Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series
Page 49
ēcean dryhtne, him þæs ende-lēan
þurh wæteres wylm waldend sealde.
1695 Swā wæs on þǣm scennum scīran goldes
(fearful their fate!), a folk estranged
from God Eternal: whence guerdon due
in that waste of waters the Wielder paid them.
So on the guard of shining gold
1696 in runic staves it was rightly said
þurh rūn-stafas rihte gemearcod,
geseted and gesǣd, hwām þæt sweord geworht,
īrena cyst ǣrest wǣre,
wreoðen-hilt and wyrm-fāh. þā se wīsa spræc
1700 sunu Healfdenes (swīgedon ealle):
for whom the serpent-traced sword was wrought,
best of blades, in bygone days,
and the hilt well wound. — The wise-one spake,
son of Healfdene; silent were all: —
1700 “Lo, so may he say who sooth and right
“Þæt lā mæg secgan, sē þe sōð and riht
“fremeð on folce, (feor eal gemon
“eald ēðel-weard), þæt þes eorl wǣre
“geboren betera! Blǣd is ārǣred
1705 “geond wīd-wegas, wine mīn Bēowulf,
follows ‘mid folk, of far times mindful,
a land-warden old, that this earl belongs
to the better breed! So, borne aloft,
thy fame must fly, O friend my Beowulf,
1705 far and wide o’er folksteads many. Firmly thou shalt all maintain,
“þīn ofer þēoda gehwylce. Eal þū hit geþyldum healdest,
“mægen mid mōdes snyttrum. Ic þē sceal mīne gelǣstan
“frēode, swā wit furðum sprǣcon; þū scealt tō frōfre weorðan
“eal lang-twidig lēodum þīnum,
1710 “hæleðum tō helpe. Ne wearð Heremōd swā
mighty strength with mood of wisdom. Love of mine will I assure thee,
as, awhile ago, I promised; thou shalt prove a stay in future,
in far-off years, to folk of thine,
to the heroes a help. Was not Heremod thus
1710 to offspring of Ecgwela, Honor-Scyldings,
“eaforum Ecgwelan, Ār-Scyldingum;
“ne gewēox hē him tō willan, ac tō wæl-fealle
“and tō dēað-cwalum Deniga lēodum;
“brēat bolgen-mōd bēod-genēatas,
1715 “eaxl-gesteallan, oð þæt hē āna hwearf,
nor grew for their grace, but for grisly slaughter,
for doom of death to the Danishmen.
He slew, wrath-swollen, his shoulder-comrades,
companions at board! So he passed alone,
1715 chieftain haughty, from human cheer.
“mǣre þēoden. mon-drēamum from:
“þēah þe hine mihtig god mægenes wynnum,
“eafeðum stēpte, ofer ealle men
“forð gefremede, hwæðere him on ferhðe grēow
1720 “brēost-hord blōd-rēow: nallas bēagas geaf
Though him the Maker with might endowed,
delights of power, and uplifted high
above all men, yet blood-fierce his mind,
his breast-hoard, grew; no bracelets gave he
1720 to Danes as was due; he endured all joyless
“Denum æfter dōme; drēam-lēas gebād,
“þæt hē þæs gewinnes weorc þrowade,
“lēod-bealo longsum. Þū þē lǣr be þon,
“gum-cyste ongit! ic þis gid be þē
1725 “āwræc wintrum frōd. Wundor is tō secganne,
strain of struggle and stress of woe,
long feud with his folk. Here find thy lesson!
Of virtue advise thee! This verse I have said for thee,
wise from lapsed winters. Wondrous seems
1725 how to sons of men Almighty God
“hū mihtig god manna cynne
“þurh sīdne sefan snyttru bryttað,
“eard and eorl-scipe, hē āh ealra geweald.
“Hwīlum hē on lufan lǣteð hworfan
1730 “monnes mōd-geþonc mǣran cynnes,
in the strength of His spirit sendeth wisdom,
estate, high station: He swayeth all things.
Whiles He letteth right lustily fare
the heart of the hero of high-born race, —
1730 in seat ancestral assigns him bliss,
“seleð him on ēðle eorðan wynne,
“tō healdanne hlēo-burh wera,
“gedēð him swā gewealdene worolde dǣlas,
“sīde rīce, þæt hē his selfa ne mæg
1735 “for his un-snyttrum ende geþencean;
his folk’s sure fortress in fee to hold,
puts in his power great parts of the earth,
empire so ample, that end of it
this wanter-of-wisdom weeneth none.
1735 So he waxes in wealth; nowise can harm him
“wunað hē on wiste, nō hine wiht dweleð,
“ādl nē yldo, nē him inwit-sorh
“on sefan sweorceð, nē gesacu ōhwǣr,
“ecg-hete ēoweð, ac him eal worold
1740 “wendeð on willan; hē þæt wyrse ne con,
illness or age; no evil cares
shadow his spirit; no sword-hate threatens
from ever an enemy: all the world
wends at his will; no worse he knoweth,
1740 till all within him obstinate pride
“oð þæt him on innan ofer-hygda dǣl
“weaxeð and wridað, þonne se weard swefeð,
“sāwele hyrde: bið se slǣp tō fæst,
“bisgum gebunden, bona swīðe nēah,
1745 “sē þe of flān-bogan fyrenum scēoteð.
waxes and wakes while the warden slumbers,
the spirit’s sentry; sleep is too fast
which masters his might, and the murderer nears,
stealthily shooting the shafts from his bow! 1745 “Under harness his heart then is hit indeed
XXVI. THE DISCOURSE IS ENDED. — BĒOWULF PREPARES TO LEAVE.
“Þonne bið on hreðre under helm drepen
“biteran strǣle: him bebeorgan ne con
“wom wundor-bebodum wergan gāstes;
“þinceð him tō ly¯tel, þæt hē tō lange hēold,
1750 “gy¯tsað grom-hy¯dig, nallas on gylp seleð
by sharpest shafts; and no shelter avails
from foul behest of the hellish fiend.
Him seems too little what long he possessed.
Greedy and grim, no golden rings
1750 he gives for his pride; the promised future
“fǣtte bēagas and hē þā forð-gesceaft
“forgyteð and forgy¯með, þæs þe him ǣr god sealde
“wuldres waldend, weorð-mynda dǣl.
“Hit on ende-stæf eft gelimpeð,
1755 “þæt se līc-homa lǣne gedrēoseð,
forgets he and spurns, with all God has sent him,
Wonder-Wielder, of wealth and fame.
Yet in the end it ever comes
that the frame of the body fragile yields,
1755 fatéd falls; and there follows another
“fǣge gefealleð; fēhð ōðer tō,
“sē þe unmurnlīce mādmas dǣleð,
“eorles ǣr-gestrēon, egesan ne gy¯með.
“Bebeorh þē þone bealo-nīð, Bēowulf lēofa,
1760 “secg se betsta, and þē þæt sēlre gecēos,
who joyously the jewels divides,
the royal riches, nor recks of his forebear.
Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest,
best of men, and the better part choose,
1760 profit eternal; and temper thy pride,
“ēce rǣdas; oferhy¯da ne gy¯m,
“mǣre cempa! Nū is þīnes mægnes blǣd
“āne hwīle; eft sōna bið,
“þæt þec ādl oððe ecg eafoðes getwǣfeð,
&nbs
p; 1765 “oððe fy¯res feng oððe flōdes wylm,
warrior famous! The flower of thy might
lasts now a while: but erelong it shall be
that sickness or sword thy strength shall minish,
or fang of fire, or flooding billow,
1765 or bite of blade, or brandished spear,
“oððe gripe mēces oððe gāres fliht,
“oððe atol yldo, oððe ēagena bearhtm
“forsiteð and forsworceð; semninga bið,
“þæt þec, dryht-guma, dēað oferswy¯ðeð.
1770 “Swā ic Hring-Dena hund missēra
or odious age; or the eyes’ clear beam
wax dull and darken: Death even thee
in haste shall o’erwhelm, thou hero of war!
So the Ring-Danes these half-years a hundred I ruled,
1770 wielded ‘neath welkin, and warded them bravely
“wēold under wolcnum, and hig wigge belēac
“manigum mǣgða geond þysne middan-geard,
“æscum and ecgum, þæt ic mē ǣnigne
“under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
1775 “Hwæt! mē þæs on ēðle edwenden cwōm,
from mighty-ones many o’er middle-earth,
from spear and sword, till it seemed for me
no foe could be found under fold of the sky.
Lo, sudden the shift! To me seated secure
1775 came grief for joy when Grendel began
“gyrn æfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
“eald-gewinna, in-genga mīn:
“ic þǣre sōcne singāles wæg
“mōd-ceare micle. Þæs sig metode þanc,
1780 “ēcean drihtne, þæs þe ic on aldre gebād,
to harry my home, the hellish foe;
for those ruthless raids, unresting I suffered
heart-sorrow heavy. Heaven be thanked,
Lord Eternal, for life extended
1780 that I on this head all hewn and bloody,
“þæt ic on þone hafelan heoro-drēorigne
“ofer eald gewin ēagum starige!
“Gā nū tō setle, symbel-wynne drēoh
“wīgge weorðad: unc sceal worn fela
1785 “māðma gemǣnra, siððan morgen bið.”
after long evil, with eyes may gaze!
— Go to the bench now! Be glad at banquet,
warrior worthy! A wealth of treasure
at dawn of day, be dealt between us!”
1785 Glad was the Geats’ lord, going betimes
Gēat wæs glæd-mōd, gēong sōna tō,
setles nēosan, swā se snottra heht.
Þā wæs eft swā ǣr ellen-rōfum,
flet-sittendum fægere gereorded
1790 nīowan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc
to seek his seat, as the Sage commanded.
Afresh, as before, for the famed-in-battle,
for the band of the hall, was a banquet dight
nobly anew. The Night-Helm darkened
1790 dusk o’er the drinkers.
deorc ofer dryht-gumum. Duguð eal ārās;
wolde blonden-feax beddes nēosan,
gamela Scylding. Gēat ungemetes wēl,
rōfne rand-wigan restan lyste:
1795 sōna him sele-þegn sīðes wērgum,
The doughty ones rose:
for the hoary-headed would hasten to rest,
agéd Scylding; and eager the Geat,
shield-fighter sturdy, for sleeping yearned.
Him wander-weary, warrior-guest
1795 from far, a hall-thane heralded forth,
feorran-cundum forð wīsade,
se for andrysnum ealle beweotede
þegnes þearfe, swylce þy¯ dōgore
hēaðo-līðende habban scoldon.
1800 Reste hine þā rūm-heort; reced hlīfade
who by custom courtly cared for all
needs of a thane as in those old days
warrior-wanderers wont to have.
So slumbered the stout-heart. Stately the hall
1800 rose gabled and gilt where the guest slept on
gēap and gold-fāh, gæst inne swæf,
oð þæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne
blīð-heort bodode. Þā cōm beorht sunne
scacan ofer grundas; scaðan ōnetton,
1805 wǣron æðelingas eft tō lēodum
till a raven black the rapture-of-heaven
blithe-heart boded. Bright came flying
shine after shadow. The swordsmen hastened,
athelings all were eager homeward
1805 forth to fare; and far from thence
fūse tō farenne, wolde feor þanon
cuma collen-ferhð cēoles nēosan.
Heht þā se hearda Hrunting beran,
sunu Ecglāfes, heht his sweord niman,
1810 lēoflīc īren; sægde him þæs lēanes þanc,
the great-hearted guest would guide his keel.
Bade then the hardy-one Hrunting be brought
to the son of Ecglaf, the sword bade him take,
excellent iron, and uttered his thanks for it,
1810 quoth that he counted it keen in battle,
cwæð hē þone gūð-wine gōdne tealde,
wīg-cræftigne, nales wordum lōg
mēces ecge: þæt wæs mōdig secg.
And þā sīð-frome searwum gearwe
1815 wīgend wǣron, ēode weorð Denum
“war-friend” winsome: with words he slandered not
edge of the blade: ’twas a big-hearted man!
Now eager for parting and armed at point
warriors waited, while went to his host
1815 that Darling of Danes. The doughty atheling
æðeling tō yppan, þǣr se ōðer wæs
hæle hilde-dēor, Hrōðgār grētte.
to high-seat hastened and Hrothgar greeted.
XXVII. THE PARTING WORDS.
Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:
“Nū wē sǣ-līðend secgan wyllað
1820 “feorran cumene, þæt wē fundiað
Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: —
“Lo, we seafarers say our will,
far-come men, that we fain would seek
1820 Hygelac now. We here have found
“Higelāc sēcan. Wǣron hēr tela
“willum bewenede; þū ūs wēl dohtest.
“Gif ic þonne on eorðan ōwihte mæg
“þīnre mōd-lufan māran tilian,
1825 “gumena dryhten, þonne ic gy¯t dyde,
hosts to our heart: thou hast harbored us well.
If ever on earth I am able to win me
more of thy love, O lord of men,
aught anew, than I now have done,
1825 for work of war I am willing still!
“gūð-geweorca ic bēo gearo sōna.
“Gif ic þæt gefricge ofer flōda begang,
“þæt þec ymbe-sittend egesan þy¯wað,
“swā þec hetende hwīlum dydon,
1830 “ic þē þūsenda þegna bringe,
If it come to me ever across the seas
that neighbor foemen annoy and fright thee, —
as they that hate thee erewhile have used, —
thousands then of thanes I shall bring,
1830 heroes to help thee. Of Hygelac I know,
“hæleða tō helpe. Ic on Higelāce wāt,
“Gēata dryhten, þēah þe hē geong sy¯,
“folces hyrde, þæt hē mec fremman wile
“wordum and worcum, þæt ic þē wēl herige,
1835 “and þē tō gēoce gār-holt bere
ward of his folk, that, though few his years,
the lord of the Geats will give me aid
by word and by work, that well I may serve thee,
wielding the war-wood to win thy triumph
1835 and lending thee might when thou lackest men.
“mægenes fultum, þǣr þē bið manna þearf;
>
“gif him þonne Hrēðrīc tō hofum Gēata
“geþingeð, þēodnes bearn, hē mæg þǣr fela
“frēonda findan: feor-cy¯ððe bēoð
1840 “sēlran gesōhte þǣm þe him selfa dēah.”
If thy Hrethric should, come to court of Geats,
a sovran’s son, he will surely there
find his friends. A far-off land
each man should visit who vaunts him brave.”
1840 Him then answering, Hrothgar spake: —
Hrōðgār maðelode him on andsware:
“Þē þā word-cwydas wittig drihten
“on sefan sende! ne hy¯rde ic snotorlīcor
“on swā geongum feore guman þingian:
1845 “þū eart mægenes strang and on mōde frōd,
“These words of thine the wisest God
sent to thy soul! No sager counsel
from so young in years e’er yet have I heard.
Thou art strong of main and in mind art wary,
1845 art wise in words! I ween indeed
“wīs word-cwida. Wēn ic talige,
“gif þæt gegangeð, þæt þe gār nymeð,
“hild heoru-grimme Hrēðles eaferan,
“ādl oððe īren ealdor þīnne,
1850 “folces hyrde, and þū þīn feorh hafast,
if ever it hap that Hrethel’s heir
by spear be seized, by sword-grim battle,
by illness or iron, thine elder and lord,
people’s leader, — and life be thine, —
1850 no seemlier man will the Sea-Geats find
“þæt þe Sǣ-Gēatas sēlran næbben
“tō gecēosenne cyning ǣnigne,
“hord-weard hæleða, gif þū healdan wylt
“māga rīce. Mē þīn mōd-sefa
1855 “līcað leng swā wēl, lēofa Bēowulf:
at all to choose for their chief and king,
for hoard-guard of heroes, if hold thou wilt
thy kinsman’s kingdom! Thy keen mind pleases me
the longer the better, Beowulf loved!
1855 Thou hast brought it about that both our peoples,
“hafast þū gefēred, þæt þām folcum sceal,
“Gēata lēodum and Gār-Denum
“sib gemǣnum and sacu restan,
“inwit-nīðas, þē hīe ǣr drugon;
1860 “wesan, þenden ic wealde wīdan rīces,
sons of the Geat and Spear-Dane folk,
shall have mutual peace, and from murderous strife,
such as once they waged, from war refrain.
Long as I rule this realm so wide,
1860 let our hoards be common, let heroes with gold
“māðmas gemǣne, manig ōðerne
“gōdum gegrētan ofer ganotes bæð;
“sceal hring-naca ofer hēaðu bringan
“lāc and luf-tācen. Ic þā lēode wāt
1865 “gē wið fēond gē wið frēond fæste geworhte