Beowulf – Part 2

Allegra Villarreal, Editor; Ryna May

4 Beowulf – Part 2

XXIII. Beowulf’s Fight with Grendel’s Mother

	Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow’s son:
	“Recall now, oh, famous kinsman of Healfdene,	Beowulf makes a parting speech to Hrothgar.
	Prince very prudent, now to part I am ready,
	Gold-friend of earlmen, what erst we agreed on,
5	Should I lay down my life in lending thee assistance,
	When my earth-joys were over, thou wouldst evermore serve me	If I fail, act as a kind liegelord to my thanes,
	In stead of a father; my faithful thanemen,
	My trusty retainers, protect thou and care for,
	Fall I in battle: and, Hrothgar belovèd,
10	Send unto Higelac the high-valued jewels	and send Higelac the jewels thou hast given me
	Thou to me hast allotted. The lord of the Geatmen
	May perceive from the gold, the Hrethling may see it
	When he looks on the jewels, that a gem-giver found I	I should like my king to know how generous a lord
	Good over-measure, enjoyed him while able.	I found thee to be.
15	And the ancient heirloom Unferth permit thou,
	The famed one to have, the heavy-sword splendid
	The hard-edgèd weapon; with Hrunting to aid me,
	I shall gain me glory, or grim-death shall take me.”
	The atheling of Geatmen uttered these words and	Beowulf is eager for the fray.
20	Heroic did hasten, not any rejoinder
	Was willing to wait for; the wave-current swallowed
	The doughty-in-battle. Then a day’s-length elapsed ere	He is a whole day reaching the bottom of the sea.
	He was able to see the sea at its bottom.
	Early she found then who fifty of winters
25	The course of the currents kept in her fury,
	Grisly and greedy, that the grim one’s dominion
	Some one of men from above was exploring.	Grendel’s mother knows that someone has reached
	Forth did she grab them, grappled the warrior	her domains.
	With horrible clutches; yet no sooner she injured
30	His body unscathèd: the burnie out-guarded,
	That she proved but powerless to pierce through the armor,
	The limb-mail locked, with loath-grabbing fingers.
	The sea-wolf bare then, when bottomward came she,
	The ring-prince homeward, that he after was powerless	She grabs him, and bears him to her den.
35	(He had daring to do it) to deal with his weapons,
	But many a mere-beast tormented him swimming,
	Flood-beasts no few with fierce-biting tusks did	Sea-monsters bite and strike him.
	Break through his burnie, the brave one pursued they.
	The earl then discovered he was down in some cavern
40	Where no water whatever anywise harmed him,
	And the clutch of the current could come not anear him,
	Since the roofed-hall prevented; brightness a-gleaming
	Fire-light he saw, flashing resplendent.
	The good one saw then the sea-bottom’s monster,
45	The mighty mere-woman; he made a great onset	Beowulf attacks the mother of Grendel.
	With weapon-of-battle, his hand not desisted
	From striking, that war-blade struck on her head then
	A battle-song greedy. The stranger perceived then
	The sword would not bite, her life would not injure,	The sword will not bite.
50	But the falchion failed the folk-prince when straitened:
	Erst had it often onsets encountered,
	Oft cloven the helmet, the fated one’s armor:
	’Twas the first time that ever the excellent jewel
	Had failed of its fame. Firm-mooded after,
55	Not heedless of valor, but mindful of glory,
	Was Higelac’s kinsman; the hero-chief angry
	Cast then his carved-sword covered with jewels
	That it lay on the earth, hard and steel-pointed;
	He hoped in his strength, his hand-grapple sturdy.	The hero throws down all weapons, and again
60	So any must act whenever he thinketh	trusts to his hand-grip.
	To gain him in battle glory unending,
	And is reckless of living. The lord of the War-Geats
	(He shrank not from battle) seized by the shoulder
	The mother of Grendel; then mighty in struggle
65	Swung he his enemy, since his anger was kindled,
	That she fell to the floor. With furious grapple
	She gave him requital early thereafter,	Beowulf falls.
	And stretched out to grab him; the strongest of warriors
	Faint-mooded stumbled, till he fell in his traces,
70	Foot-going champion. Then she sat on the hall-guest	The monster sists on him with drawn sword.
	And wielded her war-knife wide-bladed, flashing,
	For her son would take vengeance, her one only bairn.
	His breast-armor woven bode on his shoulder;	His armor saves his life.
	It guarded his life, the entrance defended
75	’Gainst sword-point and edges. Ecgtheow’s son there
	Had fatally journeyed, champion of Geatmen,
	In the arms of the ocean, had the armor not given,
	Close-woven corslet, comfort and succor,
	And had God most holy not awarded the victory,	Grendel’s mother knows that someone has reached
80	All-knowing Lord; easily did heaven’s
	Ruler most righteous arrange it with justice;
	Uprose he erect ready for battle.

XXIV. Beowulf is Double-Conqueror

	Then he saw mid the war-gems a weapon of victory,	Beowulf grasps a giant-sword,
	An ancient giant-sword, of edges a-doughty,
	Glory of warriors: of weapons ’twas choicest,
	Only ’twas larger than any man else was
5	Able to bear to the battle-encounter,
	The good and splendid work of the giants.
	He grasped then the sword-hilt, knight of the Scyldings,
	Bold and battle-grim, brandished his ring-sword,
	Hopeless of living, hotly he smote her,
10	That the fiend-woman’s neck firmly it grappled,
	Broke through her bone-joints, the bill fully pierced her	and fells the female monster.
	Fate-cursèd body, she fell to the ground then:
	The hand-sword was bloody, the hero exulted.
	The brand was brilliant, brightly it glimmered,
15	Just as from heaven gemlike shineth
	The torch of the firmament. He glanced ’long the building,
	And turned by the wall then, Higelac’s vassal
	Raging and wrathful raised his battle-sword
	Strong by the handle. The edge was not useless
20	To the hero-in-battle, but he speedily wished to
	Give Grendel requital for the many assaults he
	Had worked on the West-Danes not once, but often,
	When he slew in slumber the subjects of Hrothgar,
	Swallowed down fifteen sleeping retainers
25	Of the folk of the Danemen, and fully as many
	Carried away, a horrible prey.
	He gave him requital, grim-raging champion,
	When he saw on his rest-place weary of conflict	Beowulf sees the body of Grendel, and cuts off his head.
	Grendel lying, of life-joys bereavèd,
30	As the battle at Heorot erstwhile had scathed him;
	His body far bounded, a blow when he suffered,
	Death having seized him, sword-smiting heavy,
	And he cut off his head then. Early this noticed
	The clever carles who as comrades of Hrothgar
35	Gazed on the sea-deeps, that the surging wave-currents	The waters are gory.
	Were mightily mingled, the mere-flood was gory:
	Of the good one the gray-haired together held converse,
	The hoary of head, that they hoped not to see again	Beowulf is given up for dead.
	The atheling ever, that exulting in victory
40	He’d return there to visit the distinguished folk-ruler:
	Then many concluded the mere-wolf had killed him.
	The ninth hour came then. From the ness-edge departed
	The bold-mooded Scyldings; the gold-friend of heroes
	Homeward betook him. The strangers sat down then
45	Soul-sick, sorrowful, the sea-waves regarding:
	They wished and yet weened not their well-loved friend-lord
	To see any more. The sword-blade began then,	The giant-sword melts.
	The blood having touched it, contracting and shriveling
	With battle-icicles; ’twas a wonderful marvel
50	That it melted entirely, likest to ice when
	The Father unbindeth the bond of the frost and
	Unwindeth the wave-bands, He who wieldeth dominion
	Of times and of tides: a truth-firm Creator.
	Nor took he of jewels more in the dwelling,
55	Lord of the Weders, though they lay all around him,
	Than the head and the handle handsome with jewels;
	The brand early melted, burnt was the weapon:
	So hot was the blood, the strange-spirit poisonous
	That in it did perish. He early swam off then	The hero swims back to the realms of the day.
60	Who had bided in combat the carnage of haters,
	Went up through the ocean; the eddies were cleansèd,
	The spacious expanses, when the spirit from farland
	His life put aside and this short-lived existence.
	The seamen’s defender came swimming to land then
65	Doughty of spirit, rejoiced in his sea-gift,
	The bulky burden which he bore in his keeping.
	The excellent vassals advanced then to meet him,
	To God they were grateful, were glad in their chieftain,
	That to see him safe and sound was granted them.
70	From the high-minded hero, then, helmet and burnie
	Were speedily loosened: the ocean was putrid,
	The water ’neath welkin weltered with gore.
	Forth did they fare, then, their footsteps retracing,
	Merry and mirthful, measured the earth-way,
75	The highway familiar: men very daring
	Bare then the head from the sea-cliff, burdening
	Each of the earlmen, excellent-valiant.
	Four of them had to carry with labor	It takes four men to carry Grendel’s head on a spear.
	The head of Grendel to the high towering gold-hall
80	Upstuck on the spear, till fourteen most-valiant
	And battle-brave Geatmen came there going
	Straight to the palace: the prince of the people
	Measured the mead-ways, their mood-brave companion.
	The atheling of earlmen entered the building,
85	Deed-valiant man, adorned with distinction,
	Doughty shield-warrior, to address King Hrothgar:
	Then hung by the hair, the head of Grendel
	Was borne to the building, where beer-thanes were drinking,
	Loth before earlmen and eke ’fore the lady:
90	The warriors beheld then a wonderful sight.

XXV. Beowulf Brings his Tropies–Hrothgar’s Gratitude

	Beowulf spake, offspring of Ecgtheow:	Beowulf relates his last exploit.
	“Lo! we blithely have brought thee, bairn of Healfdene,
	Prince of the Scyldings, these presents from ocean
	Which thine eye looketh on, for an emblem of glory.
5	I came off alive from this, narrowly ’scaping:
	In war ’neath the water the work with great pains I
	Performed, and the fight had been finished quite nearly,
	Had God not defended me. I failed in the battle
	Aught to accomplish, aided by Hrunting,
10	Though that weapon was worthy, but the Wielder of earth-folk
	Gave me willingly to see on the wall a	God was fighting with me.
	Heavy old hand-sword hanging in splendor
	(He guided most often the lorn and the friendless),
	That I swung as a weapon. The wards of the house then
15	I killed in the conflict (when occasion was given me).
	Then the battle-sword burned, the brand that was lifted,
	As the blood-current sprang, hottest of war-sweats;
	Seizing the hilt, from my foes I offbore it;
	I avenged as I ought to their acts of malignity,
20	The murder of Danemen. I then make thee this promise,
	Thou’lt be able in Heorot careless to slumber	Heorot is freed from monsters.
	With thy throng of heroes and the thanes of thy people
	Every and each, of greater and lesser,
	And thou needest not fear for them from the selfsame direction
25	As thou formerly fearedst, oh, folk-lord of Scyldings,
	End-day for earlmen.” To the age-hoary man then,
	The gray-haired chieftain, the gold-fashioned sword-hilt,	The famous sword is presented to Hrothgar.
	Old-work of giants, was thereupon given;
	Since the fall of the fiends, it fell to the keeping
30	Of the wielder of Danemen, the wonder-smith’s labor,
	And the bad-mooded being abandoned this world then,
	Opponent of God, victim of murder,
	And also his mother; it went to the keeping
	Of the best of the world-kings, where waters encircle,
35	Who the scot divided in Scylding dominion.
	Hrothgar discoursed, the hilt he regarded,	Hrothgar looks closely at the old sword.
	The ancient heirloom where an old-time contention’s
	Beginning was graven: the gurgling currents,
	The flood slew thereafter the race of the giants,
40	They had proved themselves daring: that people was loth to
	The Lord everlasting, through lash of the billows	It has belonged to a race hateful to God.
	The Father gave them final requital.
	So in letters of rune on the clasp of the handle
	Gleaming and golden, ’twas graven exactly,
45	Set forth and said, whom that sword had been made for,
	Finest of irons, who first it was wrought for,
	Wreathed at its handle and gleaming with serpents.
	The wise one then said (silent they all were)
	Son of old Healfdene: “He may say unrefuted	Hrothgar praises Beowulf.
50	Who performs ’mid the folk-men fairness and truth
	(The hoary old ruler remembers the past),
	That better by birth is this bairn of the nobles!
	Thy fame is extended through far-away countries,
	Good friend Beowulf, o’er all of the races,
55	Thou holdest all firmly, hero-like strength with
	Prudence of spirit. I’ll prove myself grateful
	As before we agreed on; thou granted for long shalt
	Become a great comfort to kinsmen and comrades,
	A help unto heroes. Heremod became not	Heremod’s career is again contrasted with Beowulf’s.
60	Such to the Scyldings, successors of Ecgwela;
	He grew not to please them, but grievous destruction,
	And diresome death-woes to Danemen attracted;
	He slew in anger his table-companions,
	Trustworthy counsellors, till he turned off lonely
65	From world-joys away, wide-famous ruler:
	Though high-ruling heaven in hero-strength raised him,
	In might exalted him, o’er men of all nations
	Made him supreme, yet a murderous spirit
	Grew in his bosom: he gave then no ring-gems
70	To the Danes after custom; endured he unjoyful	A wretched failure of a king, to give no jewels to
	Standing the straits from strife that was raging,	his retainers.
	Longsome folk-sorrow. Learn then from this,
	Lay hold of virtue! Though laden with winters,
	I have sung thee these measures. ’Tis a marvel to tell it,
75	How all-ruling God from greatness of spirit	Hrothgar moralizes.
	Giveth wisdom to children of men,
	Manor and earlship: all things He ruleth.
	He often permitteth the mood-thought of man of
	The illustrious lineage to lean to possessions,
80	Allows him earthly delights at his manor,
	A high-burg of heroes to hold in his keeping,
	Maketh portions of earth-folk hear him,
	And a wide-reaching kingdom so that, wisdom failing him,
	He himself is unable to reckon its boundaries;
85	He liveth in luxury, little debars him,
	Nor sickness nor age, no treachery-sorrow
	Becloudeth his spirit, conflict nowhere,
	No sword-hate, appeareth, but all of the world doth
	Wend as he wisheth; the worse he knoweth not,
90	Till arrant arrogance inward pervading,
	Waxeth and springeth, when the warder is sleeping,
	The guard of the soul: with sorrows encompassed,
	Too sound is his slumber, the slayer is near him,
	Who with bow and arrow aimeth in malice.

XXVI. Hrothgar Moralizes.–Rest after Labor

	“Then bruised in his bosom he with bitter-toothed missile
	Is hurt ’neath his helmet: from harmful pollution	A wounded spirit.
	He is powerless to shield him by the wonderful mandates
	Of the loath-cursèd spirit; what too long he hath holden
5	Him seemeth too small, savage he hoardeth,
	Nor boastfully giveth gold-plated rings,
	The fate of the future flouts and forgetteth
	Since God had erst given him greatness no little,
	Wielder of Glory. His end-day anear,
10	It afterward happens that the bodily-dwelling
	Fleetingly fadeth, falls into ruins;
	Another lays hold who doleth the ornaments,
	The nobleman’s jewels, nothing lamenting,
	Heedeth no terror. Oh, Beowulf dear,
15	Best of the heroes, from bale-strife defend thee,
	And choose thee the better, counsels eternal;
	Beware of arrogance, world-famous champion!	Be not over proud: life is fleeting, and its
	But a little-while lasts thy life-vigor’s fulness;	strength soon wasteh away.
	’Twill after hap early, that illness or sword-edge
20	Shall part thee from strength, or the grasp of the fire,
	Or the wave of the current, or clutch of the edges,
	Or flight of the war-spear, or age with its horrors,
	Or thine eyes’ bright flashing shall fade into darkness:
	’Twill happen full early, excellent hero,
25	That death shall subdue thee. So the Danes a half-century	Hrothgar gives an account of his reign.
	I held under heaven, helped them in struggles
	’Gainst many a race in middle-earth’s regions,
	With ash-wood and edges, that enemies none
	On earth molested me. Lo! offsetting change, now,
30	Came to my manor, grief after joyance,	Sorrow after joy.
	When Grendel became my constant visitor,
	Inveterate hater: I from that malice
	Continually travailed with trouble no little.
	Thanks be to God that I gained in my lifetime,
35	To the Lord everlasting, to look on the gory
	Head with mine eyes, after long-lasting sorrow!
	Go to the bench now, battle-adornèd
	Joy in the feasting: of jewels in common
	We’ll meet with many when morning appeareth.”
40	The Geatman was gladsome, ganged he immediately
	To go to the bench, as the clever one bade him.
	Then again as before were the famous-for-prowess,
	Hall-inhabiters, handsomely banqueted,
	Feasted anew. The night-veil fell then
45	Dark o’er the warriors. The courtiers rose then;
	The gray-haired was anxious to go to his slumbers,
	The hoary old Scylding. Hankered the Geatman,
	The champion doughty, greatly, to rest him:	Beowulf seeks rest.
	An earlman early outward did lead him,
50	Fagged from his faring, from far-country springing,
	Who for etiquette’s sake all of a liegeman’s
	Needs regarded, such as seamen at that time
	Were bounden to feel. The big-hearted rested;
	The building uptowered, spacious and gilded,
55	The guest within slumbered, till the sable-clad raven
	Blithely foreboded the beacon of heaven.
	Then the bright-shining sun o’er the bottoms came going;
	The warriors hastened, the heads of the peoples
	Were ready to go again to their peoples,
60	The high-mooded farer would faraway thenceward	The Geats prepare to leave Daneland.
	Look for his vessel. The valiant one bade then,
	Offspring of Ecglaf, off to bear Hrunting,	Unferth asks Beowulf to accept his sword
	To take his weapon, his well-beloved iron;	as a gift. Beowulf thanks him.
	He him thanked for the gift, saying good he accounted
65	The war-friend and mighty, nor chid he with words then
	The blade of the brand: ’twas a brave-mooded hero.
	When the warriors were ready, arrayed in their trappings,
	The atheling dear to the Danemen advanced then
	On to the dais, where the other was sitting,
70	Grim-mooded hero, greeted King Hrothgar.

XXVI. Sorrow at Parting.

	Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow’s offspring:	Beowulf’s farewell.
	“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
5	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
10	For combat and conflict. O’er the course of the waters	I shall be ever ready to aid thee.
	Learn I that neighbors alarm thee with terror,
	As haters did whilom, I hither will bring thee
	For help unto heroes henchmen by thousands.
	My liegelord will encourage me in aiding thee.
	I know as to Higelac, the lord of the Geatmen,	My liegelord will encourage me in aiding
15	Though young in years, he yet will permit me,	thee.
	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,
20	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
25	All-knowing God hath given thy spirit!
	Ne’er heard I an earlman thus early in life	O Beowulf, thou art wise beyond thy
	More clever in speaking: thou’rt cautious of spirit,	years.
	Mighty of muscle, in mouth-answers prudent.
	I count on the hope that, happen it ever
30	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	Should Higelac die, the Geats
	Find a more fitting folk-lord to choose them,	could find no better successor than
35	Gem-ward of heroes, than thou mightest prove thee,	thou wouldst make.
	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,
40	To Geat-folk and Danemen, the strife be suspended,	Thou hast healed the ancient breach
	The secret assailings they suffered in yore-days;	between our races.
	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:
45	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,
50	Kinsman of Healfdene, a dozen of jewels,	Parting gifts.
	Bade him safely seek with the presents
	His well-beloved people, early returning.
	Then the noble-born king kissed the distinguished,	Hrothgar kisses Beowulf, and weeps.
	Dear-lovèd liegeman, the Dane-prince saluted him,
55	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
60	Emotions that moved him, but in mood-fetters fastened
	The long-famous hero longeth in secret	The old king is deeply grieved to part
	Deep in his spirit for the dear-beloved man	with his benefactor.
	Though not a blood-kinsman. Beowulf thenceward,
	Gold-splendid warrior, walked o’er the meadows
65	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	Giving liberally is the true proof of kingship.
	Everyway blameless, till age did debar him
70	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 coast-guard again.
	The return of the earlmen, as he erstwhile had seen them;
5	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,
10	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,	Beowulf gives the guard a handsome sword.
	That he was afterwards honored on the ale-bench more highly
	As the heirloom’s owner. Set he out on his vessel,
15	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,
20	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 Geats see their own land again.
	The well-known headlands. The wave-goer hastened
	Driven by breezes, stood on the shore.
25	Prompt at the ocean, the port-ward was ready,	The port-warden is anxiously looking for them.
	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
30	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,
35	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	Hygd, the noble queen of Higelac, lavish
	That the daughter of Hæreth had dwelt in the borough;	of gifts.
40	But she nowise was cringing nor niggard of presents,
	Of ornaments rare, to the race of the Geatmen.
	Thrytho nursed anger, excellent5 folk-queen,	Offa’s consort, Thrytho, is contrasted
	Hot-burning hatred: no hero whatever	with Hygd.
	’Mong household companions, her husband excepted
45	Dared to adventure to look at the woman
	With eyes in the daytime;6 but he knew that death-chains	She is a terror to all save her husband.
	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,
50	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;
55	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
60	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,
65	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 Eomær did issue
70	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,	Beowulf and his party seek Higelac.
	The wide-stretching shores. The world-candle glimmered,
	The sun from the southward; they proceeded then onward,
5	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,
10	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.
15	He sat by the man then who had lived through the struggle,	Beowulf sists by his liegelord.
	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 Hæreth
	Coursed through the building, carrying mead-cups:	Queen Hygd receives the heroes.
20	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	Higelac is greatly interested in Beowulf’s
	Tormented his spirit, what meaning to see in	adventures.
25	The Sea-Geats’ adventures: “Beowulf worthy,
	How throve your journeying, when thou thoughtest suddenly	Give an account of thy adventures, Beowulf.
	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
30	Any at all? In agony-billows
	I mused upon torture, distrusted the journey	My suspense has been great.
	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
35	Grappling with Grendel. To God I am thankful
	To be suffered to see thee safe from thy journey.”
	Beowulf answered, bairn of old Ecgtheow:	Beowulf narrations his adventures.
	“’Tis hidden by no means, Higelac chieftain,
	From many of men, the meeting so famous,
40	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
45	Needeth not boast of that cry-in-the-morning,	Grendel’s kindred have no cause to boast.
	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,	Hrothgar received me very cordially.
50	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,
55	Peace-tie of peoples, oft passed through the building,	The queen also showed up no little honor.
	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	Hrothgar’s lovely daughter.
	To the earls at the end the ale-vessel carried,
60	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	She is betrothed to Ingeld, in order to unite the
	Her faith has been plighted; the friend of the Scyldings,	Danes and Heathobards.
	The guard of the kingdom, hath given his sanction,
65	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:
5	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,
10	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:
15	‘Art thou able, my friend, to know when thou seest it	Ingeld is stirred up to break the truce.
	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,
20	(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!’
25	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
30	’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,
35	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,	Having made these preliminary statements,
	Ornament-giver, what afterward came from	I will now tell thee of Grendel, the monster.
	The hand-rush of heroes. When heaven’s bright jewel
40	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,	Hondscio fell first.
	Death to the doomed one, dead he fell foremost,
45	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,
50	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
55	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.
60	’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	I reflected honor upon my people.
	Thy land with my labors. He left and retreated,
	He lived his life a little while longer:
65	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,	King Hrothgar lavished gifts upon me.
	With ornaments many, much requited me,
70	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;
75	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	The old king is sad over the loss of his youthful
	Mourn for the might that marked him in youth-days;	vigor.
80	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
85	Was ready for vengeance, wretched she journeyed;	Grendel’s mother.
	Her son had death ravished, the wrath of the Geatmen.
	The horrible woman avengèd her offspring,
	And with mighty mainstrength murdered a hero.
	There the spirit of Æschere, agèd adviser,	Æschere falls prey to her vengeance.
90	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	She suffered not his body to be burned,
95	’Neath mountain-brook’s flood. To Hrothgar ’twas saddest	but ate it.
	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,
100	Might-deeds accomplish; much did he promise.
	I found then the famous flood-current’s cruel,	I sought the creature in her den,
	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
105	Head I offhacked in the hall at the bottom	and hewed her head off.
	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 were freely bestowed upon 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,
5	Atheling of earlmen, offer them gladly.	All my gifts I lay at thy feet.
	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,
10	Iron-gray armor, the excellent weapon,
	In song-measures said: “This suit-for-the-battle	This armor I have belonged of yore to
	Hrothgar presented me, bade me expressly,	Heregar.
	Wise-mooded atheling, thereafter to tell thee
	The whole of its history, said King Heregar owned it,
15	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,
20	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,
25	The bold one in battle, was the bairn of his sister,	Higelac loves his nephew Beowulf.
	And each unto other mindful of favors.
	I am told that to Hygd he proffered the necklace,	Beowulf gives Hygd the necklace that
	Wonder-gem rare that Wealhtheow gave him,	Wealhtheow had given him.
	The troop-leader’s daughter, a trio of horses
30	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,	Beowulf is famous.
	He lived in honor, belovèd companions
35	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,
40	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	He is requited for the slights suffered
	Came requital for the cuts he had suffered.	in earlier days.
45	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	Higelac overwhelms the conqueror with gifts.
	In the form of a weapon ’mong Geats of that era;
	In Beowulf’s keeping he placed it and gave him
50	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
55	In days that followed, befell the battle-thanes,
	After Higelac’s death, and when Heardred was murdered	After Heardred’s death, Beowulf becomes
	With weapons of warfare ’neath well-covered targets,	king.
	When valiant battlemen in victor-band sought him,
	War-Scylfing heroes harassed the nephew
60	Of Hereric in battle. To Beowulf’s keeping
	Turned there in time extensive dominions:
	He fittingly ruled them a fifty of winters	He rules the Geats fifty years.
	(He a man-ruler wise was, manor-ward old) till
	A certain one ’gan, on gloom-darkening nights, a
65	Dragon, to govern, who guarded a treasure,	The fire-drake.
	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;
70	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *

XXXII. The Hoard and the Dragon.

	* * * * * * *
	He sought of himself who sorely did harm him,
	But, for need very pressing, the servant of one of
	The sons of the heroes hate-blows evaded,
5	Seeking for shelter and the sin-driven warrior
	Took refuge within there. He early looked in it,
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * when the onset surprised him,
10	He a gem-vessel saw there: many of suchlike	The hoard.
	Ancient ornaments in the earth-cave were lying,
	As in days of yore some one of men of
	Illustrious lineage, as a legacy monstrous,
	There had secreted them, careful and thoughtful,
15	Dear-valued jewels. Death had offsnatched them,
	In the days of the past, and the one man moreover
	Of the flower of the folk who fared there the longest,
	Was fain to defer it, friend-mourning warder,
	A little longer to be left in enjoyment
20	Of long-lasting treasure. A barrow all-ready
	Stood on the plain the stream-currents nigh to,
	New by the ness-edge, unnethe of approaching:
	The keeper of rings carried within a
	Ponderous deal of the treasure of nobles,
25	Of gold that was beaten, briefly he spake then:
	“Hold thou, O Earth, now heroes no more may,	The ring-giver bewails the loss of retainers.
	The earnings of earlmen. Lo! erst in thy bosom
	Worthy men won them; war-death hath ravished,
	Perilous life-bale, all my warriors,
30	Liegemen belovèd, who this life have forsaken,
	Who hall-pleasures saw. No sword-bearer have I,
	And no one to burnish the gold-plated vessel,
	The high-valued beaker: my heroes are vanished.
	The hardy helmet behung with gilding
35	Shall be reaved of its riches: the ring-cleansers slumber
	Who were charged to have ready visors-for-battle,
	And the burnie that bided in battle-encounter
	O’er breaking of war-shields the bite of the edges
	Moulds with the hero. The ring-twisted armor,
40	Its lord being lifeless, no longer may journey
	Hanging by heroes; harp-joy is vanished,
	The rapture of glee-wood, no excellent falcon
	Swoops through the building, no swift-footed charger
	Grindeth the gravel. A grievous destruction
45	No few of the world-folk widely hath scattered!”
	So, woful of spirit one after all
	Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness
	By day and by night, till death with its billows
	Dashed on his spirit. Then the ancient dusk-scather
50	Found the great treasure standing all open,
	He who flaming and fiery flies to the barrows,
	Naked war-dragon, nightly escapeth
	Encompassed with fire; men under heaven
	Widely beheld him. ’Tis said that he looks for
55	The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding
	The heathenish treasure; he’ll be nowise the better.
	So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples	The dragon meets his match.
	Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall,
	Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly:
60	The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain
	And fullest remission for all his remissness
	Begged of his liegelord. Then the hoard was discovered,
	The treasure was taken, his petition was granted
	The lorn-mooded liegeman. His lord regarded
65	The old-work of earth-folk—’twas the earliest occasion.	The hero plunders the dragon’s den
	When the dragon awoke, the strife was renewed there;
	He snuffed ’long the stone then, stout-hearted found he
	The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone
	With cunning craftiness close to the head of
70	The fire-spewing dragon. So undoomed he may ’scape from
	Anguish and exile with ease who possesseth
	The favor of Heaven. The hoard-warden eagerly
	Searched o’er the ground then, would meet with the person
	That caused him sorrow while in slumber reclining:
75	Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern,
	All of it outward; not any of earthmen
	Was seen in that desert. Yet he joyed in the battle,
	Rejoiced in the conflict: oft he turned to the barrow,
	Sought for the gem-cup; this he soon perceived then
80	That some man or other had discovered the gold,	The dragon perceives that some one has
	The famous folk-treasure. Not fain did the hoard-ward	disturbed his treasure.
	Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow
	Was angry in spirit, the loathèd one wished to
	Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire.
85	Then the day was done as the dragon would have it,
	He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed
	Fire-impelled, flaming. Fearful the start was	The dragon is infuriated.
	To earls in the land, as it early thereafter
	To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.

XXXIII. Brave though Aged–Reminiscences

	The stranger began then to vomit forth fire,
	To burn the great manor; the blaze then glimmered	The dragon spits fire.
	For anguish to earlmen, not anything living
	Was the hateful air-goer willing to leave there.
5	The war of the worm widely was noticed,
	The feud of the foeman afar and anear,
	How the enemy injured the earls of the Geatmen,
	Harried with hatred: back he hied to the treasure,
	To the well-hidden cavern ere the coming of daylight.
10	He had circled with fire the folk of those regions,
	With brand and burning; in the barrow he trusted,
	In the wall and his war-might: the weening deceived him.
	Then straight was the horror to Beowulf published,	Beowulf hears of the havoc wrought
	Early forsooth, that his own native homestead,	by the dragon.
15	The best of buildings, was burning and melting,
	Gift-seat of Geatmen. ’Twas a grief to the spirit
	Of the good-mooded hero, the greatest of sorrows:
	The wise one weened then that wielding his kingdom
	’Gainst the ancient commandments, he had bitterly angered	He fears that Heaven is punishing him for
20	The Lord everlasting: with lorn meditations	some crime.
	His bosom welled inward, as was nowise his custom.
	The fire-spewing dragon fully had wasted
	The fastness of warriors, the water-land outward,
	The manor with fire. The folk-ruling hero,
25	Prince of the Weders, was planning to wreak him.
	The warmen’s defender bade them to make him,
	Earlmen’s atheling, an excellent war-shield
	Wholly of iron: fully he knew then	He orders an iron shield to be made from
	That wood from the forest was helpless to aid him,	him, wood is useless.
30	Shield against fire. The long-worthy ruler
	Must live the last of his limited earth-days,
	Of life in the world and the worm along with him,
	Though he long had been holding hoard-wealth in plenty.
	Then the ring-prince disdained to seek with a war-band,	He determines to fight alone.
35	With army extensive, the air-going ranger;
	He felt no fear of the foeman’s assaults and
	He counted for little the might of the dragon,
	His power and prowess: for previously dared he
	A heap of hostility, hazarded dangers,	Beowulf’s early triumphs referred to
40	War-thane, when Hrothgar’s palace he cleansèd,
	Conquering combatant, clutched in the battle
	The kinsmen of Grendel, of kindred detested.
	’Twas of hand-fights not least where Higelac was slaughtered,	Higelac’s death recalled.
	When the king of the Geatmen with clashings of battle,
45	Friend-lord of folks in Frisian dominions,
	Offspring of Hrethrel perished through sword-drink,
	With battle-swords beaten; thence Beowulf came then
	On self-help relying, swam through the waters;
	He bare on his arm, lone-going, thirty
50	Outfits of armor, when the ocean he mounted.
	The Hetwars by no means had need to be boastful
	Of their fighting afoot, who forward to meet him
	Carried their war-shields: not many returned from
	The brave-mooded battle-knight back to their homesteads.
55	Ecgtheow’s bairn o’er the bight-courses swam then,
	Lone-goer lorn to his land-folk returning,
	Where Hygd to him tendered treasure and kingdom,
	Rings and dominion: her son she not trusted,	Heardred’s lack of capacity to rule.
	To be able to keep the kingdom devised him
60	’Gainst alien races, on the death of King Higelac.
	Yet the sad ones succeeded not in persuading the atheling	Beowulf’s tact and delicacy recalled.
	In any way ever, to act as a suzerain
	To Heardred, or promise to govern the kingdom;
	Yet with friendly counsel in the folk he sustained him,
65	Gracious, with honor, till he grew to be older,
	Wielded the Weders. Wide-fleeing outlaws,	Reference is here made to a visit which Beowulf
	Ohthere’s sons, sought him o’er the waters:	receives from Eanmund and Eadgils,
	They had stirred a revolt ’gainst the helm of the Scylfings,	why they come is not known.
	The best of the sea-kings, who in Swedish dominions
70	Distributed treasure, distinguished folk-leader.
	’Twas the end of his earth-days; injury fatal
	By swing of the sword he received as a greeting,
	Offspring of Higelac; Ongentheow’s bairn
	Later departed to visit his homestead,
75	When Heardred was dead; let Beowulf rule them,
	Govern the Geatmen: good was that folk-king.

XIV. Beowulf Seeks the Dragon.–Beowulf’s Reminiscences.

	He planned requital for the folk-leader’s ruin
	In days thereafter, to Eadgils the wretched
	Becoming an enemy. Ohthere’s son then
	Went with a war-troop o’er the wide-stretching currents
5	With warriors and weapons: with woe-journeys cold he
	After avenged him, the king’s life he took.
	So he came off uninjured from all of his battles,	Beowulf has been preserved through
	Perilous fights, offspring of Ecgtheow,	many perils.
	From his deeds of daring, till that day most momentous
10	When he fate-driven fared to fight with the dragon.
	With eleven companions the prince of the Geatmen	With eleven comrades, he seeks the dragon.
	Went lowering with fury to look at the fire-drake:
	Inquiring he’d found how the feud had arisen,
	Hate to his heroes; the highly-famed gem-vessel
15	Was brought to his keeping through the hand of th’ informer.
	That in the throng was thirteenth of heroes,	A guide leads the way, but
	That caused the beginning of conflict so bitter,
	Captive and wretched, must sad-mooded thenceward
	Point out the place: he passed then unwillingly
20	To the spot where he knew of the notable cavern,	very reluctantly.
	The cave under earth, not far from the ocean,
	The anger of eddies, which inward was full of
	Jewels and wires: a warden uncanny,
	Warrior weaponed, wardered the treasure,
25	Old under earth; no easy possession
	For any of earth-folk access to get to.
	Then the battle-brave atheling sat on the naze-edge,
	While the gold-friend of Geatmen gracious saluted
	His fireside-companions: woe was his spirit,
30	Death-boding, wav’ring; Weird very near him,
	Who must seize the old hero, his soul-treasure look for,
	Dragging aloof his life from his body:
	Not flesh-hidden long was the folk-leader’s spirit.
	Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow’s son:
35	“I survived in my youth-days many a conflict,	Beowulf’s retrospect.
	Hours of onset: that all I remember.
	I was seven-winters old when the jewel-prince took me,
	High-lord of heroes, at the hands of my father,
	Hrethel the hero-king had me in keeping,
40	Gave me treasure and feasting, our kinship remembered;	Hrethel took me when I was seven.
	Not ever was I any less dear to him
	Knight in the boroughs, than the bairns of his household,	He treated me as a son.
	Herebald and Hæthcyn and Higelac mine.
	To the eldest unjustly by acts of a kinsman
45	Was murder-bed strewn, since him Hæthcyn from horn-bow
	His sheltering chieftain shot with an arrow,	One of the brothers accidentally kills another.
	Erred in his aim and injured his kinsman,
	One brother the other, with blood-sprinkled spear:
	’Twas a feeless fight, finished in malice,	No fee could compound for such a calamity.
50	Sad to his spirit; the folk-prince however
	Had to part from existence with vengeance untaken.
	So to hoar-headed hero ’tis heavily crushing	[A parallel case is supposed.]
	To live to see his son as he rideth
	Young on the gallows: then measures he chanteth,
55	A song of sorrow, when his son is hanging
	For the raven’s delight, and aged and hoary
	He is unable to offer any assistance.
	Every morning his offspring’s departure
	Is constant recalled: he cares not to wait for
60	The birth of an heir in his borough-enclosures,
	Since that one through death-pain the deeds hath experienced.
	He heart-grieved beholds in the house of his son the
	Wine-building wasted, the wind-lodging places
	Reaved of their roaring; the riders are sleeping,
65	The knights in the grave; there’s no sound of the harp-wood,
	Joy in the yards, as of yore were familiar.

XXXV. Reminiscences (continued).–Beowulf’s Last Battle

	“He seeks then his chamber, singeth a woe-song
	One for the other; all too extensive
	Seemed homesteads and plains. So the helm of the Weders
	Mindful of Herebald heart-sorrow carried,	Hrethel grieves for Herebald.
5	Stirred with emotion, nowise was able
	To wreak his ruin on the ruthless destroyer:
	He was unable to follow the warrior with hatred,
	With deeds that were direful, though dear he not held him.
10	He gave up glee, God-light elected;
	He left to his sons, as the man that is rich does,
	His land and fortress, when from life he departed.
	Then was crime and hostility ’twixt Swedes and Geatmen,	Strife between Swedes and Geats.
	O’er wide-stretching water warring was mutual,
15	Burdensome hatred, when Hrethel had perished,
	And Ongentheow’s offspring were active and valiant,
	Wished not to hold to peace oversea, but
	Round Hreosna-beorh often accomplished
	Cruelest massacre. This my kinsman avengèd,
20	The feud and fury, as ’tis found on inquiry,
	Though one of them paid it with forfeit of life-joys,
	With price that was hard: the struggle became then	Hæthcyn’s fall at Ravenswood.
	Fatal to Hæthcyn, lord of the Geatmen.
	Then I heard that at morning one brother the other
25	With edges of irons egged on to murder,
	Where Ongentheow maketh onset on Eofor:
	The helmet crashed, the hoary-haired Scylfing
	Sword-smitten fell, his hand then remembered
	Feud-hate sufficient, refused not the death-blow.
30	The gems that he gave me, with jewel-bright sword I	I requited him for the jewels he gave me.
	’Quited in contest, as occasion was offered:
	Land he allowed me, life-joy at homestead,
	Manor to live on. Little he needed
	From Gepids or Danes or in Sweden to look for
35	Trooper less true, with treasure to buy him;
	’Mong foot-soldiers ever in front I would hie me,
	Alone in the vanguard, and evermore gladly
	Warfare shall wage, while this weapon endureth
	That late and early often did serve me
40	When I proved before heroes the slayer of Dæghrefn,	Beowulf refers to his having slain Dæghrefn.
	Knight of the Hugmen: he by no means was suffered
	To the king of the Frisians to carry the jewels,
	The breast-decoration; but the banner-possessor
	Bowed in the battle, brave-mooded atheling.
45	No weapon was slayer, but war-grapple broke then
	The surge of his spirit, his body destroying.
	Now shall weapon’s edge make war for the treasure,
	And hand and firm-sword.” Beowulf spake then,
	Boast-words uttered—the latest occasion:
50	“I braved in my youth-days battles unnumbered;	He boasts of his youthful prowess, and
	Still am I willing the struggle to look for,	declares himself still fearless.
	Fame-deeds perform, folk-warden prudent,
	If the hateful despoiler forth from his cavern
	Seeketh me out!” Each of the heroes,
55	Helm-bearers sturdy, he thereupon greeted
	Belovèd co-liegemen—his last salutation:	His last salutations.
	“No brand would I bear, no blade for the dragon,
	Wist I a way my word-boast to ’complish
	Else with the monster, as with Grendel I did it;
60	But fire in the battle hot I expect there,
	Furious flame-burning: so I fixed on my body
	Target and war-mail. The ward of the barrow
	I’ll not flee from a foot-length, the foeman uncanny.
	At the wall ’twill befall us as Fate decreeth,
65	Each one’s Creator. I am eager in spirit,	Let Fate decide between us.
	With the wingèd war-hero to away with all boasting.
	Bide on the barrow with burnies protected,
	Bide on the barrow with burnies protected,
	Earls in armor, which of us two may better	Wait ye here till the battle is over.
70	’Tis no matter of yours, and man cannot do it,
	But me and me only, to measure his strength with
	The monster of malice, might-deeds to ’complish.
	I with prowess shall gain the gold, or the battle,
	Direful death-woe will drag off your ruler!”
75	The mighty champion rose by his shield then,
	Brave under helmet, in battle-mail went he
	’Neath steep-rising stone-cliffs, the strength he relied on
	Of one man alone: no work for a coward.
	Then he saw by the wall who a great many battles
80	Had lived through, most worthy, when foot-troops collided,
	Stone-arches standing, stout-hearted champion,	The place of strife is described.
	Saw a brook from the barrow bubbling out thenceward:
	The flood of the fountain was fuming with war-flame:
	Not nigh to the hoard, for season the briefest
85	Could he brave, without burning, the abyss that was yawning,
	The drake was so fiery. The prince of the Weders
	Caused then that words came from his bosom,
	So fierce was his fury; the firm-hearted shouted:
	His battle-clear voice came in resounding
90	’Neath the gray-colored stone. Stirred was his hatred,
	The hoard-ward distinguished the speech of a man;	Beowulf calls out under the stone arches.
	Time was no longer to look out for friendship.
	The breath of the monster issued forth first,
	Vapory war-sweat, out of the stone-cave:
95	The earth re-echoed. The earl ’neath the barrow	The terrible encounter.
	Lifted his shield, lord of the Geatmen,
	Tow’rd the terrible stranger: the ring-twisted creature’s
	Heart was then ready to seek for a struggle.
	The excellent battle-king first brandished his weapon,	Beowulf brandishes his sword,
100	The ancient heirloom, of edges unblunted,
	To the death-planners twain was terror from other.
	The lord of the troopers intrepidly stood then	and stands against his shield.
	’Gainst his high-rising shield, when the dragon coiled him
	Quickly together: in corslet he bided.	The dragon coils himself.
105	He went then in blazes, bended and striding,
	Hasting him forward. His life and body
	The targe well protected, for time-period shorter
	Than wish demanded for the well-renowned leader,
	Where he then for the first day was forced to be victor,
110	Famous in battle, as Fate had not willed it.
	The lord of the Geatmen uplifted his hand then,
	Smiting the fire-drake with sword that was precious,
	That bright on the bone the blade-edge did weaken,
	Bit more feebly than his folk-leader needed,
115	Burdened with bale-griefs. Then the barrow-protector,
	When the sword-blow had fallen, was fierce in his spirit,	The dragon rages
	Flinging his fires, flamings of battle
	Gleamed then afar: the gold-friend of Weders
	Boasted no conquests, his battle-sword failed him
120	Naked in conflict, as by no means it ought to,	Beowulf’s sword fails him.
	Long-trusty weapon. ’Twas no slight undertaking
	That Ecgtheow’s famous offspring would leave
	The drake-cavern’s bottom; he must live in some region
	Other than this, by the will of the dragon,
125	As each one of earthmen existence must forfeit.
	’Twas early thereafter the excellent warriors
	Met with each other. Anew and afresh	The combat is renewed.
	The hoard-ward took heart (gasps heaved then his bosom):
	Sorrow he suffered encircled with fire	The great hero is reduced to extremities.
130	Who the people erst governed. His companions by no means
	Were banded about him, bairns of the princes,
	With valorous spirit, but they sped to the forest,	His comrades flee!
	Seeking for safety. The soul-deeps of one were
	Ruffled by care: kin-love can never	Blood is thicker than water.
135	Aught in him waver who well doth consider.

XXXVI. Wiglaf the Trusty.–Beowulf is Deserted by Friends and by Sword.

	The son of Weohstan was Wiglaf entitled,
	Shield-warrior precious, prince of the Scylfings,	Wiglaf remains true—the ideal Teutonic
	Ælfhere’s kinsman: he saw his dear liegelord	liegeman.
	Enduring the heat ’neath helmet and visor.
5	Then he minded the holding that erst he had given him,
	The Wægmunding warriors’ wealth-blessèd homestead,	Wiglaf recalls Beowulf’s generosity.
	Each of the folk-rights his father had wielded;
	He was hot for the battle, his hand seized the target,
	The yellow-bark shield, he unsheathed his old weapon,
10	Which was known among earthmen as the relic of Eanmund,
	Ohthere’s offspring, whom, exiled and friendless,
	Weohstan did slay with sword-edge in battle,
	And carried his kinsman the clear-shining helmet,
	The ring-made burnie, the old giant-weapon
15	That Onela gave him, his boon-fellow’s armor,
	Ready war-trappings: he the feud did not mention,
	Though he’d fatally smitten the son of his brother.
	Many a half-year held he the treasures,
	The bill and the burnie, till his bairn became able,
20	Like his father before him, fame-deeds to ’complish;
	Then he gave him ’mong Geatmen a goodly array of
	Weeds for his warfare; he went from life then
	Old on his journey. ’Twas the earliest time then
	That the youthful champion might charge in the battle	This is Wiglaf’s first battle as liegeman
25	Aiding his liegelord; his spirit was dauntless.	of Beowulf.
	Nor did kinsman’s bequest quail at the battle:
	This the dragon discovered on their coming together.
	Wiglaf uttered many a right-saying,
	Said to his fellows, sad was his spirit:
30	“I remember the time when, tasting the mead-cup,	Wiglaf appeals to the pride of the cowards.
	We promised in the hall the lord of us all
	Who gave us these ring-treasures, that this battle-equipment,
	Swords and helmets, we’d certainly quite him,
	Should need of such aid ever befall him:
35	In the war-band he chose us for this journey spontaneously,	How we have forfeited our liegelord’s
	Stirred us to glory and gave me these jewels,	confidence!
	Since he held and esteemed us trust-worthy spearmen,
	Hardy helm-bearers, though this hero-achievement
	Our lord intended alone to accomplish,
40	Ward of his people, for most of achievements,
	Doings audacious, he did among earth-folk.
	The day is now come when the ruler of earthmen
	Needeth the vigor of valiant heroes:	Our lord is in sore need of us.
	Let us wend us towards him, the war-prince to succor,
45	While the heat yet rageth, horrible fire-fight.
	God wot in me, ’tis mickle the liefer	I would rather die than go home with
	The blaze should embrace my body and eat it	out my suzerain.
	With my treasure-bestower. Meseemeth not proper
	To bear our battle-shields back to our country,
50	’Less first we are able to fell and destroy the
	Long-hating foeman, to defend the life of
	The prince of the Weders. Well do I know ’tisn’t
	Earned by his exploits, he only of Geatmen	Surely he does not deserve to die alone.
	Sorrow should suffer, sink in the battle:
55	Brand and helmet to us both shall be common,
	Shield-cover, burnie.” Through the bale-smoke he stalked then,
	Went under helmet to the help of his chieftain,
	Briefly discoursing: “Beowulf dear,	Wiglaf reminds Beowulf of his youthful
	Perform thou all fully, as thou formerly saidst,	boasts.
60	In thy youthful years, that while yet thou livedst
	Thou wouldst let thine honor not ever be lessened.
	Thy life thou shalt save, mighty in actions,
	Atheling undaunted, with all of thy vigor;
	I’ll give thee assistance.” The dragon came raging,	The monster advances on them.
65	Wild-mooded stranger, when these words had been uttered
	(’Twas the second occasion), seeking his enemies,
	Men that were hated, with hot-gleaming fire-waves;
	With blaze-billows burned the board to its edges:
	The fight-armor failed then to furnish assistance
70	To the youthful spear-hero: but the young-agèd stripling
	Quickly advanced ’neath his kinsman’s war-target,
	Since his own had been ground in the grip of the fire.
	Then the warrior-king was careful of glory,	Beowulf strikes at the dragon.
	He soundly smote with sword-for-the-battle,
75	That it stood in the head by hatred driven;
	Nægling was shivered, the old and iron-made
	Brand of Beowulf in battle deceived him.	His sword fails him.
	’Twas denied him that edges of irons were able
	To help in the battle; the hand was too mighty
80	Which every weapon, as I heard on inquiry,
	Outstruck in its stroke, when to struggle he carried
	The wonderful war-sword: it waxed him no better.
	Then the people-despoiler—third of his onsets—	The dragon advances on Beowulf again.
	Fierce-raging fire-drake, of feud-hate was mindful,
85	Charged on the strong one, when chance was afforded,
	Heated and war-grim, seized on his neck
	With teeth that were bitter; he bloody did wax with
	Soul-gore seething; sword-blood in waves boiled.

XXXVII. The Fatal Struggle.–Beowulf’s Last Moments

	Then I heard that at need of the king of the people
	The upstanding earlman exhibited prowess,	Wiglaf defends Beowulf.
	Vigor and courage, as suited his nature;
	He his head did not guard, but the high-minded liegeman’s
5	Hand was consumed, when he succored his kinsman,
	So he struck the strife-bringing strange-comer lower,
	Earl-thane in armor, that in went the weapon
	Gleaming and plated, that ’gan then the fire
	Later to lessen. The liegelord himself then	Beowulf draws his knife,
10	Retained his consciousness, brandished his war-knife,
	Battle-sharp, bitter, that he bare on his armor:
	The Weder-lord cut the worm in the middle.	and cuts the dragon.
	They had felled the enemy (life drove out then
	Puissant prowess), the pair had destroyed him,
15	Land-chiefs related: so a liegeman should prove him,
	A thaneman when needed. To the prince ’twas the last of
	His era of conquest by his own great achievements,
	The latest of world-deeds. The wound then began	Beowulf’s wound swells and burns.
	Which the earth-dwelling dragon erstwhile had wrought him
20	To burn and to swell. He soon then discovered
	That bitterest bale-woe in his bosom was raging,
	Poison within. The atheling advanced then,
	That along by the wall, he prudent of spirit	He sits down exhausted.
	Might sit on a settle; he saw the giant-work,
25	How arches of stone strengthened with pillars
	The earth-hall eternal inward supported.
	Then the long-worthy liegeman laved with his hand the
	Far-famous chieftain, gory from sword-edge,	Wiglaf bathes his lord’s head.
	Refreshing the face of his friend-lord and ruler,
30	Sated with battle, unbinding his helmet.
	Beowulf answered, of his injury spake he,
	His wound that was fatal (he was fully aware
	He had lived his allotted life-days enjoying
	The pleasures of earth; then past was entirely
35	His measure of days, death very near):
	“My son I would give now my battle-equipments,	Beowulf regrets that he has no son.
	Had any of heirs been after me granted,
	Along of my body. This people I governed
	Fifty of winters: no king ’mong my neighbors
40	Dared to encounter me with comrades-in-battle,
	Try me with terror. The time to me ordered
	I bided at home, mine own kept fitly,
	Sought me no snares, swore me not many
	Oaths in injustice. Joy over all this	I can rejoice in a well-spent life.
45	I’m able to have, though ill with my death-wounds;
	Hence the Ruler of Earthmen need not charge me
	With the killing of kinsmen, when cometh my life out
	Forth from my body. Fare thou with haste now
	To behold the hoard ’neath the hoar-grayish stone,	Bring me the hoard, Wiglaf, that my dying
50	Well-lovèd Wiglaf, now the worm is a-lying,	eyes may be refreshed by a sight of it.
	Sore-wounded sleepeth, disseized of his treasure.
	Go thou in haste that treasures of old I,
	Gold-wealth may gaze on, together see lying
	The ether-bright jewels, be easier able,
55	Having the heap of hoard-gems, to yield my
	Life and the land-folk whom long I have governed.”

XXXVIII. Wiglaf Plunders the Dragon’s Den.–Beowulf’s Death.

	Then heard I that Wihstan’s son very quickly,
	These words being uttered, heeded his liegelord	Wiglaf fulfils his lord’s behest.
	Wounded and war-sick, went in his armor,
	His well-woven ring-mail, ’neath the roof of the barrow.
5	Then the trusty retainer treasure-gems many
	Victorious saw, when the seat he came near to,
	Gold-treasure sparkling spread on the bottom,
	Wonder on the wall, and the worm-creature’s cavern,
	The ancient dawn-flier’s, vessels a-standing,
10	Cups of the ancients of cleansers bereavèd,
	Robbed of their ornaments: there were helmets in numbers,
	Old and rust-eaten, arm-bracelets many,
	Artfully woven. Wealth can easily,
	Gold on the sea-bottom, turn into vanity
15	Each one of earthmen, arm him who pleaseth!
	And he saw there lying an all-golden banner
	High o’er the hoard, of hand-wonders greatest,
	Linkèd with lacets: a light from it sparkled,
	That the floor of the cavern he was able to look on,
20	To examine the jewels. Sight of the dragon	The dragon is not there.
	Not any was offered, but edge offcarried him.
	Then I heard that the hero the hoard-treasure plundered,	Wiglaf bears the hoard away.
	The giant-work ancient reaved in the cavern,
	Bare on his bosom the beakers and platters,
25	As himself would fain have it, and took off the standard,
	The brightest of beacons; the bill had erst injured
	(Its edge was of iron), the old-ruler’s weapon,
	Him who long had watched as ward of the jewels,
	Who fire-terror carried hot for the treasure,
30	Rolling in battle, in middlemost darkness,
	Till murdered he perished. The messenger hastened,
	Not loth to return, hurried by jewels:
	Curiosity urged him if, excellent-mooded,
	Alive he should find the lord of the Weders
35	Mortally wounded, at the place where he left him.
	’Mid the jewels he found then the famous old chieftain,
	His liegelord belovèd, at his life’s-end gory:
	He thereupon ’gan to lave him with water,
	Till the point of his word piercèd his breast-hoard.
40	Beowulf spake (the gold-gems he noticed),
	The old one in sorrow: “For the jewels I look on	Beowulf is rejoiced to see the jewels.
	Thanks do I utter for all to the Ruler,
	Wielder of Worship, with words of devotion,
	The Lord everlasting, that He let me such treasures
45	Gain for my people ere death overtook me.
	Since I’ve bartered the agèd life to me granted
	For treasure of jewels, attend ye henceforward
	The wants of the war-thanes; I can wait here no longer.	He desires to be held in memory by
	The battle-famed bid ye to build them a grave-hill,	his people.
50	Bright when I’m burned, at the brim-current’s limit;
	As a memory-mark to the men I have governed,
	Aloft it shall tower on Whale’s-Ness uprising,
	That earls of the ocean hereafter may call it
	Beowulf’s barrow, those who barks ever-dashing
55	From a distance shall drive o’er the darkness of waters.”
	The bold-mooded troop-lord took from his neck then	The hero’s last gift
	The ring that was golden, gave to his liegeman,
	The youthful war-hero, his gold-flashing helmet,
	His collar and war-mail, bade him well to enjoy them:
60	“Thou art latest left of the line of our kindred,
	Of Wægmunding people: Weird hath offcarried	and last words.
	All of my kinsmen to the Creator’s glory,
	Earls in their vigor: I shall after them fare.”
	’Twas the aged liegelord’s last-spoken word in
65	His musings of spirit, ere he mounted the fire,
	The battle-waves burning: from his bosom departed
	His soul to seek the sainted ones’ glory.

XXXIX. The Dead Foes.–Wiglaf’s Bitter Taunts.

	It had wofully chanced then the youthful retainer
	To behold on earth the most ardent-belovèd	Wiglaf is sorely grieved to see his lord
	At his life-days’ limit, lying there helpless.	look so un-warlike.
	The slayer too lay there, of life all bereavèd,
5	Horrible earth-drake, harassed with sorrow:
	The round-twisted monster was permitted no longer	The dragon has plundered his last hoard.
	To govern the ring-hoards, but edges of war-swords
	Mightily seized him, battle-sharp, sturdy
	Leavings of hammers, that still from his wounds
10	The flier-from-farland fell to the earth
	Hard by his hoard-house, hopped he at midnight
	Not e’er through the air, nor exulting in jewels
	Suffered them to see him: but he sank then to earthward
	Through the hero-chief’s handwork. I heard sure it throve then
15	But few in the land of liegemen of valor,	Few warriors dared to face the monster.
	Though of every achievement bold he had proved him,
	To run ’gainst the breath of the venomous scather,
	Or the hall of the treasure to trouble with hand-blows,
	If he watching had found the ward of the hoard-hall
20	On the barrow abiding. Beowulf’s part of
	The treasure of jewels was paid for with death;
	Each of the twain had attained to the end of
	Life so unlasting. Not long was the time till	The cowardly thanes come out of the thicket.
	The tardy-at-battle returned from the thicket,
25	The timid truce-breakers ten all together,
	Who durst not before play with the lances
	In the prince of the people’s pressing emergency;
	But blushing with shame, with shields they betook them,
	With arms and armor where the old one was lying:	They are ashamed of their desertion.
30	They gazed upon Wiglaf. He was sitting exhausted,
	Foot-going fighter, not far from the shoulders
	Of the lord of the people, would rouse him with water;
	No whit did it help him; though he hoped for it keenly,
	He was able on earth not at all in the leader
35	Life to retain, and nowise to alter
	The will of the Wielder; the World-Ruler’s power
	Would govern the actions of each one of heroes,
	As yet He is doing. From the young one forthwith then	Wiglaf is ready to excoriate them.
	Could grim-worded greeting be got for him quickly
40	Whose courage had failed him. Wiglaf discoursed then,
	Weohstan his son, sad-mooded hero,
	Looked on the hated: “He who soothness will utter	He begins to taunt them.
	Can say that the liegelord who gave you the jewels,
	The ornament-armor wherein ye are standing,
45	When on ale-bench often he offered to hall-men
	Helmet and burnie, the prince to his liegemen,
	As best upon earth he was able to find him,—
	That he wildly wasted his war-gear undoubtedly	Surely our lord wasted his armor on
	When battle o’ertook him. The troop-king no need had	poltroons.
50	To glory in comrades; yet God permitted him,
	Victory-Wielder, with weapon unaided	He, however, got along without you
	Himself to avenge, when vigor was needed.
	I life-protection but little was able
	To give him in battle, and I ’gan, notwithstanding,
55	Helping my kinsman (my strength overtaxing):	With some aid, I could have saved our
	He waxed the weaker when with weapon I smote on	liegelord
	My mortal opponent, the fire less strongly
	Flamed from his bosom. Too few of protectors
	Came round the king at the critical moment.
60	Now must ornament-taking and weapon-bestowing,	Gift-giving is over with your people:
	Home-joyance all, cease for your kindred,	the ring-lord is dead.
	Food for the people; each of your warriors
	Must needs be bereavèd of rights that he holdeth
	In landed possessions, when faraway nobles
65	Shall learn of your leaving your lord so basely,
	The dastardly deed. Death is more pleasant	What is life without honor?
	To every earlman than infamous life is!”

XL. The Messenger of Death.

	Then he charged that the battle be announced at the hedge
	Up o’er the cliff-edge, where the earl-troopers bided	Wiglaf sends the news of Beowulf’s
	The whole of the morning, mood-wretched sat them,	death to liegemen near by.
	Bearers of battle-shields, both things expecting,
5	The end of his lifetime and the coming again of
	The liegelord belovèd. Little reserved he
	Of news that was known, who the ness-cliff did travel,
	But he truly discoursed to all that could hear him:
	“Now the free-giving friend-lord of the folk of the Weders,	The messenger speaks.
10	The folk-prince of Geatmen, is fast in his death-bed,
	By the deeds of the dragon in death-bed abideth;
	Along with him lieth his life-taking foeman
	Slain with knife-wounds: he was wholly unable
	To injure at all the ill-planning monster
15	With bite of his sword-edge. Wiglaf is sitting,	Wiglaf sits by our dead lord.
	Offspring of Wihstan, up over Beowulf,
	Earl o’er another whose end-day hath reached him,
	Head-watch holdeth o’er heroes unliving,
	For friend and for foeman. The folk now expecteth	Our lord’s death will lead to attacks
20	A season of strife when the death of the folk-king	from our old foes.
	To Frankmen and Frisians in far-lands is published.
	The war-hatred waxed warm ’gainst the Hugmen,
	When Higelac came with an army of vessels
	Faring to Friesland, where the Frankmen in battle	Higelac’s death recalled.
25	Humbled him and bravely with overmight ’complished
	That the mail-clad warrior must sink in the battle,
	Fell ’mid his folk-troop: no fret-gems presented
	The atheling to earlmen; aye was denied us
	Merewing’s mercy. The men of the Swedelands
30	For truce or for truth trust I but little;
	But widely ’twas known that near Ravenswood Ongentheow
	Sundered Hæthcyn the Hrethling from life-joys,	Hæthcyn’s fall referred to.
	When for pride overweening the War-Scylfings first did
	Seek the Geatmen with savage intentions.
35	Early did Ohthere’s age-laden father,
	Old and terrible, give blow in requital,
	Killing the sea-king, the queen-mother rescued,
	The old one his consort deprived of her gold,
	Onela’s mother and Ohthere’s also,
40	And then followed the feud-nursing foemen till hardly,
	Reaved of their ruler, they Ravenswood entered.
	Then with vast-numbered forces he assaulted the remnant,
	Weary with wounds, woe often promised
	The livelong night to the sad-hearted war-troop:
45	Said he at morning would kill them with edges of weapons,
	Some on the gallows for glee to the fowls.
	Aid came after to the anxious-in-spirit
	At dawn of the day, after Higelac’s bugle
	And trumpet-sound heard they, when the good one proceeded
50	And faring followed the flower of the troopers.

XLI. The Messenger’s Retrospect.

	“The blood-stainèd trace of Swedes and Geatmen,
	The death-rush of warmen, widely was noticed,	The messenger continues, and refers to
	How the folks with each other feud did awaken.	the feuds of Swedes and Geats.
	The worthy one went then1 with well-beloved comrades,
5	Old and dejected to go to the fastness,
	Ongentheo earl upward then turned him;
	Of Higelac’s battle he’d heard on inquiry,
	The exultant one’s prowess, despaired of resistance,
	With earls of the ocean to be able to struggle,
10	’Gainst sea-going sailors to save the hoard-treasure,
	His wife and his children; he fled after thenceward
	Old ’neath the earth-wall. Then was offered pursuance
	To the braves of the Swedemen, the banner to Higelac.
	They fared then forth o’er the field-of-protection,
15	When the Hrethling heroes hedgeward had thronged them.
	Then with edges of irons was Ongentheow driven,
	The gray-haired to tarry, that the troop-ruler had to
	Suffer the power solely of Eofor:
	Wulf then wildly with weapon assaulted him,	Wulf wounds Ongentheow.
20	Wonred his son, that for swinge of the edges
	The blood from his body burst out in currents,
	Forth ’neath his hair. He feared not however,
	Gray-headed Scylfing, but speedily quited
	The wasting wound-stroke with worse exchange,
25	When the king of the thane-troop thither did turn him:	Ongentheow gives a stout blow in return.
	The wise-mooded son of Wonred was powerless
	To give a return-blow to the age-hoary man,
	But his head-shielding helmet first hewed he to pieces,
	That flecked with gore perforce he did totter,
30	Fell to the earth; not fey was he yet then,
	But up did he spring though an edge-wound had reached him.
	Then Higelac’s vassal, valiant and dauntless,	Eofor smites Ongentheow fiercely
	When his brother lay dead, made his broad-bladed weapon,
	Giant-sword ancient, defence of the giants,
35	Bound o’er the shield-wall; the folk-prince succumbed then,	Ongentheow is slain.
	Shepherd of people, was pierced to the vitals.
	There were many attendants who bound up his kinsman,
	Carried him quickly when occasion was granted
	That the place of the slain they were suffered to manage.
40	This pending, one hero plundered the other,
	His armor of iron from Ongentheow ravished,
	His hard-sword hilted and helmet together;
	The old one’s equipments he carried to Higelac.	Eofor takes the old king’s war-gear to Higelac.
	He the jewels received, and rewards ’mid the troopers
45	Graciously promised, and so did accomplish:
	The king of the Weders requited the war-rush,
	Hrethel’s descendant, when home he repaired him,
	To Eofor and Wulf with wide-lavished treasures,	Higelac rewards the brothers.
	To each of them granted a hundred of thousands
50	In land and rings wrought out of wire:	His gifts were beyond cavil.
	None upon mid-earth needed to twit him
	With the gifts he gave them, when glory they conquered;
	And to Eofor then gave he his one only daughter,	To Eofor he also gives his only daughter
	The honor of home, as an earnest of favor.	in marriage.
55	That’s the feud and hatred—as ween I ’twill happen—
	The anger of earthmen, that earls of the Swedemen
	Will visit on us, when they hear that our leader
	Lifeless is lying, he who longtime protected
	His hoard and kingdom ’gainst hating assailers
60	Who on the fall of the heroes defended of yore
	The deed-mighty Scyldings, did for the troopers
	What best did avail them, and further moreover
	Hero-deeds ’complished. Now is haste most fitting,	It is time for us to pay the last marks
	That the lord of liegemen we look upon yonder,	of respect to our lord.
65	And that one carry on journey to death-pyre
	Who ring-presents gave us. Not aught of it all
	Shall melt with the brave one—there’s a mass of bright jewels,
	Gold beyond measure, grewsomely purchased
	And ending it all ornament-rings too
70	Bought with his life; these fire shall devour,
	Flame shall cover, no earlman shall wear
	A jewel-memento, nor beautiful virgin
	Have on her neck rings to adorn her,
	But wretched in spirit bereavèd of gold-gems
75	She shall oft with others be exiled and banished,
	Since the leader of liegemen hath laughter forsaken,
	Mirth and merriment. Hence many a war-spear
	Cold from the morning shall be clutched in the fingers,
	Heaved in the hand, no harp-music’s sound shall
80	Waken the warriors, but the wan-coated raven
	Fain over fey ones freely shall gabble,
	Shall say to the eagle how he sped in the eating,
	When, the wolf his companion, he plundered the slain.”
	So the high-minded hero was rehearsing these stories
85	Loathsome to hear; he lied as to few of
	Weirds and of words. All the war-troop arose then,	The warriors go sadly to look at Beowulf’s
	’Neath the Eagle’s Cape sadly betook them,	lifeless body.
	Weeping and woful, the wonder to look at.
	They saw on the sand then soulless a-lying,
90	His slaughter-bed holding, him who rings had given them
	In days that were done; then the death-bringing moment
	Was come to the good one, that the king very warlike,
	Wielder of Weders, with wonder-death perished.
	First they beheld there a creature more wondrous,
95	The worm on the field, in front of them lying,	They also see the dragon.
	The foeman before them: the fire-spewing dragon,
	Ghostly and grisly guest in his terrors,
	Was scorched in the fire; as he lay there he measured
	Fifty of feet; came forth in the night-time
100	To rejoice in the air, thereafter departing
	To visit his den; he in death was then fastened,
	He would joy in no other earth-hollowed caverns.
	There stood round about him beakers and vessels,
	Dishes were lying and dear-valued weapons,
105	With iron-rust eaten, as in earth’s mighty bosom
	A thousand of winters there they had rested:
	That mighty bequest then with magic was guarded,	The hoard was under a magic spell.
	Gold of the ancients, that earlman not any
	The ring-hall could touch, save Ruling-God only,
110	Sooth-king of Vict’ries gave whom He wished to
	(He is earth-folk’s protector) to open the treasure,	God alone could give access to it.
	E’en to such among mortals as seemed to Him proper.

XLII. Wiglaf’s Sad Story.–The Hoard Carried Off.

	Then ’twas seen that the journey prospered him little
	Who wrongly within had the ornaments hidden
	Down ’neath the wall. The warden erst slaughtered
	Some few of the folk-troop: the feud then thereafter
5	Was hotly avengèd. ’Tis a wonder where,
	When the strength-famous trooper has attained to the end of
	Life-days allotted, then no longer the man may
	Remain with his kinsmen where mead-cups are flowing.
	So to Beowulf happened when the ward of the barrow,
10	Assaults, he sought for: himself had no knowledge
	How his leaving this life was likely to happen.
	So to doomsday, famous folk-leaders down did
	Call it with curses—who ’complished it there—
	That that man should be ever of ill-deeds convicted,
15	Confined in foul-places, fastened in hell-bonds,
	Punished with plagues, who this place should e’er ravage.
	He cared not for gold: rather the Wielder’s
	Favor preferred he first to get sight of.
	Wiglaf discoursed then, Wihstan his son:	Wiglaf addresses his comrades.
20	“Oft many an earlman on one man’s account must
	Sorrow endure, as to us it hath happened.
	The liegelord belovèd we could little prevail on,
	Kingdom’s keeper, counsel to follow,
	Not to go to the guardian of the gold-hoard, but let him
25	Lie where he long was, live in his dwelling
	Till the end of the world. Met we a destiny
	Hard to endure: the hoard has been looked at,
	Been gained very grimly; too grievous the fate that
	The prince of the people pricked to come thither.
30	I was therein and all of it looked at,
	The building’s equipments, since access was given me,
	Not kindly at all entrance permitted
	Within under earth-wall. Hastily seized I	He tells them of Beowulf’s last moments.
	And held in my hands a huge-weighing burden
35	Of hoard-treasures costly, hither out bare them
	To my liegelord belovèd: life was yet in him,
	And consciousness also; the old one discoursed then
	Much and mournfully, commanded to greet you,
	Bade that remembering the deeds of your friend-lord	Beowulf’s dying request.
40	Ye build on the fire-hill of corpses a lofty
	Burial-barrow, broad and far-famous,
	As ’mid world-dwelling warriors he was widely most honored
	While he reveled in riches. Let us rouse us and hasten
	Again to see and seek for the treasure,
45	The wonder ’neath wall. The way I will show you,
	That close ye may look at ring-gems sufficient
	And gold in abundance. Let the bier with promptness
	Fully be fashioned, when forth we shall come,
	And lift we our lord, then, where long he shall tarry,
50	Well-beloved warrior, ’neath the Wielder’s protection.”
	Then the son of Wihstan bade orders be given,	Wiglaf charges them to build a funeral-pyre.
	Mood-valiant man, to many of heroes,
	Holders of homesteads, that they hither from far,
	Leaders of liegemen, should look for the good one
55	With wood for his pyre: “The flame shall now swallow
	(The wan fire shall wax) the warriors’ leader
	Who the rain of the iron often abided,
	When, sturdily hurled, the storm of the arrows
	Leapt o’er linden-wall, the lance rendered service,
60	Furnished with feathers followed the arrow.”
	Now the wise-mooded son of Wihstan did summon
	The best of the braves from the band of the ruler
	Seven together; ’neath the enemy’s roof he	He takes seven thanes, and enters the den.
	Went with the seven; one of the heroes
65	Who fared at the front, a fire-blazing torch-light
	Bare in his hand. No lot then decided
	Who that hoard should havoc, when hero-earls saw it
	Lying in the cavern uncared-for entirely,
	Rusting to ruin: they rued then but little
70	That they hastily hence hauled out the treasure,
	The dear-valued jewels; the dragon eke pushed they,	They push the dragon over the wall.
	The worm o’er the wall, let the wave-currents take him,
	The waters enwind the ward of the treasures.
	There wounden gold on a wain was uploaded,	The hoard is laid on a wain.
75	A mass unmeasured, the men-leader off then,
	The hero hoary, to Whale’s-Ness was carried.

XLIII. The Burning of Beowulf.

	The folk of the Geatmen got him then ready
	A pile on the earth strong for the burning,	Beowulf’s pyre.
	Behung with helmets, hero-knights’ targets,
	And bright-shining burnies, as he begged they should have them;
5	Then wailing war-heroes their world-famous chieftain,
	Their liegelord beloved, laid in the middle.
	Soldiers began then to make on the barrow	The funeral-flame.
	The largest of dead-fires: dark o’er the vapor
	The smoke-cloud ascended, the sad-roaring fire,
10	Mingled with weeping (the wind-roar subsided)
	Till the building of bone it had broken to pieces,
	Hot in the heart. Heavy in spirit
	They mood-sad lamented the men-leader’s ruin;
	And mournful measures the much-grieving widow
15	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
	* * * * * * *
20	* * * * * * *
	The men of the Weders made accordingly	The Weders carry out their lord’s last request.
	A hill on the height, high and extensive,
	Of sea-going sailors to be seen from a distance,
	And the brave one’s beacon built where the fire was,
25	In ten-days’ space, with a wall surrounded it,
	As wisest of world-folk could most worthily plan it.
	They placed in the barrow rings and jewels,
	All such ornaments as erst in the treasure
	War-mooded men had won in possession:
30	The earnings of earlmen to earth they entrusted,
	The gold to the dust, where yet it remaineth
	As useless to mortals as in foregoing eras.
	’Round the dead-mound rode then the doughty-in-battle,
	Bairns of all twelve of the chiefs of the people,
35	More would they mourn, lament for their ruler,	They mourn for their lord, and sing his praises.
	Speak in measure, mention him with pleasure,
	Weighed his worth, and his warlike achievements
	Mightily commended, as ’tis meet one praise his
	Liegelord in words and love him in spirit,
40	When forth from his body he fares to destruction.
	So lamented mourning the men of the Geats,
	Fond-loving vassals, the fall of their lord,
	Said he was kindest of kings under heaven,	An ideal king.
	Gentlest of men, most winning of manner,
45	Friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor.

Source Text:

Hall, Leslie, trans. Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Poem. D.C. Heath & Co. Publishers, 1892, licensed under no known copyright.

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