Beowulf

XXVII: Sorrow at Parting

Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow’s offspring: “We men of the water wish to declare now Fared from far-lands, we’re firmly determined To seek King Higelac. Here have we fitly Been welcomed and feasted, as heart would desire it; Good was the greeting. If greater affection I am anywise able ever on earth to Gain at thy hands, ruler of heroes, Than yet I have done, I shall quickly be ready For combat and conflict. O’er the course of the waters Learn I that neighbors alarm thee with terror, As haters did whilom, I hither will bring thee For help unto heroes henchmen by thousands. I know as to Higelac, the lord of the Geatmen, Though young in years, he yet will permit me, By words and by works, ward of the people, Fully to furnish thee forces and bear thee My lance to relieve thee, if liegemen shall fail thee, And help of my hand-strength; if Hrethric be treating, Bairn of the king, at the court of the Geatmen, He thereat may find him friends in abundance: Faraway countries he were better to seek for Who trusts in himself.” Hrothgar discoursed then, Making rejoinder: “These words thou hast uttered All-knowing God hath given thy spirit! Ne’er heard I an earlman thus early in life More clever in speaking: thou’rt cautious of spirit, Mighty of muscle, in mouth-answers prudent. I count on the hope that, happen it ever That missile shall rob thee of Hrethel’s descendant, Edge-horrid battle, and illness or weapon Deprive thee of prince, of people’s protector, And life thou yet holdest, the Sea-Geats will never Find a more fitting folk-lord to choose them, Gem-ward of heroes, than thou mightest prove thee, If the kingdom of kinsmen thou carest to govern. Thy mood-spirit likes me the longer the better, Beowulf dear: thou hast brought it to pass that To both these peoples peace shall be common, To Geat-folk and Danemen, the strife be suspended, The secret assailings they suffered in yore-days; And also that jewels be shared while I govern The wide-stretching kingdom, and that many shall visit Others o’er the ocean with excellent gift-gems: The ring-adorned bark shall bring o’er the currents Presents and love-gifts. This people I know Tow’rd foeman and friend firmly established, After ancient etiquette everywise blameless.” Then the warden of earlmen gave him still farther, Kinsman of Healfdene, a dozen of jewels, Bade him safely seek with the presents His well-beloved people, early returning. Then the noble-born king kissed the distinguished, Dear-lovèd liegeman, the Dane-prince saluted him, And claspèd his neck; tears from him fell, From the gray-headed man: he two things expected, Agèd and reverend, but rather the second, That bold in council they’d meet thereafter. The man was so dear that he failed to suppress the Emotions that moved him, but in mood-fetters fastened The long-famous hero longeth in secret Deep in his spirit for the dear-beloved man Though not a blood-kinsman. Beowulf thenceward, Gold-splendid warrior, walked o’er the meadows Exulting in treasure: the sea-going vessel Riding at anchor awaited its owner. As they pressed on their way then, the present of Hrothgar Was frequently referred to: a folk-king indeed that Everyway blameless, till age did debar him The joys of his might, which hath many oft injured.

XXVIII: The Homeward Journey—The Two Queens

Then the band of very valiant retainers Came to the current; they were clad all in armor, In link-woven burnies. The land-warder noticed The return of the earlmen, as he erstwhile had seen them; Nowise with insult he greeted the strangers From the naze of the cliff, but rode on to meet them; Said the bright-armored visitors vesselward traveled Welcome to Weders. The wide-bosomed craft then Lay on the sand, laden with armor, With horses and jewels, the ring-stemmèd sailer: The mast uptowered o’er the treasure of Hrothgar. To the boat-ward a gold-bound brand he presented, That he was afterwards honored on the ale-bench more highly As the heirloom’s owner. Set he out on his vessel, To drive on the deep, Dane-country left he. Along by the mast then a sea-garment fluttered, A rope-fastened sail. The sea-boat resounded, The wind o’er the waters the wave-floater nowise Kept from its journey; the sea-goer traveled, The foamy-necked floated forth o’er the currents, The well-fashioned vessel o’er the ways of the ocean, Till they came within sight of the cliffs of the Geatmen, The well-known headlands. The wave-goer hastened Driven by breezes, stood on the shore. Prompt at the ocean, the port-ward was ready, Who long in the past outlooked in the distance, At water’s-edge waiting well-lovèd heroes; He bound to the bank then the broad-bosomed vessel Fast in its fetters, lest the force of the waters Should be able to injure the ocean-wood winsome. Bade he up then take the treasure of princes, Plate-gold and fretwork; not far was it thence To go off in search of the giver of jewels: Hrethel’s son Higelac at home there remaineth, Himself with his comrades close to the sea-coast. The building was splendid, the king heroic, Great in his hall, Hygd very young was, Fine-mooded, clever, though few were the winters That the daughter of Haereth had dwelt in the borough; But she nowise was cringing nor niggard of presents, Of ornaments rare, to the race of the Geatmen. Thrytho nursed anger, excellent folk-queen, Hot-burning hatred: no hero whatever ’Mong household companions, her husband excepted Dared to adventure to look at the woman With eyes in the daytime; but he knew that death-chains Hand-wreathed were wrought him: early thereafter, When the hand-strife was over, edges were ready, That fierce-raging sword-point had to force a decision, Murder-bale show. Such no womanly custom For a lady to practise, though lovely her person, That a weaver-of-peace, on pretence of anger A belovèd liegeman of life should deprive. Soothly this hindered Heming’s kinsman; Other ale-drinking earlmen asserted That fearful folk-sorrows fewer she wrought them, Treacherous doings, since first she was given Adorned with gold to the war-hero youthful, For her origin honored, when Offa’s great palace O’er the fallow flood by her father’s instructions She sought on her journey, where she afterwards fully, Famed for her virtue, her fate on the king’s-seat Enjoyed in her lifetime, love did she hold with The ruler of heroes, the best, it is told me, Of all of the earthmen that oceans encompass, Of earl-kindreds endless; hence Offa was famous Far and widely, by gifts and by battles, Spear-valiant hero; the home of his fathers He governed with wisdom, whence Eomaer did issue For help unto heroes, Heming’s kinsman, Grandson of Garmund, great in encounters.

XXIX: Beowulf and Higelac

Then the brave one departed, his band along with him, Seeking the sea-shore, the sea-marches treading, The wide-stretching shores. The world-candle glimmered, The sun from the southward; they proceeded then onward, Early arriving where they heard that the troop-lord, Ongentheow’s slayer, excellent, youthful Folk-prince and warrior was distributing jewels, Close in his castle. The coming of Beowulf Was announced in a message quickly to Higelac, That the folk-troop’s defender forth to the palace The linden-companion alive was advancing, Secure from the combat courtward a-going. The building was early inward made ready For the foot-going guests as the good one had ordered. He sat by the man then who had lived through the struggle, Kinsman by kinsman, when the king of the people Had in lordly language saluted the dear one, In words that were formal. The daughter of Haereth Coursed through the building, carrying mead-cups: She loved the retainers, tendered the beakers To the high-minded Geatmen. Higelac ’gan then Pleasantly plying his companion with questions In the high-towering palace. A curious interest Tormented his spirit, what meaning to see in The Sea-Geats’ adventures: “Beowulf worthy, How throve your journeying, when thou thoughtest suddenly Far o’er the salt-streams to seek an encounter, A battle at Heorot? Hast bettered for Hrothgar, The famous folk-leader, his far-published sorrows Any at all? In agony-billows I mused upon torture, distrusted the journey Of the belovèd liegeman; I long time did pray thee By no means to seek out the murderous spirit, To suffer the South-Danes themselves to decide on Grappling with Grendel. To God I am thankful To be suffered to see thee safe from thy journey.” Beowulf answered, bairn of old Ecgtheow: “ ’Tis hidden by no means, Higelac chieftain, From many of men, the meeting so famous, What mournful moments of me and of Grendel Were passed in the place where he pressing affliction On the Victory-Scyldings scathefully brought, Anguish forever; that all I avengèd, So that any under heaven of the kinsmen of Grendel Needeth not boast of that cry-in-the-morning, Who longest liveth of the loth-going kindred, Encompassed by moorland. I came in my journey To the royal ring-hall, Hrothgar to greet there: Soon did the famous scion of Healfdene, When he understood fully the spirit that led me, Assign me a seat with the son of his bosom. The troop was in joyance; mead-glee greater ’Neath arch of the ether not ever beheld I ’Mid hall-building holders. The highly-famed queen, Peace-tie of peoples, oft passed through the building, Cheered the young troopers; she oft tendered a hero A beautiful ring-band, ere she went to her sitting. Oft the daughter of Hrothgar in view of the courtiers To the earls at the end the ale-vessel carried, Whom Freaware I heard then hall-sitters title, When nail-adorned jewels she gave to the heroes: Gold-bedecked, youthful, to the glad son of Froda Her faith has been plighted; the friend of the Scyldings, The guard of the kingdom, hath given his sanction, And counts it a vantage, for a part of the quarrels, A portion of hatred, to pay with the woman. Somewhere not rarely, when the ruler has fallen, The life-taking lance relaxeth its fury For a brief breathing-spell, though the bride be charming!

XXX: Beowulf Narrates His Adventures to Higelac

“It well may discomfit the prince of the Heathobards And each of the thanemen of earls that attend him, When he goes to the building escorting the woman, That a noble-born Daneman the knights should be feasting: There gleam on his person the leavings of elders Hard and ring-bright, Heathobards’ treasure, While they wielded their arms, till they misled to the battle Their own dear lives and belovèd companions. He saith at the banquet who the collar beholdeth, An ancient ash-warrior who earlmen’s destruction Clearly recalleth (cruel his spirit), Sadly beginneth sounding the youthful Thane-champion’s spirit through the thoughts of his bosom, War-grief to waken, and this word-answer speaketh: ‘Art thou able, my friend, to know when thou seest it The brand which thy father bare to the conflict In his latest adventure, ’neath visor of helmet, The dearly-loved iron, where Danemen did slay him, And brave-mooded Scyldings, on the fall of the heroes, (When vengeance was sleeping) the slaughter-place wielded? E’en now some man of the murderer’s progeny Exulting in ornaments enters the building, Boasts of his blood-shedding, offbeareth the jewel Which thou shouldst wholly hold in possession!’ So he urgeth and mindeth on every occasion With woe-bringing words, till waxeth the season When the woman’s thane for the works of his father, The bill having bitten, blood-gory sleepeth, Fated to perish; the other one thenceward ’Scapeth alive, the land knoweth thoroughly. Then the oaths of the earlmen on each side are broken, When rancors unresting are raging in Ingeld And his wife-love waxeth less warm after sorrow. So the Heathobards’ favor not faithful I reckon, Their part in the treaty not true to the Danemen, Their friendship not fast. I further shall tell thee More about Grendel, that thou fully mayst hear, Ornament-giver, what afterward came from The hand-rush of heroes. When heaven’s bright jewel O’er earthfields had glided, the stranger came raging, The horrible night-fiend, us for to visit, Where wholly unharmed the hall we were guarding. To Hondscio happened a hopeless contention, Death to the doomed one, dead he fell foremost, Girded war-champion; to him Grendel became then, To the vassal distinguished, a tooth-weaponed murderer, The well-beloved henchman’s body all swallowed. Not the earlier off empty of hand did The bloody-toothed murderer, mindful of evils, Wish to escape from the gold-giver’s palace, But sturdy of strength he strove to outdo me, Hand-ready grappled. A glove was suspended Spacious and wondrous, in art-fetters fastened, Which was fashioned entirely by touch of the craftman From the dragon’s skin by the devil’s devices: He down in its depths would do me unsadly One among many, deed-doer raging, Though sinless he saw me; not so could it happen When I in my anger upright did stand. ’Tis too long to recount how requital I furnished For every evil to the earlmen’s destroyer; ’Twas there, my prince, that I proudly distinguished Thy land with my labors. He left and retreated, He lived his life a little while longer: Yet his right-hand guarded his footstep in Heorot, And sad-mooded thence to the sea-bottom fell he, Mournful in mind. For the might-rush of battle The friend of the Scyldings, with gold that was plated, With ornaments many, much requited me, When daylight had dawned, and down to the banquet We had sat us together. There was chanting and joyance: The age-stricken Scylding asked many questions And of old-times related; oft light-ringing harp-strings, Joy-telling wood, were touched by the brave one; Now he uttered measures, mourning and truthful, Then the large-hearted land-king a legend of wonder Truthfully told us. Now troubled with years The age-hoary warrior afterward began to Mourn for the might that marked him in youth-days; His breast within boiled, when burdened with winters Much he remembered. From morning till night then We joyed us therein as etiquette suffered, Till the second night season came unto earth-folk. Then early thereafter, the mother of Grendel Was ready for vengeance, wretched she journeyed; Her son had death ravished, the wrath of the Geatmen. The horrible woman avengèd her offspring, And with mighty main-strength murdered a hero. There the spirit of Aeschere, agèd adviser, Was ready to vanish; nor when morn had lightened Were they anywise suffered to consume him with fire, Folk of the Danemen, the death-weakened hero, Nor the belovèd liegeman to lay on the pyre; She the corpse had offcarried in the clutch of the foeman ’Neath mountain-brook’s flood. To Hrothgar ’twas saddest Of pains that ever had preyed on the chieftain; By the life of thee the land-prince then me Besought very sadly, in sea-currents’ eddies To display my prowess, to peril my safety, Might-deeds accomplish; much did he promise. I found then the famous flood-current’s cruel, Horrible depth-warder. A while unto us two Hand was in common; the currents were seething With gore that was clotted, and Grendel’s fierce mother’s Head I offhacked in the hall at the bottom With huge-reaching sword-edge, hardly I wrested My life from her clutches; not doomed was I then, But the warden of earlmen afterward gave me Jewels in quantity, kinsman of Healfdene.

XXXI: Gift-Giving Is Mutual

“So the belovèd land-prince lived in decorum; I had missed no rewards, no meeds of my prowess, But he gave me jewels, regarding my wishes, Healfdene his bairn; I’ll bring them to thee, then, Atheling of earlmen, offer them gladly. And still unto thee is all my affection: But few of my folk-kin find I surviving But thee, dear Higelac!” Bade he in then to carry The boar-image, banner, battle-high helmet, Iron-gray armor, the excellent weapon, In song-measures said: “This suit-for-the-battle Hrothgar presented me, bade me expressly, Wise-mooded atheling, thereafter to tell thee The whole of its history, said King Heregar owned it, Dane-prince for long: yet he wished not to give then The mail to his son, though dearly he loved him, Hereward the hardy. Hold all in joyance!” I heard that there followed hard on the jewels Two braces of stallions of striking resemblance, Dappled and yellow; he granted him usance Of horses and treasures. So a kinsman should bear him, No web of treachery weave for another, Nor by cunning craftiness cause the destruction Of trusty companion. Most precious to Higelac, The bold one in battle, was the bairn of his sister, And each unto other mindful of favors. I am told that to Hygd he proffered the necklace, Wonder-gem rare that Wealhtheow gave him, The troop-leader’s daughter, a trio of horses Slender and saddle-bright; soon did the jewel Embellish her bosom, when the beer-feast was over. So Ecgtheow’s bairn brave did prove him, War-famous man, by deeds that were valiant, He lived in honor, belovèd companions Slew not carousing; his mood was not cruel, But by hand-strength hugest of heroes then living The brave one retained the bountiful gift that The Lord had allowed him. Long was he wretched, So that sons of the Geatmen accounted him worthless, And the lord of the liegemen loth was to do him Mickle of honor, when mead-cups were passing; They fully believed him idle and sluggish, An indolent atheling: to the honor-blest man there Came requital for the cuts he had suffered. The folk-troop’s defender bade fetch to the building The heirloom of Hrethel, embellished with gold, So the brave one enjoined it; there was jewel no richer In the form of a weapon ’mong Geats of that era; In Beowulf’s keeping he placed it and gave him Seven of thousands, manor and lordship. Common to both was land ’mong the people, Estate and inherited rights and possessions, To the second one specially spacious dominions, To the one who was better. It afterward happened In days that followed, befell the battle-thanes, After Higelac’s death, and when Heardred was murdered With weapons of warfare ’neath well-covered targets, When valiant battle-men in victor-band sought him, War-Scylfing heroes harassed the nephew Of Hereric in battle. To Beowulf’s keeping Turned there in time extensive dominions: He fittingly ruled them a fifty of winters (He a man-ruler wise was, manor-ward old) till A certain one ’gan, on gloom-darkening nights, a Dragon, to govern, who guarded a treasure, A high-rising stone-cliff, on heath that was grayish: A path ’neath it lay, unknown unto mortals. Some one of earthmen entered the mountain, The heathenish hoard laid hold of with ardor; ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮ ⋮