Beowulf (Hall translation) — Chapters XVI - XVIII

{Heorot is adorned with hands.

} Then straight was ordered that Heorot inside[1] With hands be embellished: a host of them gathered, Of men and women, who the wassailing-building The guest-hall begeared.

Gold-flashing sparkled 5 Webs on the walls then, of wonders a many To each of the heroes that look on such objects.

{The hall is defaced, however.

} The beautiful building was broken to pieces Which all within with irons was fastened, Its hinges torn off: only the roof was 10 Whole and uninjured when the horrible creature Outlawed for evil off had betaken him, Hopeless of living.

'Tis hard to avoid it {[A vague passage of five verses.

]} (Whoever will do it!

); but he doubtless must come to[2] The place awaiting, as Wyrd hath appointed, 15 Soul-bearers, earth-dwellers, earls under heaven, Where bound on its bed his body shall slumber {Hrothgar goes to the banquet.

} When feasting is finished.

Full was the time then That the son of Healfdene went to the building;

[36] The excellent atheling would eat of the banquet.

20 Ne'er heard I that people with hero-band larger Bare them better tow'rds their bracelet-bestower.

The laden-with-glory stooped to the bench then (Their kinsmen-companions in plenty were joyful, Many a cupful quaffing complaisantly), 25 Doughty of spirit in the high-tow'ring palace, {Hrothgar's nephew, Hrothulf, is present.

} Hrothgar and Hrothulf.

Heorot then inside Was filled with friendly ones; falsehood and treachery The Folk-Scyldings now nowise did practise.

{Hrothgar lavishes gifts upon Beowulf.

} Then the offspring of Healfdene offered to Beowulf 30 A golden standard, as reward for the victory, A banner embossed, burnie and helmet;

Many men saw then a song-famous weapon Borne 'fore the hero.

Beowulf drank of The cup in the building; that treasure-bestowing 35 He needed not blush for in battle-men's presence.

{Four handsomer gifts were never presented.

} Ne'er heard I that many men on the ale-bench In friendlier fashion to their fellows presented Four bright jewels with gold-work embellished.

'Round the roof of the helmet a head-guarder outside 40 Braided with wires, with bosses was furnished, That swords-for-the-battle fight-hardened might fail Boldly to harm him, when the hero proceeded {Hrothgar commands that eight finely caparisoned steeds be brought to Beowulf.

} Forth against foemen.

The defender of earls then Commanded that eight steeds with bridles 45 Gold-plated, gleaming, be guided to hallward, Inside the building; on one of them stood then An art-broidered saddle embellished with jewels;

'Twas the sovereign's seat, when the son of King Healfdene Was pleased to take part in the play of the edges;

50 The famous one's valor ne'er failed at the front when Slain ones were bowing.

And to Beowulf granted The prince of the Ingwins, power over both, O'er war-steeds and weapons; bade him well to enjoy them.

In so manly a manner the mighty-famed chieftain, [37] 55 Hoard-ward of heroes, with horses and jewels War-storms requited, that none e'er condemneth Who willeth to tell truth with full justice.

[1] Kl.

suggests 'hroden' for 'háten,' and renders: _Then quickly was Heorot adorned within, with hands bedecked_.

--B.

suggests 'gefrætwon' instead of 'gefrætwod,' and renders: _Then was it commanded to adorn Heorot within quickly with hands_.

--The former has the advantage of affording a parallel to 'gefrætwod': both have the disadvantage of altering the text.

[2] The passage 1005-1009 seems to be hopeless.

One difficult point is to find a subject for 'gesacan.'

Some say 'he'; others supply 'each,' _i.

e. , every soul-bearer ...

must gain the inevitable place_.

The genitives in this case are partitive.

--If 'he' be subj.

, the genitives are dependent on 'gearwe' (= prepared).

--The 'he' itself is disputed, some referring it to Grendel; but B. takes it as involved in the parenthesis.

XVII.

BANQUET (_continued_).

--THE SCOP'S SONG OF FINN AND HNÆF.

{Each of Beowulf's companions receives a costly gift.

} And the atheling of earlmen to each of the heroes Who the ways of the waters went with Beowulf, A costly gift-token gave on the mead-bench, Offered an heirloom, and ordered that that man {The warrior killed by Grendel is to be paid for in gold.

} 5 With gold should be paid for, whom Grendel had erstwhile Wickedly slaughtered, as he more of them had done Had far-seeing God and the mood of the hero The fate not averted: the Father then governed All of the earth-dwellers, as He ever is doing;

10 Hence insight for all men is everywhere fittest, Forethought of spirit!

much he shall suffer Of lief and of loathsome who long in this present Useth the world in this woful existence.

There was music and merriment mingling together {Hrothgar's scop recalls events in the reign of his lord's father.

} 15 Touching Healfdene's leader; the joy-wood was fingered, Measures recited, when the singer of Hrothgar On mead-bench should mention the merry hall-joyance Of the kinsmen of Finn, when onset surprised them: {Hnæf, the Danish general, is treacherously attacked while staying at Finn's castle.

} "The Half-Danish hero, Hnæf of the Scyldings, 20 On the field of the Frisians was fated to perish.

Sure Hildeburg needed not mention approving The faith of the Jutemen: though blameless entirely, {Queen Hildeburg is not only wife of Finn, but a kinswoman of the murdered Hnæf. } When shields were shivered she was shorn of her darlings, Of bairns and brothers: they bent to their fate 25 With war-spear wounded; woe was that woman.

Not causeless lamented the daughter of Hoce The decree of the Wielder when morning-light came and She was able 'neath heaven to behold the destruction [38] Of brothers and bairns, where the brightest of earth-joys {Finn's force is almost exterminated.

} 30 She had hitherto had: all the henchmen of Finn War had offtaken, save a handful remaining, That he nowise was able to offer resistance[1] {Hengest succeeds Hnæf as Danish general.

} To the onset of Hengest in the parley of battle, Nor the wretched remnant to rescue in war from 35 The earl of the atheling; but they offered conditions, {Compact between the Frisians and the Danes.

} Another great building to fully make ready, A hall and a high-seat, that half they might rule with The sons of the Jutemen, and that Folcwalda's son would Day after day the Danemen honor 40 When gifts were giving, and grant of his ring-store To Hengest's earl-troop ever so freely, Of his gold-plated jewels, as he encouraged the Frisians {Equality of gifts agreed on.

} On the bench of the beer-hall.

On both sides they swore then A fast-binding compact; Finn unto Hengest 45 With no thought of revoking vowed then most solemnly The woe-begone remnant well to take charge of, His Witan advising; the agreement should no one By words or works weaken and shatter, By artifice ever injure its value, 50 Though reaved of their ruler their ring-giver's slayer They followed as vassals, Fate so requiring: {No one shall refer to old grudges.

} Then if one of the Frisians the quarrel should speak of In tones that were taunting, terrible edges Should cut in requital.

Accomplished the oath was, 55 And treasure of gold from the hoard was uplifted.

{Danish warriors are burned on a funeral-pyre.

} The best of the Scylding braves was then fully Prepared for the pile; at the pyre was seen clearly The blood-gory burnie, the boar with his gilding, The iron-hard swine, athelings many 60 Fatally wounded; no few had been slaughtered.

Hildeburg bade then, at the burning of Hnæf, [39] {Queen Hildeburg has her son burnt along with Hnæf. } The bairn of her bosom to bear to the fire, That his body be burned and borne to the pyre.

The woe-stricken woman wept on his shoulder,[2] 65 In measures lamented; upmounted the hero.

[3] The greatest of dead-fires curled to the welkin, On the hill's-front crackled; heads were a-melting, Wound-doors bursting, while the blood was a-coursing From body-bite fierce.

The fire devoured them, 70 Greediest of spirits, whom war had offcarried From both of the peoples; their bravest were fallen.

[1] For 1084, R. suggests 'wiht Hengeste wið gefeohtan.'

--K.

suggests 'wið Hengeste wiht gefeohtan.'

Neither emendation would make any essential change in the translation.

[2] The separation of adjective and noun by a phrase (cf.

v.

1118) being very unusual, some scholars have put 'earme on eaxle' with the foregoing lines, inserting a semicolon after 'eaxle.'

In this case 'on eaxe' (_i.

e. _, on the ashes, cinders) is sometimes read, and this affords a parallel to 'on bæl.' Let us hope that a satisfactory rendering shall yet be reached without resorting to any tampering with the text, such as Lichtenheld proposed: 'earme ides on eaxle gnornode.'

[3] For 'gúð-rinc,' 'gúð-réc,' _battle-smoke_, has been suggested.

XVIII.

THE FINN EPISODE (_continued_).

--THE BANQUET CONTINUES.

{The survivors go to Friesland, the home of Finn.

} "Then the warriors departed to go to their dwellings, Reaved of their friends, Friesland to visit, Their homes and high-city.

Hengest continued {Hengest remains there all winter, unable to get away.

} Biding with Finn the blood-tainted winter, 5 Wholly unsundered;[1] of fatherland thought he Though unable to drive the ring-stemmèd vessel [40] O'er the ways of the waters; the wave-deeps were tossing, Fought with the wind; winter in ice-bonds Closed up the currents, till there came to the dwelling 10 A year in its course, as yet it revolveth, If season propitious one alway regardeth, World-cheering weathers.

Then winter was gone, Earth's bosom was lovely; the exile would get him, {He devises schemes of vengeance.

} The guest from the palace; on grewsomest vengeance 15 He brooded more eager than on oversea journeys, Whe'r onset-of-anger he were able to 'complish, The bairns of the Jutemen therein to remember.

Nowise refused he the duties of liegeman When Hun of the Frisians the battle-sword Láfing, 20 Fairest of falchions, friendly did give him: Its edges were famous in folk-talk of Jutland.

And savage sword-fury seized in its clutches Bold-mooded Finn where he bode in his palace, {Guthlaf and Oslaf revenge Hnæf's slaughter.

} When the grewsome grapple Guthlaf and Oslaf 25 Had mournfully mentioned, the mere-journey over, For sorrows half-blamed him; the flickering spirit Could not bide in his bosom.

Then the building was covered[2] {Finn is slain.

} With corpses of foemen, and Finn too was slaughtered, The king with his comrades, and the queen made a prisoner.

{The jewels of Finn, and his queen are carried away by the Danes.

} 30 The troops of the Scyldings bore to their vessels All that the land-king had in his palace, Such trinkets and treasures they took as, on searching, At Finn's they could find.

They ferried to Daneland The excellent woman on oversea journey, {The lay is concluded, and the main story is resumed.

} 35 Led her to their land-folk."

The lay was concluded, The gleeman's recital.

Shouts again rose then, Bench-glee resounded, bearers then offered {Skinkers carry round the beaker.

} Wine from wonder-vats.

Wealhtheo advanced then Going 'neath gold-crown, where the good ones were seated [41] {Queen Wealhtheow greets Hrothgar, as he sits beside Hrothulf, his nephew.

} 40 Uncle and nephew; their peace was yet mutual, True each to the other.

And Unferth the spokesman Sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings: Each trusted his spirit that his mood was courageous, Though at fight he had failed in faith to his kinsmen.

45 Said the queen of the Scyldings: "My lord and protector, Treasure-bestower, take thou this beaker;

Joyance attend thee, gold-friend of heroes, {Be generous to the Geats.

} And greet thou the Geatmen with gracious responses!

So ought one to do.

Be kind to the Geatmen, 50 In gifts not niggardly; anear and afar now Peace thou enjoyest.

Report hath informed me Thou'lt have for a bairn the battle-brave hero.

Now is Heorot cleansèd, ring-palace gleaming;

{Have as much joy as possible in thy hall, once more purified.

} Give while thou mayest many rewards, 55 And bequeath to thy kinsmen kingdom and people, On wending thy way to the Wielder's splendor.

I know good Hrothulf, that the noble young troopers {I know that Hrothulf will prove faithful if he survive thee.

} He'll care for and honor, lord of the Scyldings, If earth-joys thou endest earlier than he doth;

60 I reckon that recompense he'll render with kindness Our offspring and issue, if that all he remember, What favors of yore, when he yet was an infant, We awarded to him for his worship and pleasure."

Then she turned by the bench where her sons were carousing, 65 Hrethric and Hrothmund, and the heroes' offspring, {Beowulf is sitting by the two royal sons.

} The war-youth together; there the good one was sitting 'Twixt the brothers twain, Beowulf Geatman.

[1] For 1130 (1) R. and Gr.

suggest 'elne unflitme' as 1098 (1) reads.

The latter verse is undisputed; and, for the former, 'elne' would be as possible as 'ealles,' and 'unflitme' is well supported.

Accepting 'elne unflitme' for both, I would suggest '_very peaceably_' for both places: (1) _Finn to Hengest very peaceably vowed with oaths_, etc. (2) _Hengest then still the slaughter-stained winter remained there with Finn very peaceably_.

The two passages become thus correlatives, the second a sequel of the first.

'Elne,' in the sense of very (swíðe), needs no argument; and 'unflitme' (from 'flítan') can, it seems to me, be more plausibly rendered 'peaceful,' 'peaceable,' than 'contestable,' or 'conquerable.'

[2] Some scholars have proposed 'roden'; the line would then read: _Then the building was reddened, etc. _, instead of 'covered.'

The 'h' may have been carried over from the three alliterating 'h's.' XIX. BEOWULF RECEIVES FURTHER HONOR.