Beowulf

I: The Life and Death of Scyld

Lo! the Spear-Danes’ glory through splendid achievements The folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of, How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle. Oft Scyld the Scefing from scathers in numbers From many a people their mead-benches tore. Since first he found him friendless and wretched, The earl had had terror: comfort he got for it, Waxed ’neath the welkin, world-honor gained, Till all his neighbors o’er sea were compelled to Bow to his bidding and bring him their tribute: An excellent atheling! After was borne him A son and heir, young in his dwelling, Whom God-Father sent to solace the people. He had marked the misery malice had caused them, That reaved of their rulers they wretched had erstwhile Long been afflicted. The Lord, in requital, Wielder of Glory, with world-honor blessed him. Famed was Beowulf, far spread the glory Of Scyld’s great son in the lands of the Danemen. So the carle that is young, by kindnesses rendered The friends of his father, with fees in abundance Must be able to earn that when age approacheth Eager companions aid him requitingly, When war assaults him serve him as liegemen: By praise-worthy actions must honor be got ’Mong all of the races. At the hour that was fated Scyld then departed to the All-Father’s keeping Warlike to wend him; away then they bare him To the flood of the current, his fond-loving comrades, As himself he had bidden, while the friend of the Scyldings Word-sway wielded, and the well-lovèd land-prince Long did rule them. The ring-stemmèd vessel, Bark of the atheling, lay there at anchor, Icy in glimmer and eager for sailing; The belovèd leader laid they down there, Giver of rings, on the breast of the vessel, The famed by the mainmast. A many of jewels, Of fretted embossings, from far-lands brought over, Was placed near at hand then; and heard I not ever That a folk ever furnished a float more superbly With weapons of warfare, weeds for the battle, Bills and burnies; on his bosom sparkled Many a jewel that with him must travel On the flush of the flood afar on the current. And favors no fewer they furnished him soothly, Excellent folk-gems, than others had given him Who when first he was born outward did send him Lone on the main, the merest of infants: And a gold-fashioned standard they stretched under heaven High o’er his head, let the holm-currents bear him, Seaward consigned him: sad was their spirit, Their mood very mournful. Men are not able Soothly to tell us, they in halls who reside, Heroes under heaven, to what haven he hied.

II: Scyld’s Successors—Hrothgar’s Great Mead-Hall

In the boroughs then Beowulf, bairn of the Scyldings, Belovèd land-prince, for long-lasting season Was famed mid the folk (his father departed, The prince from his dwelling), till afterward sprang Great-minded Healfdene; the Danes in his lifetime He graciously governed, grim-mooded, agèd. Four bairns of his body born in succession Woke in the world, war-troopers’ leader Heorogar, Hrothgar, and Halga the good; Heard I that Elan was Ongentheow’s consort, The well-beloved bedmate of the War-Scylfing leader. Then glory in battle to Hrothgar was given, Waxing of war-fame, that willingly kinsmen Obeyed his bidding, till the boys grew to manhood, A numerous band. It burned in his spirit To urge his folk to found a great building, A mead-hall grander than men of the era Ever had heard of, and in it to share With young and old all of the blessings The Lord had allowed him, save life and retainers. Then the work I find afar was assigned To many races in middle-earth’s regions, To adorn the great folk-hall. In due time it happened Early ’mong men, that ’twas finished entirely, The greatest of hall-buildings; Heorot he named it Who wide-reaching word-sway wielded ’mong earlmen. His promise he brake not, rings he lavished, Treasure at banquet. Towered the hall up High and horn-crested, huge between antlers: It battle-waves bided, the blasting fire-demon; Ere long then from hottest hatred must sword-wrath Arise for a woman’s husband and father. Then the mighty war-spirit endured for a season, Bore it bitterly, he who bided in darkness, That light-hearted laughter loud in the building Greeted him daily; there was dulcet harp-music, Clear song of the singer. He said that was able To tell from of old earthmen’s beginnings, That Father Almighty earth had created, The winsome wold that the water encircleth, Set exultingly the sun’s and the moon’s beams To lavish their lustre on land-folk and races, And earth He embellished in all her regions With limbs and leaves; life He bestowed too On all the kindreds that live under heaven. So blessed with abundance, brimming with joyance, The warriors abided, till a certain one gan to Dog them with deeds of direfullest malice, A foe in the hall-building: this horrible stranger Was Grendel entitled, the march-stepper famous Who dwelt in the moor-fens, the marsh and the fastness; The wan-mooded being abode for a season In the land of the giants, when the Lord and Creator Had banned him and branded. For that bitter murder, The killing of Abel, all-ruling Father The kindred of Cain crushed with His vengeance; In the feud He rejoiced not, but far away drove him From kindred and kind, that crime to atone for, Meter of Justice. Thence ill-favored creatures, Elves and giants, monsters of ocean, Came into being, and the giants that longtime Grappled with God; He gave them requital.

III: Grendel the Murderer

When the sun was sunken, he set out to visit The lofty hall-building, how the Ring-Danes had used it For beds and benches when the banquet was over. Then he found there reposing many a noble Asleep after supper; sorrow the heroes, Misery knew not. The monster of evil Greedy and cruel tarried but little, Fell and frantic, and forced from their slumbers Thirty of thanemen; thence he departed Leaping and laughing, his lair to return to, With surfeit of slaughter sallying homeward. In the dusk of the dawning, as the day was just breaking, Was Grendel’s prowess revealed to the warriors: Then, his meal-taking finished, a moan was uplifted, Morning-cry mighty. The man-ruler famous, The long-worthy atheling, sat very woeful, Suffered great sorrow, sighed for his liegemen, When they had seen the track of the hateful pursuer, The spirit accursèd: too crushing that sorrow, Too loathsome and lasting. Not longer he tarried, But one night after continued his slaughter Shameless and shocking, shrinking but little From malice and murder; they mastered him fully. He was easy to find then who otherwhere looked for A pleasanter place of repose in the lodges, A bed in the bowers. Then was brought to his notice Told him truly by token apparent The hall-thane’s hatred: he held himself after Further and faster who the foeman did baffle. So ruled he and strongly strove against justice Lone against all men, till empty uptowered The choicest of houses. Long was the season: Twelve-winters’ time torture suffered The friend of the Scyldings, every affliction, Endless agony; hence it after became Certainly known to the children of men Sadly in measures, that long against Hrothgar Grendel struggled:—his grudges he cherished, Murderous malice, many a winter, Strife unremitting, and peacefully wished he Life-woe to lift from no liegeman at all of The men of the Dane-folk, for money to settle, No counsellor needed count for a moment On handsome amends at the hands of the murderer; The monster of evil fiercely did harass, The ill-planning death-shade, both elder and younger, Trapping and tricking them. He trod every night then The mist-covered moor-fens; men do not know where Witches and wizards wander and ramble. So the foe of mankind many of evils Grievous injuries, often accomplished, Horrible hermit; Heort he frequented, Gem-bedecked palace, when night-shades had fallen (Since God did oppose him, not the throne could he touch, The light-flashing jewel, love of Him knew not). ’Twas a fearful affliction to the friend of the Scyldings Soul-crushing sorrow. Not seldom in private Sat the king in his council; conference held they What the braves should determine ’gainst terrors unlooked for. At the shrines of their idols often they promised Gifts and offerings, earnestly prayed they The devil from hell would help them to lighten Their people’s oppression. Such practice they used then, Hope of the heathen; hell they remembered In innermost spirit, God they knew not, Judge of their actions, All-wielding Ruler, No praise could they give the Guardian of Heaven, The Wielder of Glory. Woe will be his who Through furious hatred his spirit shall drive to The clutch of the fire, no comfort shall look for, Wax no wiser; well for the man who, Living his life-days, his Lord may face And find defence in his Father’s embrace!

IV: Beowulf Goes to Hrothgar’s Assistance

So Healfdene’s kinsman constantly mused on His long-lasting sorrow; the battle-thane clever Was not anywise able evils to ’scape from: Too crushing the sorrow that came to the people, Loathsome and lasting the life-grinding torture, Greatest of night-woes. So Higelac’s liegeman, Good amid Geatmen, of Grendel’s achievements Heard in his home: of heroes then living He was stoutest and strongest, sturdy and noble. He bade them prepare him a bark that was trusty; He said he the war-king would seek o’er the ocean, The folk-leader noble, since he needed retainers. For the perilous project prudent companions Chided him little, though loving him dearly; They egged the brave atheling, augured him glory. The excellent knight from the folk of the Geatmen Had liegemen selected, likest to prove them Trustworthy warriors; with fourteen companions The vessel he looked for; a liegeman then showed them, A sea-crafty man, the bounds of the country. Fast the days fleeted; the float was a-water, The craft by the cliff. Clomb to the prow then Well-equipped warriors: the wave-currents twisted The sea on the sand; soldiers then carried On the breast of the vessel bright-shining jewels, Handsome war-armor; heroes outshoved then, Warmen the wood-ship, on its wished-for adventure. The foamy-necked floater fanned by the breeze, Likest a bird, glided the waters, Till twenty and four hours thereafter The twist-stemmed vessel had traveled such distance That the sailing-men saw the sloping embankments, The sea cliffs gleaming, precipitous mountains, Nesses enormous: they were nearing the limits At the end of the ocean. Up thence quickly The men of the Weders clomb to the mainland, Fastened their vessel (battle weeds rattled, War burnies clattered), the Wielder they thanked That the ways o’er the waters had waxen so gentle. Then well from the cliff edge the guard of the Scyldings Who the sea-cliffs should see to, saw o’er the gangway Brave ones bearing beauteous targets, Armor all ready, anxiously thought he, Musing and wondering what men were approaching. High on his horse then Hrothgar’s retainer Turned him to coastward, mightily brandished His lance in his hands, questioned with boldness. “Who are ye men here, mail-covered warriors Clad in your corslets, come thus a-driving A high riding ship o’er the shoals of the waters, And hither ’neath helmets have hied o’er the ocean? I have been strand-guard, standing as warden, Lest enemies ever anywise ravage Danish dominions with army of war-ships. More boldly never have warriors ventured Hither to come; of kinsmen’s approval, Word-leave of warriors, I ween that ye surely Nothing have known. Never a greater one Of earls o’er the earth have I had a sight of Than is one of your number, a hero in armor; No low-ranking fellow adorned with his weapons, But launching them little, unless looks are deceiving, And striking appearance. Ere ye pass on your journey As treacherous spies to the land of the Scyldings And farther fare, I fully must know now What race ye belong to. Ye faraway dwellers, Sea-faring sailors, my simple opinion Hear ye and hearken: haste is most fitting Plainly to tell me what place ye are come from.”

V: The Geats Reach Heorot

The chief of the strangers rendered him answer, War-troopers’ leader, and word-treasure opened: “We are sprung from the lineage of the people of Geatland, And Higelac’s hearth-friends. To heroes unnumbered My father was known, a noble head-warrior Ecgtheow titled; many a winter He lived with the people, ere he passed on his journey, Old from his dwelling; each of the counsellors Widely mid world-folk well remembers him. We, kindly of spirit, the lord of thy people, The son of King Healfdene, have come here to visit, Folk-troop’s defender: be free in thy counsels! To the noble one bear we a weighty commission, The helm of the Danemen; we shall hide, I ween, Naught of our message. Thou know’st if it happen, As we soothly heard say, that some savage despoiler, Some hidden pursuer, on nights that are murky By deeds very direful ’mid the Danemen exhibits Hatred unheard of, horrid destruction And the falling of dead. From feelings least selfish I am able to render counsel to Hrothgar, How he, wise and worthy, may worst the destroyer, If the anguish of sorrow should ever be lessened, Comfort come to him, and care-waves grow cooler, Or ever hereafter he agony suffer And troublous distress, while towereth upward The handsomest of houses high on the summit.” Bestriding his stallion, the strand-watchman answered, The doughty retainer: “The difference surely ’Twixt words and works, the warlike shield-bearer Who judgeth wisely well shall determine. This band, I hear, beareth no malice To the prince of the Scyldings. Pass ye then onward With weapons and armor. I shall lead you in person; To my war-trusty vassals command I shall issue To keep from all injury your excellent vessel, Your fresh-tarred craft, ’gainst every opposer Close by the sea-shore, till the curved-neckèd bark shall Waft back again the well-beloved hero O’er the way of the water to Weder dominions. To warrior so great ’twill be granted sure In the storm of strife to stand secure.” Onward they fared then (the vessel lay quiet, The broad-bosomed bark was bound by its cable, Firmly at anchor); the boar-signs glistened Bright on the visors vivid with gilding, Blaze-hardened, brilliant; the boar acted warden. The heroes hastened, hurried the liegemen, Descended together, till they saw the great palace, The well-fashioned wassail-hall wondrous and gleaming: ’Mid world-folk and kindreds that was widest reputed Of halls under heaven which the hero abode in; Its lustre enlightened lands without number. Then the battle-brave hero showed them the glittering Court of the bold ones, that they easily thither Might fare on their journey; the aforementioned warrior Turning his courser, quoth as he left them: “ ’Tis time I were faring; Father Almighty Grant you His grace, and give you to journey Safe on your mission! To the sea I will get me ’Gainst hostile warriors as warden to stand.”