by Beowulf
swylce gīgantas, þā wið gode wunnon
lange þrāge; hē him þæs lēan forgeald.
Of Cain awoke all that woful breed,
Etins and elves and evil-spirits,
as well as the giants that warred with God
weary while: but their wage was paid them!
III. GRENDEL’S VISITS.
115 Gewāt þā nēosian, syððan niht becōm,
115 Went he forth to find at fall of night
hēan hūses, hū hit Hring-Dene
æfter bēor-þege gebūn hæfdon.
Fand þā þǣr inne æðelinga gedriht
swefan æfter symble; sorge ne cūðon,
120 won-sceaft wera. Wiht unhǣlo
that haughty house, and heed wherever
the Ring-Danes, outrevelled, to rest had gone.
Found within it the atheling band
asleep after feasting and fearless of sorrow,
120 of human hardship. Unhallowed wight,
grim and grǣdig gearo sōna wæs,
rēoc and rēðe, and on ræste genam
þrītig þegna: þanon eft gewāt
hūðe hrēmig tō hām faran,
125 mid þǣre wæl-fylle wīca nēosan.
grim and greedy, he grasped betimes,
wrathful, reckless, from resting-places,
thirty of the thanes, and thence he rushed
fain of his fell spoil, faring homeward,
125 laden with slaughter, his lair to seek.
Þā wæs on ūhtan mid ǣr-dæge
Grendles gūð-cræft gumum undyrne:
þā wæs æfter wiste wōp up āhafen,
micel morgen-swēg. Mǣre þēoden,
130 æðeling ǣr-gōd, unblīðe sæt,
Then at the dawning, as day was breaking,
the might of Grendel to men was known;
then after wassail was wail uplifted,
loud moan in the morn. The mighty chief,
130 atheling excellent, unblithe sat,
þolode þry¯ð-swy¯ð, þegn-sorge drēah,
syððan hīe þæs lāðan lāst scēawedon,
wergan gāstes; wæs þæt gewin tō strang,
lāð and longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst,
135 ac ymb āne niht eft gefremede
labored in woe for the loss of his thanes,
when once had been traced the trail of the fiend,
spirit accurst: too cruel that sorrow,
too long, too loathsome. Not late the respite;
135 with night returning, anew began
morð-beala māre and nō mearn fore
fǣhðe and fyrene; wæs tō fæst on þām.
Þā wæs ēað-fynde, þē him elles hwǣr
gerūmlīcor ræste sōhte,
140 bed æfter būrum, þā him gebēacnod wæs,
ruthless murder; he recked no whit,
firm in his guilt, of the feud and crime.
They were easy to find who elsewhere sought
in room remote their rest at night,
140 bed in the bowers, when that bale was shown,
gesægd sōðlīce sweotolan tācne
heal-þegnes hete; hēold hine syððan
fyr and fæstor, sē þǣm fēonde ætwand.
Swā rīxode and wið rihte wan
145 āna wið eallum, oð þæt īdel stōd
was seen in sooth, with surest token, —
the hall-thane’s hate. Such held themselves
far and fast who the fiend outran!
Thus ruled unrighteous and raged his fill
145 one against all; until empty stood
hūsa sēlest. Wæs sēo hwīl micel:
twelf wintra tīd torn geþolode
wine Scyldinga, wēana gehwelcne,
sīdra sorga; forþām syððan wearð
150 ylda bearnum undyrne cūð,
that lordly building, and long it bode so.
Twelve years’ tide the trouble he bore,
sovran of Scyldings, sorrows in plenty,
boundless cares. There came unhidden
150 tidings true to the tribes of men,
gyddum geōmore, þætte Grendel wan,
hwīle wið Hrōðgār; — hete-nīðas wæg,
fyrene and fǣhðe fela missēra,
singāle sæce, sibbe ne wolde
155 wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga
in sorrowful songs, how ceaselessly Grendel
harassed Hrothgar, what hate he bore him,
what murder and massacre, many a year,
feud unfading, — refused consent
155 to deal with any of Daneland’s earls,
feorh-bealo feorran, fēo þingian,
nē þǣr nǣnig witena wēnan þorfte
beorhtre bōte tō banan folmum;
atol ǣglǣca ēhtende wæs,
160 deorc dēað-scūa duguðe and geogoðe
make pact of peace, or compound for gold:
still less did the wise men ween to get
great fee for the feud from his fiendish hands.
But the evil one ambushed old and young,
160 death-shadow dark, and dogged them still,
seomade and syrede. Sin-nihte hēold
mistige mōras; men ne cunnon,
hwyder hel-rūnan hwyrftum scrīðað.
Swā fela fyrena fēond man-cynnes,
165 atol ān-gengea, oft gefremede
lured, and lurked in the livelong night
of misty moorlands: men may say not
where the haunts of these Hell-Runes be.
Such heaping of horrors the hater of men,
165 lonely roamer, wrought unceasing,
heardra hy¯nða; Heorot eardode,
sinc-fāge sel sweartum nihtum
(nō hē þone gif-stōl grētan mōste,
māððum for metode, nē his myne wisse);
170 þæt wæs wrǣc micel wine Scyldinga,
harassings heavy. O’er Heorot he lorded,
gold-bright hall, in gloomy nights;
and ne’er could the prince approach his throne,
— ’twas judgment of God, — or have joy in his hall.
170 Sore was the sorrow to Scyldings’-friend,
mōdes brecða. Monig-oft gesæt
rīce tō rūne; rǣd eahtedon,
hwæt swīð-ferhðum sēlest wǣre
wið fǣr-gryrum tō gefremmanne.
175 Hwīlum hīe gehēton æt hærg-trafum
heart-rending misery. Many nobles
sat assembled, and searched out counsel
how it were best for bold-hearted men
against harassing terror to try their hand.
175 Whiles they vowed in their heathen fanes
wīg-weorðunga, wordum bǣdon,
þæt him gāst-bona gēoce gefremede
wið þēod-þrēaum. Swylc wæs þēaw hyra,
hǣðenra hyht; helle gemundon
180 in mōd-sefan, metod hīe ne cūðon,
altar-offerings, asked with words
that the slayer-of-souls would succor give them
for the pain of their people. Their practice this,
their heathen hope; ’twas Hell they thought of
180 in mood of their mind. Almighty they knew not,
dǣda dēmend, ne wiston hīe drihten god,
nē hīe hūru heofena helm herian ne cūðon,
wuldres waldend. Wā bið þǣm þe sceal
þurh slīðne nīð sāwle bescūfan
185 in fy¯res fæðm, frōfre ne wēnan,
Doomsman of Deeds and dreadful Lord,
nor Heaven’s-Helmet heeded they ever,
Wielder-of-Wonder. — Woe for that man
who in harm and hatred hales his soul
185 to fiery embraces; — nor favor nor change
wihte gewendan; wēl bið þǣm þe mōt
æfter dēað-dæge drihten sēcean
and tō fæder fæðmum freoðo wilnian.
awaits he ever. But well for him
that after death-day may draw to his Lord,
and friendship find in the Father’s arms!
IV. HYGELAC’S THANE.
Swā þā mǣl-ceare maga Healfdenes
190 singāla sēað; ne mihte snotor hæleð
Thus seethed unceasing the son of Healfdene
190 with the woe of these days; not wisest men
wēan onwendan: wæs þæt gewin tō swy¯ð,
lāð and longsum, þē on þā lēode becōm,
ny¯d-wracu nīð-grim, niht-bealwa mǣst.
Þæt fram hām gefrægn Higelāces þegn,
195 gōd mid Gēatum, Grendles dǣda:
assuaged his sorrow; too sore the anguish,
loathly and long, that lay on his folk,
most baneful of burdens and bales of the night.
This heard in his home Hygelac’s thane,
195 great among Geats, of Grendel’s doings.
sē wæs mon-cynnes mægenes strengest
on þǣm dæge þysses līfes,
æðele and ēacen. Hēt him y¯ð-lidan
gōdne gegyrwan; cwæð hē gūð-cyning
200 ofer swan-rāde sēcean wolde,
He was the mightiest man of valor
in that same day of this our life,
stalwart and stately. A stout wave-walker
he bade make ready. Yon battle-king, said he,
200 far o’er the swan-road he fain would seek,
mǣrne þēoden, þā him wæs manna þearf.
Þone sīð-fæt him snotere ceorlas
ly¯t-hwōn lōgon, þēah hē him lēof wǣre;
hwetton higerōfne, hǣl scēawedon.
205 Hæfde se gōda Gēata lēoda
the noble monarch who needed men!
The prince’s journey by prudent folk
was little blamed, though they loved him dear;
they whetted the hero, and hailed good omens.
205 And now the bold one from bands of Geats
cempan gecorone, þāra þe hē cēnoste
findan mihte; fīfty¯na sum
sund-wudu sōhte; secg wīsade,
lagu-cræftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
210 Fyrst forð gewāt: flota wæs on y¯ðum,
comrades chose, the keenest of warriors
e’er he could find; with fourteen men
the sea-wood he sought, and, sailor proved,
led them on to the land’s confines.
210 Time had now flown; afloat was the ship,
bāt under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; strēamas wundon
sund wið sande; secgas bǣron
on bearm nacan beorhte frætwe,
215 gūð-searo geatolīc; guman ūt scufon,
boat under bluff. On board they climbed,
warriors ready; waves were churning
sea with sand; the sailors bore
on the breast of the bark their bright array,
215 their mail and weapons: the men pushed off,
weras on wil-sīð wudu bundenne.
Gewāt þā ofer wǣg-holm winde gefy¯sed
flota fāmig-heals fugle gelīcost,
oð þæt ymb ān-tīd ōðres dōgores
220 wunden-stefna gewaden hæfde,
on its willing way, the well-braced craft.
Then moved o’er the waters by might of the wind
that bark like a bird with breast of foam,
till in season due, on the second day,
220 the curved prow such course had run
þæt þā līðende land gesāwon,
brim-clifu blīcan, beorgas stēape,
sīde sǣ-næssas: þā wæs sund liden,
eoletes æt ende. Þanon up hraðe
225 Wedera lēode on wang stigon,
that sailors now could see the land,
sea-cliffs shining, steep high hills,
headlands broad. Their haven was found,
their journey ended. Up then quickly
225 the Weders’ clansmen climbed ashore,
sǣ-wudu sǣldon (syrcan hrysedon,
gūð-gewǣdo); gode þancedon,
þæs þe him y¯ð-lāde ēaðe wurdon.
Þā of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
230 sē þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
anchored their sea-wood, with armor clashing
and gear of battle: God they thanked
for passing in peace o’er the paths of the sea.
Now saw from the cliff a Scylding clansman,
230 a warden that watched the water-side,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fūslīcu; hine fyrwyt bræc
mōd-gehygdum, hwæt þā men wǣron.
Gewāt him þā tō waroðe wicge rīdan
235 þegn Hrōðgāres, þrymmum cwehte
how they bore o’er the gangway glittering shields,
war-gear in readiness; wonder seized him
to know what manner of men they were.
Straight to the strand his steed he rode,
235 Hrothgar’s henchman; with hand of might
mægen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frægn:
“Hwæt syndon gē searo-hæbbendra
“byrnum werede, þē þus brontne cēol
“ofer lagu-strǣte lǣdan cwōmon,
240 “hider ofer holmas helmas bǣron?
he shook his spear, and spake in parley.
“Who are ye, then, ye arméd men,
mailéd folk, that yon mighty vessel
have urged thus over the ocean ways,
240 here o’er the waters? A warden I,
“Ic wæs ende-sǣta, ǣg-wearde hēold,
“þæt on land Dena lāðra nǣnig
“mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
“Nō hēr cūðlīcor cuman ongunnon
245 “lind-hæbbende; nē gē lēafnes-word
sentinel set o’er the sea-march here,
lest any foe to the folk of Danes
with harrying fleet should harm the land.
No aliens ever at ease thus bore them,
245 linden-wielders: yet word-of-leave
“gūð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
“māga gemēdu. Nǣfre ic māran geseah
“eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is ēower sum,
“secg on searwum; nis þæt seld-guma
250 “wǣpnum geweorðad, næfne him his wlite lēoge,
clearly ye lack from clansmen here,
my folk’s agreement. — A greater ne’er saw I
of warriors in world than is one of you, —
yon hero in harness! No henchman he
250 worthied by weapons, if witness his features,
“ǣnlīc an-sy¯n. Nū ic ēower sceal
“frum-cyn witan, ǣr gē fyr heonan
“lēase scēaweras on land Dena
“furður fēran. Nū gē feor-būend,
255 “mere-līðende, mīnne gehy¯rað
his peerless presence! I pray you, though, tell
your folk and home, lest hence ye fare
suspect to wander your way as spies
in Danish land. Now, dwellers afar,
255 ocean-travellers, take from me
“ān-fealdne geþōht: ofost is sēlest
“tō gecy¯ðanne, hwanan ēowre cyme syndon.”
simple advice: the sooner the better
I hear of the country whence ye came.”
V. THE ERRAND.
Him se yldesta andswarode,
werodes wīsa, word-hord onlēac:
260 “Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode
To him the stateliest spake in answer;
the warriors’ leader his word-hoard unlocked: —
260 “We are by kin of the clan of Geats,
“and Higelāces heorð-genēatas.
“Wæs mīn fæder folcum gecy¯ðed,
“æðele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten;
“gebād wintra worn, ǣr hē on weg hwurfe,
265 “gamo
l of geardum; hine gearwe geman
and Hygelac’s own hearth-fellows we.
To folk afar was my father known,
noble atheling, Ecgtheow named.
Full of winters, he fared away
265 agéd from earth; he is honored still
“witena wēl-hwylc wīde geond eorðan. —
“Wē þurh holdne hige hlāford þinne,
“sunu Healfdenes, sēcean cwōmon,
“lēod-gebyrgean: wes þū ūs lārena gōd!
270 “Habbað wē tō þǣm mǣran micel ǣrende
through width of the world by wise men all.
To thy lord and liege in loyal mood
we hasten hither, to Healfdene’s son,
people-protector: be pleased to advise us!
270 To that mighty-one come we on mickle errand,
“Deniga frēan; ne sceal þǣr dyrne sum
“wesan, þæs ic wēne. Þū wāst, gif hit is,
“swā wē sōðlice secgan hy¯rdon,
“þæt mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nāt hwylc,
275 “dēogol dǣd-hata, deorcum nihtum
to the lord of the Danes; nor deem I right
that aught be hidden. We hear — thou knowest
if sooth it is — the saying of men,
that amid the Scyldings a scathing monster,
275 dark ill-doer, in dusky nights
“ēaweð þurh egsan uncūðne nīð,
“hy¯nðu and hrā-fyl. Ic þæs Hrōðgār mæg
“þurh rūmne sefan rǣd gelǣran,
“hū hē frōd and gōd fēond oferswy¯ðeð,
280 “gyf him ed-wendan ǣfre scolde
shows terrific his rage unmatched,
hatred and murder. To Hrothgar I
in greatness of soul would succor bring,
so the Wise-and-Brave may worst his foes. —
280 if ever the end of ills is fated,
“bealuwa bisigu, bōt eft cuman
“and þā cear-wylmas cōlran wurðað;
“oððe ā syððan earfoð-þrāge,
“þrēa-ny¯d þolað, þenden þǣr wunað
285 “on hēah-stede hūsa sēlest.”
of cruel contest, if cure shall follow,
and the boiling care-waves cooler grow;
else ever afterward anguish-days
he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place
285 high on its hill that house unpeered!”
Weard maðelode, þǣr on wicge sæt
ombeht unforht: ”Ǣghwæðres sceal
“scearp scyld-wiga gescād witan,
“worda and worca, sē þe wēl þenceð.
290 “Ic þæt gehy¯re, þæt þis is hold weorod
Astride his steed, the strand-ward answered,
clansman unquailing: “The keen-souled thane
must be skilled to sever and sunder duly
words and works, if he well intends.
290 I gather, this band is graciously bent