by Beowulf
“frēan Scyldinga. Gewītað forð beran
“wǣpen and gewǣdu, ic ēow wīsige:
“swylce ic magu-þegnas mīne hāte
“wið fēonda gehwone flotan ēowerne,
295 “nīw-tyrwedne nacan on sande
to the Scyldings’ master. March, then, bearing
weapons and weeds the way I show you.
I will bid my men your boat meanwhile
to guard for fear lest foemen come, —
295 your new-tarred ship by shore of ocean
“ārum healdan, oð þæt eft byreð
“ofer lagu-strēamas lēofne mannan
“wudu wunden-hals tō Weder-mearce.
“Gūð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,
300 “þæt þone hilde-rǣs hāl gedīgeð.”
faithfully watching till once again
it waft o’er the waters those well-loved thanes,
— winding-neck’d wood, — to Weders’ bounds,
heroes such as the hest of fate
300 shall succor and save from the shock of war.”
Gewiton him þā fēran (flota stille bād,
seomode on sāle sīd-fæðmed scyp,
on ancre fæst); eofor-līc scionon
ofer hlēor-beran gehroden golde
305 fāh and fy¯r-heard, ferh wearde hēold.
They bent them to march, — the boat lay still,
fettered by cable and fast at anchor,
broad-bosomed ship. — Then shone the boars
over the cheek-guard; chased with gold,
305 keen and gleaming, guard it kept
Gūðmōde grummon, guman ōnetton,
sigon ætsomne, oð þæt hy¯ sæl timbred
geatolīc and gold-fāh ongytan mihton;
þæt wæs fore-mǣrost fold-būendum
310 receda under roderum, on þǣm se rīca bād;
o’er the man of war, as marched along
heroes in haste, till the hall they saw,
broad of gable and bright with gold:
that was the fairest, ‘mid folk of earth,
310 of houses ‘neath heaven, where Hrothgar lived,
līxte se lēoma ofer landa fela.
Him þā hilde-dēor hof mōdigra
torht getǣhte, þæt hīe him tō mihton
gegnum gangan; gūð-beorna sum
315 wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð:
and the gleam of it lightened o’er lands afar.
The sturdy shieldsman showed that bright
burg-of-the-boldest; bade them go
straightway thither; his steed then turned,
315 hardy hero, and hailed them thus: —
“Mǣl is mē tō fēran; fæder alwalda
“mid ār-stafum ēowic gehealde
“sīða gesunde! ic tō sǣ wille,
“wið wrāð werod wearde healdan.”
“ ’Tis time that I fare from you. Father Almighty
in grace and mercy guard you well,
safe in your seekings. Seaward I go,
‘gainst hostile warriors hold my watch.”
VI. BĒOWULF’S SPEECH.
320 Strǣt wæs stān-fāh, stīg wīsode
320 Stone-bright the street: it showed the way
gumum ætgædere. Gūð-byrne scān
heard hond-locen, hring-īren scīr
song in searwum, þā hīe tō sele furðum
in hyra gryre-geatwum gangan cwōmon.
325 Setton sǣ-mēðe sīde scyldas,
to the crowd of clansmen. Corselets glistened
hand-forged, hard; on their harness bright
the steel ring sang, as they strode along
in mail of battle, and marched to the hall.
325 There, weary of ocean, the wall along
rondas regn-hearde wið þæs recedes weal,
bugon þā tō bence; byrnan hringdon,
gūð-searo gumena; gāras stōdon,
sǣ-manna searo, samod ætgædere,
330 æsc-holt ufan grǣg: wæs se īren-þrēat
they set their bucklers, their broad shields, down,
and bowed them to bench: the breastplates clanged,
war-gear of men; their weapons stacked,
spears of the seafarers stood together,
330 gray-tipped ash: that iron band
wǣpnum gewurðad. Þā þǣr wlonc hæleð
ōret-mecgas æfter æðelum frægn:
“Hwanon ferigeað gē fǣtte scyldas,
“grǣge syrcan and grīm-helmas,
335 “here-sceafta hēap? — Ic eom Hrōðgāres
was worthily weaponed! — A warrior proud
asked of the heroes their home and kin.
“Whence, now, bear ye burnished shields,
harness gray and helmets grim,
335 spears in multitude ? Messenger, I,
“ār and ombiht. Ne seah ic el-þēodige
“þus manige men mōdiglīcran.
“Wēn’ ic þæt gē for wlenco, nalles for wræc-sīðum,
“ac for hige-þrymmum Hrōðgār sōhton.”
340 Him þā ellen-rōf andswarode,
Hrothgar’s herald! Heroes so many
ne’er met I as strangers of mood so strong,
’Tis plain that for prowess, not plunged into exile,
for high-hearted valor, Hrothgar ye seek!”
340 Him the sturdy-in-war bespake with words,
wlanc Wedera lēod word æfter spræc,
heard under helme: ”Wē synt Higelāces
“bēod-genēatas; Bēowulf is mīn nama.
“Wille ic āsecgan suna Healfdenes,
345 “mǣrum þēodne mīn ǣrende,
proud earl of the Weders answer made,
hardy ‘neath helmet:— “Hygelac’s, we,
fellows at board; I am Beowulf named.
I am seeking to say to the son of Healfdene
345 this mission of mine, to thy master-lord,
“aldre þīnum, gif hē ūs geunnan wile,
“þæt wē hine swā gōdne grētan mōton.”
Wulfgār maðelode (þæt wæs Wendla lēod,
wæs his mōd-sefa manegum gecy¯ðed,
350 wīg and wīs-dōm): ”ic þæs wine Deniga,
the doughty prince, if he deign at all
grace that we greet him, the good one, now.”
Wulfgar spake, the Wendles’ chieftain,
whose might of mind to many was known,
350 his courage and counsel: “The king of Danes,
“frēan Scildinga frīnan wille,
“bēaga bryttan, swā þū bēna eart,
“þēoden mǣrne ymb þīnne sīð ;
“and þē þā andsware ǣdre gecy¯ðan,
355 “þē mē se gōda āgifan þenceð.”
the Scyldings’ friend, I fain will tell,
the Breaker-of-Rings, as the boon thou askest,
the famed prince, of thy faring hither,
and, swiftly after, such answer bring
355 as the doughty monarch may deign to give.”
Hwearf þā hrædlīce, þǣr Hrōðgār sæt,
eald and unhār mid his eorla gedriht;
ēode ellen-rōf, þæt hē for eaxlum gestōd
Deniga frēan, cūðe hē duguðe þēaw.
360 Wulfgār maðelode tō his wine-drihtne:
Hied then in haste to where Hrothgar sat
white-haired and old, his earls about him,
till the stout thane stood at the shoulder there
of the Danish king: good courtier he!
360 Wulfgar spake to his winsome lord: —
“Hēr syndon geferede feorran cumene
“ofer geofenes begang Gēata lēode:
“þone yldestan ōret-mecgas
“Bēowulf nemnað. Hy¯ bēnan synt,
365 “þæt hīe, þēoden mīn, wið þē mōton
“Hither have fared to thee far-come men
o’er the paths of ocean, people of Geatland;
and the stateliest there by his sturdy band
is Beowulf named. This boon they seek,
365 that they, my master, may with thee
“wordum wrixlan; nō þū him wearne getēoh,
“þīnra gegn-cwida glædnian, Hrōðgār!
“Hy¯ on wīg-geatwum wyrðe þinceað
“eorla geæhtlan; hūru se aldor dēah,
370 “sē þǣm heaðo-rincum hider wīsade.”
have speech at will: nor spurn their prayer
to give them hearing, gracious Hrothgar!
In weeds of the warrior worthy they,
methinks, of our liking; their leader most surely,
370 a hero that hither his henchmen has led.”
VII. HROTHGAR’S WELCOME.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
“Ic hine cūðe cniht-wesende.
“Wæs his eald-fæder Ecgþēo hāten,
“þǣm tō hām forgeaf Hrēðel Gēata
375 “āngan dōhtor; is his eafora nū
Hrothgar answered, helmet of Scyldings: —
“I knew him of yore in his youthful days;
his agéd father was Ecgtheow named,
to whom, at home, gave Hrethel the Geat
375 his only daughter. Their offspring bold
“heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine.
“þonne sægdon þæt sǣ-līðende,
“þā þe gif-sceattas Gēata fyredon
“þyder tō þance, þæt hē þrīttiges
380 “manna mægen-cræft on his mund-grīpe
fares hither to seek the steadfast friend.
And seamen, too, have said me this, —
who carried my gifts to the Geatish court,
thither for thanks, — he has thirty men’s
380 heft of grasp in the gripe of his hand,
“heaðo-rōf hæbbe. Hine hālig god
“for ār-stafum us onsende,
“tō West-Denum, þæs ic wēn hæbbe,
“wið Grendles gryre: ic þǣm gōdan sceal
385 “for his mōd-þræce mādmas bēodan.
the bold-in-battle. Blesséd God
out of his mercy this man hath sent
to Danes of the West, as I ween indeed,
against horror of Grendel. I hope to give
385 the good youth gold for his gallant thought.
“Bēo þū on ofeste, hāt hig in gān,
“sēon sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere;
“gesaga him ēac wordum, þæt hīe sint wil-cuman
“Deniga lēodum.” Þā wið duru healle
390 Wulfgār ēode, word inne ābēad:
Be thou in haste, and bid them hither,
clan of kinsmen, to come before me;
and add this word, — they are welcome guests
to folk of the Danes.”
[To the door of the hall
380 Wulfgar went] and the word declared: —
“Ēow hēt secgan sige-drihten mīn,
“aldor Ēast-Dena, þæt hē ēower æðelu can
“and gē him syndon ofer sǣ-wylmas,
“heard-hicgende, hider wil-cuman.
395 “Nū gē mōton gangan in ēowrum guð-geatawum,
“To you this message my master sends,
East-Danes’ king, that your kin he knows,
hardy heroes, and hails you all
welcome hither o’er waves of the sea!
395 Ye may wend your way in war-attire,
“under here-grīman, Hrōðgār gesēon;
“lǣtað hilde-bord hēr onbidian,
“wudu wæl-sceaftas, worda geþinges.”
Ārās þā se rīca, ymb hine rinc manig,
400 þry¯ðlīc þegna hēap; sume þǣr bidon,
and under helmets Hrothgar greet;
but let here the battle-shields bide your parley,
and wooden war-shafts wait its end.”
Uprose the mighty one, ringed with his men,
400 brave band of thanes: some bode without,
heaðo-rēaf hēoldon, swā him se hearda bebēad.
Snyredon ætsomne, þā secg wīsode
under Heorotes hrōf; hyge-rōf ēode,
heard under helme, þæt hē on heoðe gestōd.
405 Bēowulf maðelode (on him byrne scān,
battle-gear guarding, as bade the chief.
Then hied that troop where the herald led them,
under Heorot’s roof: [the hero strode,]
hardy ‘neath helm, till the hearth he neared.
405 Beowulf spake, — his breastplate gleamed,
searo-net sēowed smiðes or-þancum):
“Wes þū Hrōðgār hāl! ic eom Higelāces
“mǣg and mago-þegn; hæbbe ic mǣrða fela
“ongunnen on geogoðe. Mē wearð Grendles þing
410 “on mīnre ēðel-tyrf undyrne cūð:
war-net woven by wit of the smith: —
“Thou Hrothgar, hail! Hygelac’s I,
kinsman and follower. Fame a plenty
have I gained in youth! These Grendel-deeds
410 I heard in my home-land heralded clear.
“secgað sǣ-līðend, þæt þes sele stande,
“reced sēlesta, rinca gehwylcum
“īdel and unnyt, siððan ǣfen-lēoht
“under heofenes hādor beholen weorðeð.
415 “Þā mē þæt gelǣrdon lēode mīne,
Seafarers say how stands this hall,
of buildings best, for your band of thanes
empty and idle, when evening sun
in the harbor of heaven is hidden away.
415 So my vassals advised me well, —
“þā sēlestan, snotere ceorlas,
“þēoden Hrōðgār, þæt ic þē sōhte;
“forþan hīe mægenes cræft mīnne cūðon:
“selfe ofersāwon, þā ic of searwum cwōm,
420 “fāh from fēondum, þǣr ic fīfe geband,
brave and wise, the best of men, —
O sovran Hrothgar, to seek thee here,
for my nerve and my might they knew full well.
Themselves had seen me from slaughter come
420 blood-flecked from foes, where five I bound,
“y¯ðde eotena cyn, and on y¯ðum slōg
“niceras nihtes, nearo-þearfe drēah,
“wræc Wedera nīð (wēan āhsodon)
“forgrand gramum; and nū wið Grendel sceal,
425 “wið þām āglǣcan, āna gehegan
and that wild brood worsted. I’ the waves I slew
nicors by night, in need and peril
avenging the Weders, whose woe they sought, —
crushing the grim ones. Grendel now,
425 monster cruel, be mine to quell
“þing wið þyrse. Ic þē nū þā,
“brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
“eodor Scyldinga, ānre bēne;
“þæt þū mē ne forwyrne, wīgendra hlēo,
430 “frēo-wine folca, nū ic þus feorran cōm,
in single battle! So, from thee,
thou sovran of the Shining-Danes,
Scyldings’-bulwark, a boon I seek, —
and, Friend-of-the-folk, refuse it not,
430 O Warriors’-shield, now I’ve wandered far, —
“þæt ic mōte āna and mīnra eorla gedryht,
“þes hearda hēap, Heorot fǣlsian.
“Hæbbe ic ēac geāhsod, þæt se ǣglǣca
“for his won-hy¯dum wǣpna ne rēceð;
435 “ic þæt þonne forhicge, swā mē Higelāc sīe,
that I alone with my liegemen here,
this hardy band, may Heorot purge!
More I hear, that the monster dire,
in his wanton mood, of weapons recks not;
435 hence shall I scorn — so Hygelac stay,
“mīn mon-drihten, mōdes blīðe,
“þæt ic sweord bere oððe sīdne scyld
“geolo-rand tō gūðe; ac ic
mid grāpe sceal
“fōn wið fēonde and ymb feorh sacan,
440 “lāð wið lāðum; þǣr gely¯fan sceal
king of my kindred, kind to me! —
brand or buckler to bear in the fight,
gold-colored targe: but with gripe alone
must I front the fiend and fight for life,
440 foe against foe. Then faith be his
“dryhtnes dōme sē þe hine dēað nimeð.
“Wēn’ ic þæt hē wille, gif hē wealdan mōt,
“in þǣm gūð-sele Gēatena lēode
“etan unforhte, swā hē oft dyde
445 “mægen Hrēðmanna. Nā þū mīnne þearft
in the doom of the Lord whom death shall take.
Fain, I ween, if the fight he win,
in this hall of gold my Geatish band
will he fearless eat, — as oft before, —
445 my noblest thanes. Nor need’st thou then
“hafalan hy¯dan, ac hē mē habban wile
“drēore fāhne, gif mec dēað nimeð;
“byreð blōdig wæl, byrgean þenceð,
“eteð ān-genga unmurnlīce,
450 “mearcað mōr-hopu: nō þū ymb mīnes ne þearft
to hide my head; for his shall I be,
dyed in gore, if death must take me;
and my blood-covered body he’ll bear as prey,
ruthless devour it, the roamer-lonely,
450 with my life-blood redden his lair in the fen:
“līces feorme leng sorgian.
“Onsend Higelāce, gif mec hild nime,
“beadu-scrūda betst, þæt mīne brēost wereð,
“hrægla sēlest; þæt is Hrēðlan lāf,
455 “Wēlandes geweorc. Gǣð ā Wyrd swā hīo scel!”
no further for me need’st food prepare!
To Hygelac send, if Hild should take me,
best of war-weeds, warding my breast,
armor excellent, heirloom of Hrethel
455 and work of Wayland. Fares Wyrd as she must.”
VIII. HROTHGAR TELLS OF GRENDEL.
Hrōðgār maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
“for were-fyhtum þū, wine mīn Bēowulf,
“and for ār-stafum ūsic sōhtest.
“Geslōh þin fæder fǣhðe mǣste,
460 “wearð hē Heaðolāfe tō hand-bonan
Hrothgar spake, the Scyldings’-helmet: —
“For fight defensive. Friend my Beowulf,
to succor and save, thou hast sought us here.
Thy father’s combat a feud enkindled
460 when Heatholaf with hand he slew
“mid Wilfingum; þā hine Wedera cyn
“for here-brōgan habban ne mihte.
“Þanon hē gesōhte Sūð-Dena folc
“ofer y¯ða gewealc, Ār-Scyldinga;
465 “þā ic furðum wēold folce Deninga,
among the Wylfings; his Weder kin