Beowulf (Hall translation) — Chapters XXII - XXIV
{Beowulf exhorts the old king to arouse himself for action.
} "Grieve not, O wise one!
for each it is better, His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail him;
Each of us must the end-day abide of 5 His earthly existence; who is able accomplish Glory ere death!
To battle-thane noble Lifeless lying, 'tis at last most fitting.
Arise, O king, quick let us hasten To look at the footprint of the kinsman of Grendel!
10 I promise thee this now: to his place he'll escape not, To embrace of the earth, nor to mountainous forest, Nor to depths of the ocean, wherever he wanders.
[49] Practice thou now patient endurance Of each of thy sorrows, as I hope for thee soothly!"
{Hrothgar rouses himself.
His horse is brought.
} 15 Then up sprang the old one, the All-Wielder thanked he, Ruler Almighty, that the man had outspoken.
Then for Hrothgar a war-horse was decked with a bridle, Curly-maned courser.
The clever folk-leader {They start on the track of the female monster.
} Stately proceeded: stepped then an earl-troop 20 Of linden-wood bearers.
Her footprints were seen then Widely in wood-paths, her way o'er the bottoms, Where she faraway fared o'er fen-country murky, Bore away breathless the best of retainers Who pondered with Hrothgar the welfare of country.
25 The son of the athelings then went o'er the stony, Declivitous cliffs, the close-covered passes, Narrow passages, paths unfrequented, Nesses abrupt, nicker-haunts many;
One of a few of wise-mooded heroes, 30 He onward advanced to view the surroundings, Till he found unawares woods of the mountain O'er hoar-stones hanging, holt-wood unjoyful;
The water stood under, welling and gory.
'Twas irksome in spirit to all of the Danemen, 35 Friends of the Scyldings, to many a liegeman {The sight of Æschere's head causes them great sorrow.
} Sad to be suffered, a sorrow unlittle To each of the earlmen, when to Æschere's head they Came on the cliff.
The current was seething With blood and with gore (the troopers gazed on it).
40 The horn anon sang the battle-song ready.
The troop were all seated; they saw 'long the water then {The water is filled with serpents and sea-dragons.
} Many a serpent, mere-dragons wondrous Trying the waters, nickers a-lying On the cliffs of the nesses, which at noonday full often 45 Go on the sea-deeps their sorrowful journey, Wild-beasts and wormkind; away then they hastened {One of them is killed by Beowulf.
} Hot-mooded, hateful, they heard the great clamor, The war-trumpet winding.
One did the Geat-prince [50] Sunder from earth-joys, with arrow from bowstring, 50 From his sea-struggle tore him, that the trusty war-missile {The dead beast is a poor swimmer} Pierced to his vitals; he proved in the currents Less doughty at swimming whom death had offcarried.
Soon in the waters the wonderful swimmer Was straitened most sorely with sword-pointed boar-spears, 55 Pressed in the battle and pulled to the cliff-edge;
The liegemen then looked on the loath-fashioned stranger.
{Beowulf prepares for a struggle with the monster.
} Beowulf donned then his battle-equipments, Cared little for life; inlaid and most ample, The hand-woven corslet which could cover his body, 60 Must the wave-deeps explore, that war might be powerless To harm the great hero, and the hating one's grasp might Not peril his safety; his head was protected By the light-flashing helmet that should mix with the bottoms, Trying the eddies, treasure-emblazoned, 65 Encircled with jewels, as in seasons long past The weapon-smith worked it, wondrously made it, With swine-bodies fashioned it, that thenceforward no longer Brand might bite it, and battle-sword hurt it.
And that was not least of helpers in prowess {He has Unferth's sword in his hand.
} 70 That Hrothgar's spokesman had lent him when straitened;
And the hilted hand-sword was Hrunting entitled, Old and most excellent 'mong all of the treasures;
Its blade was of iron, blotted with poison, Hardened with gore; it failed not in battle 75 Any hero under heaven in hand who it brandished, Who ventured to take the terrible journeys, The battle-field sought; not the earliest occasion That deeds of daring 'twas destined to 'complish.
{Unferth has little use for swords.
} Ecglaf's kinsman minded not soothly, 80 Exulting in strength, what erst he had spoken Drunken with wine, when the weapon he lent to A sword-hero bolder; himself did not venture 'Neath the strife of the currents his life to endanger, [51] To fame-deeds perform; there he forfeited glory, 85 Repute for his strength.
Not so with the other When he clad in his corslet had equipped him for battle.
XXIII. BEOWULF'S FIGHT WITH GRENDEL'S MOTHER.
{Beowulf makes a parting speech to Hrothgar.
} Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow's son: "Recall now, oh, famous kinsman of Healfdene, Prince very prudent, now to part I am ready, Gold-friend of earlmen, what erst we agreed on, {If I fail, act as a kind liegelord to my thanes,} 5 Should I lay down my life in lending thee assistance, When my earth-joys were over, thou wouldst evermore serve me In stead of a father; my faithful thanemen, My trusty retainers, protect thou and care for, Fall I in battle: and, Hrothgar belovèd, {and send Higelac the jewels thou hast given me} 10 Send unto Higelac the high-valued jewels Thou to me hast allotted.
The lord of the Geatmen May perceive from the gold, the Hrethling may see it {I should like my king to know how generous a lord I found thee to be.
} When he looks on the jewels, that a gem-giver found I Good over-measure, enjoyed him while able.
15 And the ancient heirloom Unferth permit thou, The famed one to have, the heavy-sword splendid[1] The hard-edgèd weapon; with Hrunting to aid me, I shall gain me glory, or grim-death shall take me."
{Beowulf is eager for the fray.
} The atheling of Geatmen uttered these words and 20 Heroic did hasten, not any rejoinder Was willing to wait for; the wave-current swallowed {He is a whole day reaching the bottom of the sea.
} The doughty-in-battle.
Then a day's-length elapsed ere 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 [52] {Grendel's mother knows that some one has reached her domains.
} Some one of men from above was exploring.
Forth did she grab them, grappled the warrior 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, {She grabs him, and bears him to her den.
} The ring-prince homeward, that he after was powerless 35 (He had daring to do it) to deal with his weapons, But many a mere-beast tormented him swimming, {Sea-monsters bite and strike him.
} Flood-beasts no few with fierce-biting tusks did 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, {Beowulf attacks the mother of Grendel.
} 45 The mighty mere-woman; he made a great onset 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 will not bite.
} The sword would not bite, her life would not injure, 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;
{The hero throws down all weapons, and again trusts to his hand-grip.
} He hoped in his strength, his hand-grapple sturdy.
60 So any must act whenever he thinketh To gain him in battle glory unending, And is reckless of living.
The lord of the War-Geats [53] (He shrank not from battle) seized by the shoulder[2] 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 {Beowulf falls.
} She gave him requital[3] early thereafter, And stretched out to grab him; the strongest of warriors Faint-mooded stumbled, till he fell in his traces, {The monster sits on him with drawn sword.
} 70 Foot-going champion.
Then she sat on the hall-guest And wielded her war-knife wide-bladed, flashing, For her son would take vengeance, her one only bairn.
{His armor saves his life.
} His breast-armor woven bode on his shoulder;
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, {God arranged for his escape.
} And had God most holy not awarded the victory, 80 All-knowing Lord; easily did heaven's Ruler most righteous arrange it with justice;[4] Uprose he erect ready for battle.
[1] Kl.
emends 'wæl-sweord.'
The half-line would then read, '_the battle-sword splendid_.'
--For 'heard-ecg' in next half-verse, see note to 20_39 above.
[2] Sw.
, R.
, and t. B.
suggest 'feaxe' for 'eaxle' (1538) and render: _Seized by the hair_.
[3] If 'hand-léan' be accepted (as the MS. has it), the line will read: _She hand-reward gave him early thereafter_.
[4] Sw.
and S. change H. -So.'
s semicolon (v. 1557) to a comma, and translate: _The Ruler of Heaven arranged it in justice easily, after he arose again_.
XXIV. BEOWULF IS DOUBLE-CONQUEROR.
{Beowulf grasps a giant-sword,} Then he saw mid the war-gems a weapon of victory, An ancient giant-sword, of edges a-doughty, Glory of warriors: of weapons 'twas choicest, Only 'twas larger than any man else was [54] 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, {and fells the female monster.
} Broke through her bone-joints, the bill fully pierced her 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, {Beowulf sees the body of Grendel, and cuts off his head.
} When he saw on his rest-place weary of conflict 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 {The waters are gory.
} 35 Gazed on the sea-deeps, that the surging wave-currents Were mightily mingled, the mere-flood was gory: Of the good one the gray-haired together held converse, {Beowulf is given up for dead.
} The hoary of head, that they hoped not to see again The atheling ever, that exulting in victory 40 He'd return there to visit the distinguished folk-ruler: [55] Then many concluded the mere-wolf had killed him.
[1] 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 {The giant-sword melts.
} To see any more.
The sword-blade began then, 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;
[56] The brand early melted, burnt was the weapon:[2] So hot was the blood, the strange-spirit poisonous {The hero swims back to the realms of day.
} That in it did perish.
He early swam off then 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[3] Bare then the head from the sea-cliff, burdening Each of the earlmen, excellent-valiant.
{It takes four men to carry Grendel's head on a spear.
} Four of them had to carry with labor 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: [57] 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.
[1] 'Þæs monige gewearð' (1599) and 'hafað þæs geworden' (2027).
--In a paper published some years ago in one of the Johns Hopkins University circulars, I tried to throw upon these two long-doubtful passages some light derived from a study of like passages in Alfred's prose.
--The impersonal verb 'geweorðan,' with an accus.
of the person, and a þæt-clause is used several times with the meaning 'agree.'
See Orosius (Sweet's ed.
) 178_7; 204_34; 208_28; 210_15; 280_20.
In the two Beowulf passages, the þæt-clause is anticipated by 'þæs,' which is clearly a gen. of the thing agreed on.
The first passage (v. 1599 (b)-1600) I translate literally: _Then many agreed upon this (namely), that the sea-wolf had killed him_.
The second passage (v. 2025 (b)-2027): _She is promised ...
; to this the friend of the Scyldings has agreed, etc_.
By emending 'is' instead of 'wæs' (2025), the tenses will be brought into perfect harmony.
In v. 1997 ff.
this same idiom occurs, and was noticed in B.' s great article on Beowulf, which appeared about the time I published my reading of 1599 and 2027. Translate 1997 then: _Wouldst let the South-Danes themselves decide about their struggle with Grendel_.
Here 'Súð-Dene' is accus.
of person, and 'gúðe' is gen. of thing agreed on.
With such collateral support as that afforded by B. (P.
and B. XII.
97), I have no hesitation in departing from H. -So.
, my usual guide.
The idiom above treated runs through A. -S.
, Old Saxon, and other Teutonic languages, and should be noticed in the lexicons.
[2] 'Bróden-mæl' is regarded by most scholars as meaning a damaskeened sword.
Translate: _The damaskeened sword burned up_.
Cf.
25_16 and note.
[3] 'Cyning-balde' (1635) is the much-disputed reading of K. and Th.
To render this, "_nobly bold_," "_excellently bold_," have been suggested.
B.
would read 'cyning-holde' (cf.
290), and render: _Men well-disposed towards the king carried the head, etc. _ 'Cynebealde,' says t. B.
, endorsing Gr.
XXV. BEOWULF BRINGS HIS TROPHIES.
--HROTHGAR'S GRATITUDE.
