Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series
Page 42
for horror of fighting feared to hold him.
Fleeing, he sought our South-Dane folk,
over surge of ocean the Honor-Scyldings,
465 when first I was ruling the folk of Danes,
“and on geogoðe hēold gimme-rīce
“hord-burh hæleða: þā wæs Heregār dēad,
“mīn yldra mǣg unlifigende,
“bearn Healfdenes. Sē wæs betera þonne ic!
470 “Siððan þā fǣhðe fēo þingode;
wielded, youthful, this widespread realm,
this hoard-hold of heroes. Heorogar was dead,
my elder brother, had breathed his last,
Healfdene’s bairn: he was better than I!
470 Straightway the feud with fee I settled,
“sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg
“ealde mādmas: hē mē āðas swōr.
“Sorh is mē tō secganne on sefan mīnum
“gumena ǣngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað
475 “hy¯nðo on Heorote mid his hete-þancum,
to the Wylfings sent, o’er watery ridges,
treasures olden: oaths he swore me.
Sore is my soul to say to any
of the race of man what ruth for me
475 in Heorot Grendel with hate hath wrought,
“fǣr-nīða gefremed. Is mīn flet-werod,
“wīg-hēap gewanod; hīe Wyrd forswēop
“on Grendles gryre. God ēaðe mæg
“þone dol-scaðan dǣda getwǣfan!
480 “Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne
what sudden harryings. Hall-folk fail me,
my warriors wane; for Wyrd hath swept them
into Grendel’s grasp. But God is able
this deadly foe from his deeds to turn!
480 Boasted full oft, as my beer they drank,
“ofer ealo-wǣge ōret-mecgas,
“þæt hīe in bēor-sele bīdan woldon
“Grendles gūðe mid gryrum ecga.
“Þonne wæs þēos medo-heal on morgen-tīd,
485 “driht-sele drēor-fāh, þonne dæg līxte,
earls o’er the ale-cup, arméd men,
that they would bide in the beer-hall here,
Grendel’s attack with terror of blades.
Then was this mead-house at morning tide
485 dyed with gore, when the daylight broke,
“eal benc-þelu blōde besty¯med,
“heall heoru-drēore: āhte ic holdra þy¯ lǣs,
“dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam.
“Site nū tō symle and onsǣl meoto,
490 “sige-hrēð secgum, swā þīn sefa hwette!”
all the boards of the benches blood-besprinkled,
gory the hall: I had heroes the less,
doughty dear-ones that death had reft.
— But sit to the banquet, unbind thy words,
490 hardy hero, as heart shall prompt thee.”
Þā wæs Gēat-mæcgum geador ætsomne
on bēor-sele benc gery¯med;
þǣr swīð-ferhðe sittan ēodon
þry¯ðum dealle. Þegn nytte behēold,
495 sē þe on handa bær hroden ealo-wǣge,
Gathered together, the Geatish men
in the banquet-hall on bench assigned,
sturdy-spirited, sat them down,
hardy-hearted. A henchman attended,
495 carried the carven cup in hand,
scencte scīr wered. Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote; þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unly¯tel Dena and Wedera.
served the clear mead. Oft minstrels sang
blithe in Heorot. Heroes revelled,
no dearth of warriors, Weder and Dane.
IX. HUNFERTH OBJECTS TO BĒOWULF.
Unferð maðelode, Ecglāfes bearn,
500 þē æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga;
Unferth spake, the son of Ecglaf,
500 who sat at the feet of the Scyldings’ lord,
onband beadu-rūne (wæs him Bēowulfes sīð,
mōdges mere-faran, micel æf-þunca,
forþon þe hē ne ūðe, þæt ǣnig ōðer man
ǣfre mǣrða þon mā middan-geardes
505 gehēdde under heofenum þonne hē sylfa):
unbound the battle-runes. — Beowulf’s quest,
sturdy seafarer’s, sorely galled him;
ever he envied that other men
should more achieve in middle-earth
505 of fame under heaven than he himself. —
“Eart þū sē Bēowulf, sē þe wið Brecan wunne,
“on sīdne sǣ ymb sund flite,
“þǣr git for wlence wada cunnedon
“and for dol-gilpe on dēop wæter
510 “aldrum nēðdon? Nē inc ǣnig mon,
“Art thou that Beowulf, Breca’s rival,
who emulous swam on the open sea,
when for pride the pair of you proved the floods,
and wantonly dared in waters deep
510 to risk your lives? No living man,
“nē lēof nē lāð, belēan mihte
“sorh-fullne sīð; þā git on sund rēon,
“þǣr git ēagor-strēam earmum þehton,
“mǣton mere-strǣta, mundum brugdon,
515 “glidon ofer gār-secg; geofon y¯ðum wēol,
or lief or loath, from your labor dire
could you dissuade, from swimming the main.
Ocean-tides with your arms ye covered,
with strenuous hands the sea-streets measured,
515 swam o’er the waters. Winter’s storm
“wintres wylme. Git on wæteres ǣht
“seofon niht swuncon; hē þē æt sunde oferflāt,
“hæfde māre mægen. Þā hine on morgen-tīd
“on Heaðo-rǣmas holm up ætbær,
520 “þonon hē gesōhte swǣsne ēðel
rolled the rough waves. In realm of sea
a sennight strove ye. In swimming he topped thee,
had more of main! Him at morning-tide
billows bore to the Battling Reamas,
520 whence he hied to his home so dear,
“lēof his lēodum lond Brondinga,
“freoðo-burh fægere, þǣr hē folc āhte,
“burg and bēagas. Bēot eal wið þē
“sunu Bēanstānes sōðe gelǣste.
525 “Þonne wēne ic tō þē wyrsan geþinges,
beloved of his liegemen, to land of Brondings,
fastness fair, where his folk he ruled,
town and treasure. In triumph o’er thee
Beanstan’s bairn his boast achieved.
525 So ween I for thee a worse adventure
“þēah þū heaðo-rǣsa gehwǣr dohte,
“grimre gūðe, gif þū Grendles dearst
“niht-longne fyrst nēan bīdan!”
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
530 “Hwæt! þū worn fela, wine mīn Unferð,
— though in buffet of battle thou brave hast been,
in struggle grim, — if Grendel’s approach
thou darst await through the watch of night!”
Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: —
530 “What a deal hast uttered, dear my Unferth,
“bēore druncen ymb Brecan sprǣce,
“sægdest from his sīðe! Sōð ic talige,
“þæt ic mere-strengo māran āhte,
“earfeðo on y¯ðum, þonne ǣnig ōðer man.
535 “Wit þæt gecwǣdon cniht-wesende
drunken with beer, of Breca now,
told of his triumph! Truth I claim it,
that I had more of might in the sea
than any man else, more ocean-endurance.
535 We twain had talked, in time of youth,
“and gebēotedon (wǣron bēgen þā gīt
“on geogoð-feore) þæt wit on gār-secg ūt
“aldrum nēðdon; and þæt geæfndon sw
ā.
“Hæfdon swurd nacod, þā wit on sund rēon,
540 “heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas
and made our boast, — we were merely boys,
striplings still, — to stake our lives
far at sea: and so we performed it.
Naked swords, as we swam along,
540 we held in hand, with hope to guard us
“werian þōhton. Nō hē wiht fram mē
“flōd-y¯ðum feor flēotan meahte,
“hraðor on holme, nō ic fram him wolde.
“Þā wit ætsomne on sǣ wǣron
545 “fīf nihta fyrst, oð þæt unc flōd tōdrāf,
against the whales. Not a whit from me
could he float afar o’er the flood of waves,
haste o’er the billows; nor him I abandoned.
Together we twain on the tides abode
545 five nights full till the flood divided us,
“wado weallende, wedera cealdost,
“nīpende niht and norðan wind
“heaðo-grim andhwearf; hrēo wǣron y¯ða,
“Wæs mere-fixa mōd onhrēred:
550 “þǣr mē wið lāðum līc-syrce mīn,
churning waves and chillest weather,
darkling night, and the northern wind
ruthless rushed on us: rough was the surge.
Now the wrath of the sea-fish rose apace;
550 yet me ‘gainst the monsters my mailéd coat,
“heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;
“beado-hrægl brōden on brēostum læg,
“golde gegyrwed. Mē tō grunde tēah
“fāh fēond-scaða, fæste hæfde
555 “grim on grāpe: hwæðre mē gyfeðe wearð,
hard and hand-linked, help afforded, —
battle-sark braided my breast to ward,
garnished with gold. There grasped me firm
and haled me to bottom the hated foe,
555 with grimmest gripe. ’Twas granted me, though,
“þæt ic āglǣcan orde gerǣhte,
“hilde-bille; heaðo-rǣs fornam
“mihtig mere-dēor þurh mīne hand.
to pierce the monster with point of sword,
with blade of battle: huge beast of the sea
was whelmed by the hurly through hand of mine.
X. BĒOWULF’S CONTEST WITH BRECA. — THE FEAST.
“Swā mec gelōme lāð-getēonan
560 “þrēatedon þearle. Ic him þēnode
Me thus often the evil monsters
560 thronging threatened. With thrust of my sword,
“dēoran sweorde, swā hit gedēfe wæs;
“næs hīe þǣre fylle gefēan hæfdon,
“mān-fordǣdlan, þæt hīe mē þēgon,
“symbel ymb-sǣton sǣ-grunde nēah,
565 “ac on mergenne mēcum wunde
the darling, I dealt them due return!
Nowise had they bliss from their booty then
to devour their victim, vengeful creatures,
seated to banquet at bottom of sea;
565 but at break of day, by my brand sore hurt,
“be y¯ð-lāfe uppe lǣgon,
“sweordum āswefede, þæt syððan nā
“ymb brontne ford brim-līðende
“lāde ne letton. Lēoht ēastan cōm,
570 “beorht bēacen godes; brimu swaðredon,
on the edge of ocean up they lay,
put to sleep by the sword. And since, by them
on.the fathomless sea-ways sailor-folk
are never molested. — Light from east,
570 came bright God’s beacon; the billows sank,
“þæt ic sǣ-næssas gesēon mihte,
“windige weallas. Wyrd oft nereð
“unfǣgne eorl, ðonne his ellen dēah!
“Hwæðere mē gesǣlde, þæt ic mid sweorde ofslōh
575 “niceras nigene. Nō ic on niht gefrægn
so that I saw the sea-cliffs high,
windy walls. For Wyrd oft saveth
earl undoomed if he doughty be!
And so it came that I killed with my sword
575 nine of the nicors. Of night-fought battles
“under heofones hwealf heardran feohtan,
“nē on ēg-strēamum earmran mannan;
“hwæðere ic fāra feng fēore gedīgde,
“siðes wērig. Þā mec sǣ oðbær,
580 “flōd æfter faroðe, on Finna land,
ne’er heard I a harder ‘neath heaven’s dome,
nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man!
Yet I came unharmed from that hostile clutch,
though spent with swimming. The sea upbore me,
580 flood of the tide, on Finnish land,
“wadu weallendu. Nō ic wiht fram þē
“swylcra searo-nīða secgan hy¯rde,
“billa brōgan: Breca nǣfre gīt
“æt heaðo-lāce, nē gehwæðer incer
585 “swā dēorlīce dǣd gefremede
the welling waters. No wise of thee
have I heard men tell such terror of falchions,
bitter battle. Breca ne’er yet,
not one of you pair, in the play of war
585 such daring deed has done at all
“fāgum sweordum . . . . . . .
“. . . . . . . nō ic þæs gylpe;
“þēah þū þīnum brōðrum tō banan wurde,
“hēafod-mǣgum; þæs þū in helle scealt
590 “werhðo drēogan, þēah þīn wit duge,
with bloody brand, — I boast not of it! —
though thou wast the bane of thy brethren dear,
thy closest kin, whence curse of hell
awaits thee, well as thy wit may serve!
590 For I say in sooth, thou son of Ecglaf,
“Secge ic þē tō sōðe, sunu Ecglāfes,
“þæt nǣfre Grendel swā fela gryra gefremede,
“atol ǣglǣca ealdre þīnum,
“hy¯nðo on Heorote, gif þīn hige wǣre,
595 “sefa swā searo-grim, swā þū self talast.
never had Grendel these grim deeds wrought,
monster dire, on thy master dear,
in Heorot such havoc, if heart of thine
were as battle-bold as thy boast is loud!
595 But he has found no feud will happen;
“Ac hē hafað onfunden, þæt hē þā fǣhðe ne þearf,
“atole ecg-þræce ēower lēode
“swīðe onsittan, Sige-Scyldinga;
“nymeð ny¯d-bāde, nǣnegum ārað
600 “lēode Deniga, ac hē on lust wīgeð,
from sword-clash dread of your Danish clan
he vaunts him safe, from the Victor-Scyldings.
He forces pledges, favors none
of the land of Danes, but lustily murders,
600 fights and feasts, nor feud he dreads
“swefeð ond sendeð, secce ne wēneð
“tō Gār-Denum. Ac him Gēata sceal
“eafoð and ellen ungeāra nū
“gūðe gebēodan. Gǣð eft sē þe mōt
605 “tō medo mōdig, siððan morgen-lēoht
from Spear-Dane men. But speedily now
shall I prove him the prowess and pride of the Geats,
shall bid him battle. Blithe to mead
go he that listeth, when light of dawn
605 this morrow morning o’er men of earth,
“ofer ylda bearn ōðres dōgores,
“sunne swegl-wered sūðan scīneð!”
Þā wæs on sālum sinces brytta
gamol-feax and gūð-rōf, gēoce gely¯fde
610 brego Beorht-Dena; gehy¯rde on Bēowulfe
ether-robed sun from the south shall beam!”
Joyous then was the Jewel-giver,
hoar-haired, war-brave; help awaited
the Bright-Danes’ prince, from Beowulf hearing,
610 folk’s good shepherd, such fi
rm resolve.
folces hyrde fæst-rǣdne geþōht.
Þǣr wæs hæleða hleahtor; hlyn swynsode,
word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,
cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig,
615 grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,
Then was laughter of liegemen loud resounding
with winsome words. Came Wealhtheow forth,
queen of Hrothgar, heedful of courtesy,
gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall;
615 and the high-born lady handed the cup
and þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealde
ǣrest Ēast-Dena ēðel-wearde,
bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þege,
lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah
620 symbel and sele-ful, sige-rōf kyning.
first to the East-Danes’ heir and warden,
bade him be blithe at the beer-carouse,
the land’s beloved one. Lustily took he
banquet and beaker, battle-famed king.
620 Through the hall then went the Helmings’ Lady,
Ymb-ēode þā ides Helminga
duguðe and geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne;
sinc-fato sealde, oð þæt sǣl ālamp,
þæt hīo Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,
625 mōde geþungen, medo-ful ætbær;
to younger and older everywhere
carried the cup, till came the moment
when the ring-graced queen, the royal-hearted,
to Beowulf bore the beaker of mead.
625 She greeted the Geats’ lord, God she thanked,
grētte Gēata lēod, gode þancode
wīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,
þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gely¯fde
fyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,
630 wæl-rēow wiga æt Wealhþēon,
in wisdom’s words, that her will was granted,
that at last on a hero her hope could lean
for comfort in terrors. The cup he took,
hardy-in-war, from Wealhtheow’s hand,
630 and answer uttered the eager-for-combat.
and þā gyddode gūðe gefy¯sed,
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,
“sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra secga gedriht,
635 “þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda
Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: —
“This was my thought, when my thanes and I
bent to the ocean and entered our boat,
that I would work the will of your people
635 fully, or fighting fall in death,
“willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge,
“fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefremman sceal
“eorlīc ellen, oððe ende-dæg
“on þisse meodu-healle mīnne gebīdan.”
640 Þām wīfe þā word wēl līcodon,