Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series
Page 12
1985 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,
1990 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
1995 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: —
2000 “ ’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,
2005 evils unending. These all I avenged.
No boast can be from breed of Grendel,
any on earth, for that uproar at dawn,2
from the longest-lived of the loathsome race
in fleshly fold! — But first I went
2010 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
2015 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.
2020 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,
2025 gold-decked maid, to the glad son of Froda.
Sage this seems to the Scyldings’-friend,
kingdom’s-keeper: he counts it wise
the woman to wed so and ward off feud,
store of slaughter. But seldom ever
2030 when men are slain, does the murder-spear sink
but briefest while, though the bride be fair!3
“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,
2035 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-play4
2040 liegeman leal and their lives as well.
Then, over the ale, on this heirloom gazing,
some ash-wielder old5 who has all in mind
that spear-death of men,6 — he is stern of mood,
heavy at heart, — in the hero young
2045 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,
2050 dearest of blades, when the Danish slew him
and wielded the war-place on Withergild’s fall,7
after havoc of heroes, those hardy Scyldings?
Now, the son of a certain slaughtering Dane,
proud of his treasure, paces this hall,
2055 joys in the killing, and carries the jewel8
that rightfully ought to he 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,
2060 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
2065 wells with war-hate, and wife-love now
after the care-billows cooler grows.
“So9 I hold not high the Heathobards’ faith
due to the Danes, or their during love
and pact of peace. — But I pass from that,
2070 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
2075 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,
2080 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,
2085 with greedy hand grasped me. A glove hung by him10
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,
2090 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;
2095 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
2100 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.
2105 Then was song and glee. The gray-haired Scylding,
much tested, told of the times of yone.
Whiles the hero his harp bestirred,
wood-of-delight; now lays he chanted
of sooth and sadness, or said aright
2110 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.
2115 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
2120 through war-hate of Weders; now, woman monstrous,
with fury fell a foeman she slew,
avenged her offspring. From Æschere old,
loyal councillor, life was gone;
nor might they e’en, when morning broke,
2125 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
2130 of all that had laden the l
ord 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.
2135 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
2140 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.
Footnotes
1 By the hands of one of his retainers, who, as Tacitus pointed out, and Earle reminds us, were bound to attribute their own brave deeds to their chief, and give him the glory.
2 “Struggle by night,” translates Gering; that is, the fight between Grendel and Beowulf. It might refer, however, — see v. 126, — to the outcries and wailings of the Danes. No more boasting over that!
3 Beowulf gives his uncle the king not mere gossip of his journey, hut 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. He even goes into particulars; and here the poet not unskilfully uses the actual Ingeld story, — which he knew doubtless in song and saga, as Saxo Grammaticus knew it, though in another version — for the forecast of the hero. It is worth noting that in Saxo the old warrior stirs his master by a lay of battle and vengeance which he chants at a banquet. — From the Widsith we know that Ingeld attacked Hrothgar later in Heorot, and was defeated by uncle and nephew in a bloody battle.
4 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.
5 In Saxo (Bk. VI) Starcatherus sees that the slayers of Frotho, father of Ingellus, are high in favor with the latter king, and sings a song of reproach at the banquet. At first he complains of the neglect of himself in his old age and of the king’s gluttony; then he passes to taunts of cowardice and an appeal for vengeance on the murderers.
6 That is, their disastrous battle and the slaying of their king.
7 Withergild is mentioned in Widsith, v. 124, and must be a proper name. If it were taken otherwise, it might be translated “when recompence, chance to recover losses, was out of the question.”
8 The sword, here called “treasure” or “jewel” in no strained figure. It is unnecessary to turn it into a collar or other adornment.
9 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. One will hardly agree with Müllenhoff that such a use by the poet of an old legend shows mere helpless imbecility of interpolation. In many other cases, say Gray’s Bard, the close of Dickens’s Tale of two Cities, Thomas of Ercaldoune, — to mention some very incongruous instances, — one praises the good art or artifice of narrative.
10 Not an actual glove, but a sort of bag. The line could run —
. . . with savage hand seized me. A sack hung by him . . .
XXXI1
“So held this king to the customs old,
2145 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
2150 can find me favor. Few2 indeed
have I of kinsmen, save, Hygelac, thee!”
Then he bade them bear him the boar-head standard,3
the battle-helm high, and breastplate gray,
the splendid sword; then spake in form: —
2155 “Me this war-gear the wise old prince,
Hrothgar, gave, and his best he added,
that its story be straightway said to thee.4 —
A while it was held by Heorogar king,
for long time lord of the land of Scyldings;
2160 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 path5 of this treasure,
all apple-fallow, four good steeds,
2165 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
2170 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,
2175 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
2180 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;
2185 him at mead the master-of-clans
failed full oft to favor at all.
Slack and shiftless6 the strong men deemed him,
profitless prince; but payment came,
to the warrior honored, for all his woes. —
2190 Then the bulwark-of-earls7 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;
2195 and of hides assigned him seven thousand,8
with house and high-seat.9 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.
2200 Now further it fell with the flight of years,
with harryings horrid, that Hygelac perished,10
and Heardred, too, by hewing of swords
under the shield-wall slaughtered lay,
when him at the van of his victor-folk
2205 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,11 a wise old prince,
2210 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,
/>
2216 came by chance that cave within
to the heathen hoard.12 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
2220 prince and people must pay betimes!
Footnotes
1 Sections XXIX and XXX are not indicated.
2 “None.” He forgets, or lets his compliment forget, Weohstan: see vv. 2813, 2602, below. But over fifty years pass between this date and the date of his speech to Wiglaf. Weohstan, moreover, was in service at the Swedish court (Gering suggests that he was a younger son and sought his fortune in foreign parts); and was actually fighting on the side of Geatland’s foes. See note to v. 2602, below.
3 See v. 1021. Klaeber, Modern Philology, III, 462, compares the old “Raven” banners of the Northmen mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; and Professor Hart refers to Asser’s Life of Alfred, trans. Giles, Bohn ed., .
4 Or: That first to thee should his thanks be said.
5 Followed it. The original figure is “guarded its tracks.”
6 Even in the name and story of the Roman Brutus one finds traces of this common motive in certain tales of the sluggish and stupid boy who blossoms out as a warrior, a hero of renown. It is very common in Norse legend.
7 Hygelac.
8 This is generally assumed to mean hides, though the text simply says “seven thousand.” In v. 2994 Wulf and Eofor each get “a hundred thousand in land and winding rings.” A hide in England meant about 120 acres, though “the size of the acre varied.” Wulf and Eofor together would thus get a tract as large as England itself; see Mr. W. H. Stevenson’s note in his edition of Asser’s Alfred, . He points out that the numeral refers to both land and treasure. In this passage the seven thousand may also include the value of “house and high-seat,” with vague idea of treasure in the bargain. Both numerals, then, the seven thousand and the hundred thousand, are indefinite expressions of quantity, somewhat as when one now says of a man that he is “worth a million.”
9 The seat in hall like a throne occupied by the owner and the head of the clan.
10 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. Heardred succeeds to the throne; for Beowulf most honorably refuses Hygd’s proposal and serves the young king as guardian and chief vassal. But the reign is short. If with Gering we put 518 as the date of Hygelac’s fall, it would not be long before Heardred took up the cause of Eanmund and Eadgils, sons of Ohtere, both of them rebels against their uncle Onela, the Swedish king. Onela makes a raid into the territory of Heardred and kills him. Then Beowulf succeeds. His further relations with this feud will be noted below. — Heardred is called Hereric’s nephew. As the sister’s son was a conspicuous relationship, and men had names from it analogous to the patronymic method, one may suppose that Hygd had a brother Hereric.