Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series

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Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series Page 45

by Beowulf


  995 that were wove on the wall, and wonders many

  web æfter wāgum, wundor-sīona fela

  secga gehwylcum þāra þe on swylc starað

  Wæs þæt beorhte bold tōbrocen swīðe

  eal inne-weard īren-bendum fæst,

  1000 heorras tōhlidene; hrōf āna genæs

  to delight each mortal that looks upon them.

  Though braced within by iron bands,

  that building bright was broken sorely;

  rent were its hinges; the roof alone

  1000 held safe and sound, when, seared with crime,

  ealles ansund, þā se āglǣca

  fyren-dǣdum fāg on flēam gewand,

  aldres or-wēna. Nō þæt y¯ðe byð

  tō beflēonne (fremme sē þe wille!)

  1005 ac gesacan sceal sāwl-berendra

  the fiendish foe his flight essayed,

  of life despairing. — No light thing that,

  the flight for safety, — essay it who will!

  Forced of fate, he shall find his way

  1005 to the refuge ready for race of man,

  ny¯de geny¯dde niðða bearna

  grund-būendra gearwe stōwe,

  þǣr his līc-homa leger-bedde fæst

  swefeð æfter symle. Þā wæs sǣl and mǣl,

  1010 þæt tō healle gang Healfdenes sunu;

  for soul-possessors, and sons of earth;

  and there his body on bed of death

  shall rest after revel.

  Arrived was the hour

  when to hall proceeded Healfdene’s son:

  1010 the king himself would sit to banquet.

  wolde self cyning symbel þicgan.

  Ne gefrægen ic þā mǣgðe māran weorode

  ymb hyra sinc-gyfan sēl gebǣran.

  Bugon þā tō bence blǣd-āgende,

  1015 fylle gefǣgon. Fægere geþǣgon

  Ne’er heard I of host in haughtier throng

  more graciously gathered round giver-of-rings!

  Bowed then to bench those bearers-of-glory,

  fain of the feasting. Featly received

  1015 many a mead-cup the mighty-in-spirit,

  medo-ful manig māgas þāra

  swīð-hicgende on sele þām hēan,

  Hrōðgār and Hrōðulf. Heorot innan wæs

  frēondum āfylled; nalles fācen-stafas

  1020 Þēod-Scyldingas þenden fremedon.

  kinsmen who sat in the sumptuous hall,

  Hrothgar and Hrothulf. Heorot now

  was filled with friends; the folk of Scyldings

  ne’er yet had tried the traitor’s deed.

  1020 To Beowulf gave the bairn of Healfdene

  Forgeaf þā Bēowulfe bearn Healfdenes

  segen gyldenne sigores tō lēane,

  hroden hilte-cumbor, helm and byrnan;

  mǣre māððum-sweord manige gesāwon

  1025 beforan beorn beran. Bēowulf geþah

  a gold-wove banner, guerdon of triumph,

  broidered battle-flag, breastplate and helmet;

  and a splendid sword was seen of many

  borne to the brave one. Beowulf took

  1025 cup in hall: for such costly gifts

  ful on flette; nō hē þǣre feoh-gyfte

  for scēotendum scamigan þorfte,

  ne gefrægn ic frēondlīcor fēower mādmas

  golde gegyrede gum-manna fela

  1030 in ealo-bence ōðrum gesellan.

  he suffered no shame in that soldier throng.

  For I heard of few heroes, in heartier mood,

  with four such gifts, so fashioned with gold,

  on the ale-bench honoring others thus!

  1030 O’er the roof of the helmet high, a ridge,

  Ymb þæs helmes hrōf hēafod-beorge

  wīrum bewunden walan ūtan hēold,

  þæt him fēla lāfe frēcne ne meahton

  scūr-heard sceððan, þonne scyld-freca

  1035 ongēan gramum gangan scolde.

  wound with wires, kept ward o’er the head,

  lest the relict-of-files should fierce invade,

  sharp in the strife, when that shielded hero

  should go to grapple against his foes.

  1035 Then the earls’-defence on the floor bade lead

  Heht þā eorla hlēo eahta mēaras,

  fǣted-hlēore, on flet tēon

  in under eoderas; þāra ānum stōd

  sadol searwum fāh since gewurðad,

  1040 þæt wæs hilde-setl hēah-cyninges,

  coursers eight, with carven head-gear,

  adown the hall: one horse was decked

  with a saddle all shining and set in jewels;

  ’twas the battle-seat of the best of kings,

  1040 when to play of swords the son of Healfdene

  þonne sweorda gelāc sunu Healfdenes

  efnan wolde; nǣfre on ōre læg

  wīd-cūðes wīg, þonne walu fēollon.

  And þā Bēowulfe bēga gehwæðres

  1045 eodor Ingwina onweald getēah,

  was fain to fare. Ne’er failed his valor

  in the crush of combat when corpses fell.

  To Beowulf over them both then gave

  the refuge-of-Ingwines right and power,

  1045 o’er war-steeds and weapons: wished him joy of them.

  wicga and wǣpna; hēt hine wēl brūcan.

  Swā manlīce mǣre þēoden,

  hord-weard hæleða heaðo-rǣsas geald

  mēarum and mādmum, swā hy¯ nǣfre man lyhð,

  1050 sē þe secgan wile sōð æfter rihte.

  Manfully thus the mighty prince,

  hoard-guard for heroes, that hard fight repaid

  with steeds and treasures contemned by none

  who is willing to say the sooth aright.

  1050 And the lord of earls, to each that came

  XVII. SONG OF HROTHGAR’S POET — THE LAY OF HNAEF AND HENGEST.

  Þā gy¯t ǣghwylcum eorla drihten

  þāra þe mid Bēowulfe brim-lāde tēah,

  on þǣre medu-bence māððum gesealde,

  yrfe-lāfe, and þone ǣnne heht

  1055 golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ǣr

  with Beowulf over the briny ways,

  an heirloom there at the ale-bench gave,

  precious gift; and the price bade pay

  in gold for him whom Grendel erst

  1055 murdered, — and fain of them more had killed,

  māne ācwealde, swā hē hyra mā wolde,

  nefne him wītig god wyrd forstōde

  and þæs mannes mōd: metod eallum wēold

  gumena cynnes, swā hē nū gīt dēð;

  1060 forþan bið andgit ǣghwǣr sēlest,

  had not wisest God their Wyrd averted,

  and the man’s brave mood. The Maker then

  ruled human kind, as here and now.

  Therefore is insight always best,

  1060 and forethought of mind. How much awaits him

  ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebīdan

  lēofes and lāðes, sē þe longe hēr

  on þyssum win-dagum worolde brūceð.

  Þǣr wæs sang and swēg samod ætgædere

  1065 fore Healfdenes hilde-wīsan,

  of lief and of loath, who long time here,

  through days of warfare this world endures!

  Then song and music mingled sounds

  in the presence of Healfdene’s head-of-armies

  1065 and harping was heard with the hero-lay

  gomen-wudu grēted, gid oft wrecen,

  þonne heal-gamen Hrōðgāres scop

  æfter medo-bence mǣnan scolde

  Finnes eaferum, þā hīe se fǣr begeat:

  1070 “Hæleð Healfdenes, Hnæf Scyldinga,

  as Hrothgar’s singer the hall-joy woke

  along the mead-seats, making his song

  of that sudden raid on the sons of Finn.

  Healfdene’s her
o, Hnæf the Scylding,

  1070 was fated to fall in the Frisian slaughter.

  “in Fr..es wæle feallan scolde.

  “Nē hūru Hildeburh herian þorfte

  “Eotena trēowe: unsynnum wearð

  “beloren lēofum æt þām lind-plegan

  1075 “bearnum and brōðrum; hīe on gebyrd hruron

  Hildeburh needed not hold in value

  her enemies’ honor! Innocent both

  were the loved ones she lost at the linden-play,

  bairn and brother; they bowed to fate,

  1075 stricken by spears; ’twas a sorrowful woman!

  “gāre wunde; þæt wæs geōmuru ides.

  “Nalles hōlinga Hōces dōhtor

  “meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen cōm,

  “þā hēo under swegle gesēon meahte

  1080 “morðor-bealo māga, þǣr hēo ǣr mǣste hēold

  None doubted why the daughter of Hoc

  bewailed her doom when dawning came,

  and under the sky she saw them lying,

  kinsmen murdered, where most she had kenned

  1080 of the sweets of the world! By war were swept, too,

  “worolde wynne: wīg ealle fornam

  “Finnes þegnas, nemne fēaum ānum,

  “þæt hē ne mehte on þǣm meðel-stede

  “wīg Hengeste wiht gefeohtan,

  1085 “nē þā wēa-lāfe wīge forþringan

  Finn’s own liegemen, and few were left;

  in the parleying-place he could ply no longer

  weapon, nor war could he wage on Hengest,

  and rescue his remnant by right of arms

  1085 from the prince’s thane. A pact he offered:

  “þōodnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon,

  “þæt hīe him ōðer flet eal gery¯mdon,

  “healle and hēah-setl, þæt hīe healfre geweald

  “wið Eotena bearn āgan mōston,

  1090 “and æt feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu

  another dwelling the Danes should have,

  hall and high-seat, and half the power

  should fall to them in Frisian land;

  and at the fee-gifts, Folcwald’s son

  1090 day by day the Danes should honor,

  “dōgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,

  “Hengestes hēap hringum wenede,

  “efne swā swīðe sinc-gestrēonum

  “fǣttan goldes, swā hē Frēsena cyn

  1095 “on bēor-sele byldan wolde.

  the folk of Hengest favor with rings,

  even as truly, with treasure and jewels,

  with fretted gold, as his Frisian kin

  he meant to honor in ale-hall there.

  1095 Pact of peace they plighted further

  “Þā hīe getruwedon on twā healfa

  “fæste frioðu-wǣre; Fin Hengeste

  “elne unflitme āðum benemde,

  “þæt hē þā wēa-lāfe weotena dōme

  1100 “ārum heolde, þæt þǣr ǣnig mon

  on both sides firmly. Finn to Hengest

  with oath, upon honor, openly promised

  that woful remnant, with wise-men’s aid,

  nobly to govern, so none of the guests

  1100 by word or work should warp the treaty,

  “wordum nē worcum wǣre ne brǣce,

  “nē þurh inwit-searo ǣfre gemǣnden,

  “þēah hīe hira bēag-gyfan banan folgedon

  “þēoden-lēase, þā him swā geþearfod wæs:

  1105 “gyf þonne Fry¯sna hwylc frēcnan sprǣce

  or with malice of mind bemoan themselves

  as forced to follow their fee-giver’s slayer,

  lordless men, as their lot ordained.

  Should Frisian, moreover, with foeman’s taunt,

  1105 that murderous hatred to mind recall.

  “þæs morðor-hetes myndgiend wǣre,

  “þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.

  “Āð wæs geæfned and icge gold

  “āhæfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga

  1110 “betst beado-rinca wæs on bǣl gearu;

  then edge of the sword must seal his doom.

  Oaths were given, and ancient gold

  heaped from hoard. — The hardy Scylding,

  battle-thane best, on his balefire lay.

  1110 All on the pyre were plain to see

  “æt þǣm āde wæs ēð-gesy¯ne

  “swāt-fāh syrce, swy¯n eal-gylden,

  “eofer īren-heard, æðeling manig

  “wundum āwyrded; sume on wæle crungon.

  1115 “Hēt þā Hildeburh æt Hnæfes āde

  the gory sark, the gilded swine-crest,

  boar of hard iron, and athelings many

  slain by the sword: at the slaughter they fell.

  It was Hildeburh’s hest, at Hnæf’s own pyre

  1115 the bairn of her body on brands to lay,

  “hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befæstan,

  “bān-fatu bærnan and on bǣl dōn.

  “Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,

  “geōmrode giddum; gūð-rinc āstāh.

  1120 “Wand tō wolcnum wæl-fy¯ra mǣst,

  his bones to burn, on the balefire placed,

  at his uncle’s side. In sorrowful dirges

  be wept them the woman: great wailing ascended.

  Then wound up to welkin the wildest of death-fires,

  1120 roared o’er the hillock: heads all were melted,

  “hlynode for hlāwe; hafelan multon,

  “ben-geato burston, þonne blōd ætspranc

  “lāð-bite līces. Līg ealle forswealg,

  “gǣsta gīfrost, þāra þe þǣr gūð fornam

  1125 “bēga folces; wæs hira blǣd scacen.

  gashes burst, and blood gushed out

  from bites of the body. Balefire devoured,

  greediest spirit, those spared not by war

  out of either folk: their flower was gone.

  1125 Then hastened those heroes their home to see,

  XVIII. THE GLEEMAN’S TALE IS ENDED.

  “Gewiton him þā wīgend wīca nēosian,

  “frēondum befeallen Fry¯sland gesēon,

  “hāmas and hēa-burh. Hengest þā gy¯t

  “wæl-fāgne winter wunode mid Finne

  1130 “ealles unhlitme; eard gemunde,

  friendless, to find the Frisian land,

  houses and high burg. Hengest still

  through the death-dyed winter dwelt with Finn,

  holding pact, yet of home he minded,

  1130 though powerless his ring-decked prow to drive

  “þēah þe hē ne meahte on mere drīfan

  “hringed-stefnan; holm storme wēol,

  “won wið winde; winter y¯ðe belēac

  “īs-gebinde oð þæt ōðer cōm

  1135 “geār in geardas, swā nū gy¯t dēð,

  over the waters, now waves rolled fierce

  lashed by the winds, or winter locked them

  in icy fetters. Then fared another

  year to men’s dwellings, as yet they do,

  1135 the sunbright skies, that their season ever

  “þā þe syngales sēle bewitiað,

  “wuldor-torhtan weder. Þā wæs winter scacen,

  “fæger foldan bearm; fundode wrecca,

  “gist of geardum; hē tō gyrn-wræce

  1140 “swīðor þōhte, þonne tō sǣ-lāde,

  duly await. Far off winter was driven;

  fair lay earth’s breast; and fain was the rover,

  the guest, to depart, though more gladly he pondered

  on wreaking his vengeance than roaming the deep,

  1140 and how to hasten the hot encounter

  “gif hē torn-gemōt þurhtēon mihte,

  “þæt hē Eotena bearn inne gemunde.

  “Swā hē ne forwyrnde worold-rǣdenne,

  “þonne him Hūnlāfing hilde-lēoman,

  1145 “billa sēlest, on
bearm dyde:

  where sons of the Frisians were sure to be.

  So he escaped not the common doom,

  when Hun with “Lafing,” the light-of-battle,

  best of blades, his bosom pierced:

  1145 its edge was famed with the Frisian earls.

  “þæs wǣron mid Eotenum ecge cūðe.

  “Swylce ferhð-frecan Fin eft begeat

  “sweord-bealo slīðen æt his selfes hām,

  “siððan grimne gripe Gūðlaf ond Ōslāf

  1150 “æfter sǣ-siðe sorge mǣndon,

  On fierce-heart Finn there fell likewise,

  on himself at home, the horrid sword-death;

  for Guthlaf and Oslaf of grim attack

  had sorrowing told, from sea-ways landed,

  1150 mourning their woes. Finn’s wavering spirit

  “ætwiton wēana dǣl; ne meahte wǣfre mōd

  “forhabban in hreðre. Þā wæs heal hroden

  “fēonda fēorum, swilce Fin slægen,

  “cyning on corðre, and sēo cwēn numen.

  1155 “Scēotend Scyldinga tō scypum feredon

  bode not in breast. The burg was reddened

  with blood of foemen, and Finn was slain,

  king amid clansmen; the queen was taken.

  To their ship the Scylding warriors bore

  1155 all the chattels the chieftain owned,

  “eal in-gesteald eorð-cyninges,

  “swylce hīe æt Finnes hām findan meahton

  “sigla searo-gimma. Hīe on sǣ-lāde

  “drihtlīce wīf tō Denum feredon,

  1160 “lǣddon tō lēodum.” Lēoð wæs āsungen,

  whatever they found in Finn’s domain

  of gems and jewels. The gentle wife

  o’er paths of the deep to the Danes they bore,

  led to her land.

  The lay was finished,

  1160 the gleeman’s song. Then glad rose the revel;

  glēo-mannes gyd. Gamen eft āstāh,

  beorhtode benc-swēg, byrelas sealdon

  wīn of wunder-fatum. Þā cwōm Wealhþēo forð

  gān under gyldnum bēage, þǣr þā gōdan twēgen

  1165 sǣton suhter-gefæderan; þā gy¯t wæs hiera sib ætgædere

  bench-joy brightened. Bearers draw

  from their “wonder-vats” wine. Comes Wealhtheow forth,

  under gold-crown goes where the good pair sit,

  uncle and nephew, true each to the other one,

  1165 kindred in amity. Unferth the spokesman

  ǣghwylc ōðrum try¯we. Swylce þǣr Unferð þyle

  æt fōtum sæt frēan Scyldinga: gehwylc hiora his ferhðe trēowde,

  þæt hē hæfde mōd micel, þēah þe hē his māgum nǣre

  ārfæst æt ecga gelācum. Spræc þā ides Scyldinga:

  1170 “Onfōh þissum fulle, frēo-drihten mīn,

  at the Scylding lord’s feet sat: men had faith in his spirit,

 

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