atheling sat on the naze-edge,
While the gold-friend of Geatmen gracious saluted
His fireside-companions: woe was his spirit,
30 Death-boding, wav'ring; Weird very near him,
Who must seize the old hero, his soul-treasure look for,
Dragging aloof his life from his body:
Not flesh-hidden long was the folk-leader's spirit.
Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow's son:
{Beowulf's retrospect.}
35 "I survived in my youth-days many a conflict,
Hours of onset: that all I remember.
I was seven-winters old when the jewel-prince took me,
High-lord of heroes, at the hands of my father,
Hrethel the hero-king had me in keeping,
{Hrethel took me when I was seven.}
40 Gave me treasure and feasting, our kinship remembered;
Not ever was I _any_ less dear to him
{He treated me as a son.}
Knight in the boroughs, than the bairns of his household,
Herebald and Hæthcyn and Higelac mine.
To the eldest unjustly by acts of a kinsman
45 Was murder-bed strewn, since him Hæthcyn from horn-bow
{One of the brothers accidentally kills another.}
His sheltering chieftain shot with an arrow,
Erred in his aim and injured his kinsman,
One brother the other, with blood-sprinkled spear:
{No fee could compound for such a calamity.}
'Twas a feeless fight, finished in malice,
50 Sad to his spirit; the folk-prince however
Had to part from existence with vengeance untaken.
{[A parallel case is supposed.]}
So to hoar-headed hero 'tis heavily crushing[1]
[83] To live to see his son as he rideth
Young on the gallows: then measures he chanteth,
55 A song of sorrow, when his son is hanging
For the raven's delight, and aged and hoary
He is unable to offer any assistance.
Every morning his offspring's departure
Is constant recalled: he cares not to wait for
60 The birth of an heir in his borough-enclosures,
Since that one through death-pain the deeds hath experienced.
He heart-grieved beholds in the house of his son the
Wine-building wasted, the wind-lodging places
Reaved of their roaring; the riders are sleeping,
65 The knights in the grave; there's no sound of the harp-wood,
Joy in the yards, as of yore were familiar.
[1] 'Gomelum ceorle' (2445).--H. takes these words as referring to
Hrethel; but the translator here departs from his editor by
understanding the poet to refer to a hypothetical old man, introduced
as an illustration of a father's sorrow.
Hrethrel had certainly never seen a son of his ride on the gallows to
feed the crows.
The passage beginning 'swá bið géomorlic' seems to be an effort to
reach a full simile, 'as ... so.' 'As it is mournful for an old man,
etc. ... so the defence of the Weders (2463) bore heart-sorrow, etc.'
The verses 2451 to 2463-1/2 would be parenthetical, the poet's feelings
being so strong as to interrupt the simile. The punctuation of the
fourth edition would be better--a comma after 'galgan' (2447). The
translation may be indicated as follows: _(Just) as it is sad for an
old man to see his son ride young on the gallows when he himself is
uttering mournful measures, a sorrowful song, while his son hangs for a
comfort to the raven, and he, old and infirm, cannot render him any
kelp--(he is constantly reminded, etc., 2451-2463)--so the defence of
the Weders, etc._
XXXV.
REMINISCENCES (_continued_).--BEOWULF'S LAST BATTLE.
"He seeks then his chamber, singeth a woe-song
One for the other; all too extensive
Seemed homesteads and plains. So the helm of the Weders
{Hrethel grieves for Herebald.}
Mindful of Herebald heart-sorrow carried,
5 Stirred with emotion, nowise was able
To wreak his ruin on the ruthless destroyer:
He was unable to follow the warrior with hatred,
With deeds that were direful, though dear he not held him.
[84] Then pressed by the pang this pain occasioned him,
10 He gave up glee, God-light elected;
He left to his sons, as the man that is rich does,
His land and fortress, when from life he departed.
{Strife between Swedes and Geats.}
Then was crime and hostility 'twixt Swedes and Geatmen,
O'er wide-stretching water warring was mutual,
15 Burdensome hatred, when Hrethel had perished,
And Ongentheow's offspring were active and valiant,
Wished not to hold to peace oversea, but
Round Hreosna-beorh often accomplished
Cruelest massacre. This my kinsman avengèd,
20 The feud and fury, as 'tis found on inquiry,
Though one of them paid it with forfeit of life-joys,
{Hæthcyn's fall at Ravenswood.}
With price that was hard: the struggle became then
Fatal to Hæthcyn, lord of the Geatmen.
Then I heard that at morning one brother the other
25 With edges of irons egged on to murder,
Where Ongentheow maketh onset on Eofor:
The helmet crashed, the hoary-haired Scylfing
Sword-smitten fell, his hand then remembered
Feud-hate sufficient, refused not the death-blow.
{I requited him for the jewels he gave me.}
30 The gems that he gave me, with jewel-bright sword I
'Quited in contest, as occasion was offered:
Land he allowed me, life-joy at homestead,
Manor to live on. Little he needed
From Gepids or Danes or in Sweden to look for
35 Trooper less true, with treasure to buy him;
'Mong foot-soldiers ever in front I would hie me,
Alone in the vanguard, and evermore gladly
Warfare shall wage, while this weapon endureth
That late and early often did serve me
{Beowulf refers to his having slain Dæghrefn.}