Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series

by Beowulf

  6 The regular metaphor in this case. The traditional phrase held for a long while. Wright and Halliwell, Reliquiae Antiquae, II, 119, print from a Harleian Ms. these verses where Christ calls on man to consider the sacrifice on the cross: —

  Restles I ride, —

  Lok upon me, put fro [thee] pride!

  Mi palefrey is of tre. . . .”

  that is, “my horse is made of wood.” Vigfusson, in one of the Grimm centenary papers, says that gallows were horse-shaped. [“Traces of Old Law in the Eddic Lays.”]

  7 Usual euphemism for death.

  8 Sc. in the grave.

  XXXV

  2460 “Then he goes to his chamber, a grief-song chants

  alone for his lost. Too large all seems,

  homestead and house. So the helmet-of-Weders

  hid in his heart for Herebeald

  waves of woe. No way could he take

  2465 to avenge on the slayer slaughter so foul;

  nor e’en could he harass that hero at all

  with loathing deed, though he loved him not.

  And so for the sorrow his soul endured,

  men’s gladness he gave up and God’s light chose.

  2470 Lands and cities he left his sons

  (as the wealthy do) when he went from earth.

  There was strife and struggle ‘twixt Swede and Geat

  o’er the width of waters; war arose,

  hard battle-horror, when Hrethel died,

  2475 and Ongentheow’s offspring grew

  strife-keen, bold, nor brooked o’er the seas

  pact of peace, but pushed their hosts

  to harass in hatred by Hreosnabeorh.1

  Men of my folk for that feud had vengeance,

  2480 for woful war (’tis widely known),

  though one of them bought it with blood of his heart,

  a bargain hard: for Hæthcyn proved

  fatal that fray, for the first-of-Geats.

  At morn, I heard, was the murderer killed

  2485 by kinsman for kinsman,2 with clash of sword,

  when Ongentheow met Eofor there.

  Wide split the war-helm: wan he fell,

  hoary Scylfing; the hand that smote him

  of feud was mindful, nor flinched from the death-blow.

  2490— “For all that he3 gave me, my gleaming sword

  repaid him at war, — such power I wielded, —

  for lordly treasure: with land he entrusted me,

  homestead and house. He had no need

  from Swedish realm, or from Spear-Dane folk,

  2495 or from men of the Gifths,4 to get him help, —

  some warrior worse for wage to buy!

  Ever I fought in the front of all,

  sole to the fore; and so shall I fight

  while I bide in life and this blade shall last

  2500 that early and late hath loyal proved

  since for my doughtiness Dæghrefn5 fell,

  slain by my hand, the Hugas’ champion.

  Nor fared he thence to the Frisian king

  with the booty back, and breast-adornments;

  2505 but, slain in struggle, that standard-bearer

  fell, atheling brave. Not with blade was he slain,

  but his bones were broken by brawny gripe,

  his heart-waves stilled. — The sword-edge now,

  hard blade and my hand, for the hoard shall strive.”

  2510 Beowulf spake, and a battle-vow made,

  his last of all: “I have lived through many

  wars in my youth; now once again,

  old folk-defender, feud will I seek,

  do doughty deeds, if the dark destroyer

  2515 forth from his cavern come to fight me!”

  Then hailed he the helmeted heroes all,

  for the last time greeting his liegemen dear,

  comrades of war: “I should carry no weapon,

  no sword to the serpent, if sure I knew

  2520 how, with such enemy, else my vows

  I could gain as I did in Grendel’s day.

  But fire in this fight I must fear me now,

  and poisonous breath; so I bring with me

  breastplate and board.6 From the barrow’s keeper

  2525 no footbreadth flee I.7 One fight shall end

  our war by the wall, as Wyrd allots,

  all mankind’s master. My mood is bold

  but forbears to boast o’er this battling-flyer.

  — Now abide by the barrow, ye breastplate-mailed,

  2530 ye heroes in harness, which of us twain

  better from battle-rush bear his wounds.

  Wait ye the finish. The fight is not yours,

  nor meet for any but me alone

  to measure might with this monster here

  2535 and play the hero. Hardily I

  shall win that wealth, or war shall seize,

  cruel killing, your king and lord!”

  Up stood then with shield the sturdy champion,

  stayed by the strength of his single manhood,

  2540 and hardy ‘neath helmet his harness bore

  under cleft of the cliffs: no coward’s path!

  Soon spied by the wall that warrior chief,

  survivor of many a victory-field

  where foemen fought with furious clashings,

  2545 an arch of stone; and within, a stream

  that broke from the barrow. The brooklet’s wave

  was hot with fire. The hoard that way

  he never could hope unharmed to near,

  or endure those deeps,8 for the dragon’s flame.

  2550 Then let from his breast, for he burst with rage,

  the Weder-Geat prince a word outgo;

  stormed the stark-heart; stern went ringing

  and clear his cry ‘neath the cliff-rocks gray.

  The hoard-guard heard a human voice;

  2555 his rage was enkindled. No respite now

  for pact of peace! The poison-breath

  of that foul worm first came forth from the cave,

  hot reek-of-fight: the rocks resounded.

  Stout by the stone-way his shield he raised,

  2560 lord of the Geats, against the loathed-one;

  while with courage keen that coiléd foe

  came seeking strife. The sturdy king

  had drawn his sword, not dull of edge,

  heirloom old; and each of the two

  2565 felt fear of his foe, though fierce their mood.

  Stoutly stood with his shield high-raised

  the warrior king, as the worm now coiled

  together amain: the mailed-one waited.

  Now, spire by spire, fast sped and glided

  2570 that blazing serpent. The shield protected

  soul and body a shorter while

  for the hero-king than his heart desired,9

  could his will have wielded the welcome respite

  but once in his life! But Wyrd denied it,

  2575 and victory’s honors. — His arm he lifted,

  lord of the Geats, the grim foe smote

  with atheling’s heirloom. Its edge was turned,

  brown10-blade, on the bone, and bit more feebly

  than its noble master had need of then

  2580 in his baleful stress. — Then the barrow’s keeper

  waxed full wild for that weighty blow,

  cast deadly flames; wide drove and far

  those vicious fires. No victor’s glory

  the Geats’ lord boasted; his brand had failed,

  2585 naked in battle, as never it should,

  excellent iron!— ’Twas no easy path

  that Ecgtheow’s honored heir must tread

  over the plain to the place of the foe;

  for against his will he must win a home

  2590 elsewhere far, as must all men, leaving

  this lapsing life! — Not long it was

  ere those champions grimly closed again.

&n
bsp; The hoard-guard was heartened; high heaved his breast

  once more; and by peril was pressed again,

  2595 enfolded in flames, the folk-commander!

  Nor yet about him his band of comrades,

  sons of athelings, arméd stood

  with warlike front: to the woods they bent them,

  their lives to save.11 But the soul of one

  2600 with care was cumbered. Kinship true

  can never be marred in a noble mind!

  Footnotes

  1 This war must not be confused with the later hostilities between Geat and Swede in Heardred’s reign, already noted (vv. 2200 ff.); it deals with an older feud, the main course of which can be surmised from this passage and the long speech of the messenger (see v. 2922, below) who announces Beowulf’s death, and says that now not only will Frisians and Franks be bent on war, but the Swedes will surely renew the ancient strife. Onela and Ohthere are sons of Ongentheow, and often raid Geatland (the mention of “wide water” makes for the Jutland theory of Beowulf’s home); Hæthcyn replies with a raid on Swedish soil. He seizes Ongentheow’s queen. But the old king follows the foe, defeats him, and kills Hæthcyn, whose men are in desperate case, surrounded by enemies, in Ravenswood. But now comes Hygelac with another Geatish army (not so favorable a fact for Jutland!), defeats the Swedes, whose queen again is captured, and besieges Ongentheow in his citadel. Ongentheow is finally killed by Eofor, whose brother Wulf has been disabled in fierce fight with the desperate old hero. Eofor is then married to Hygelac’s daughter. The lively but episodic account of this last struggle makes one yearn for the original songs, perhaps the epic, in which it was sung. Bugge has shown traces of it in Norse tradition. The style of reference to the death of Hæthcyn shows how familiar the whole story must have been.

  2 Eofor for Wulf. — The immediate provocation for Eofor in killing “the hoary Scylfing,” Ongentheow, is that the latter has just struck Wulf down; but the king, Hæthcyn, is also avenged by the blow. See the detailed description below, vv. 2961–2982.

  3 Hygelac. — Beowulf comes to his own services and their reward; the transition is so abrupt that some verses may be supposed to have been lost at this point. It will be noted that he speaks throughout this monologue as a warrior, stout with sword, and not as a wrestler, phenomenal “strong man,” or the like, except in the almost contradictory parenthesis, vv. 2506 f. In vv. 2518 f., the poet is matching Beowulf’s speech before the Grendel fight (677 ff.); while in 2680 ff., the “strong man” is again the main theme, backed by an old Anglian legend of another prince.

  4 Gepidae, who at this time were still near the Baltic. See Müllenhoff, Deutsche Alterthumskunde, II, 99; and Widsith, v. 60.

  5 The Franks were called Hugones; and this “Day-Raven” may have fought Beowulf on the historic raid into Frankish territory.

  6 Shield.

  7 The same phrase is used by Leofsunu at Maldon.

  8 The hollow passage.

  9 By another interpretation, the following lines would read —

  what time it was fated first in his life

  that Wyrd would not will him to wield at all

  victory’s honors.

  10 See note to v. 1546; and for the “biting,” v. 1455. For the seemingly sarcastic note of “excellent” in v. 2586, see note to v. 644.

  11 In 2532 the thanes were told to await the finish. Either this is conventional blame of coward retainers; or else the thanes are supposed to fly from their place where Beowulf stationed them, when they ought to have disregarded his instructions and helped. Beowulf’s other band waited for him by the uncanny and blood-stained mere. In Saxo (Bk. IX, Holder, ) Ragnar fights two huge serpents, who try to crush him and kill him with their poison. He has no comrades; but the men of the court in that land fly to hiding-places and watch the fight “like scared girls.”

  XXXVI

  Wiglaf his name was, Weohstan’s son,

  linden-thane loved, the lord of Scylfings,1

  Ælfhere’s kinsman. His king he now saw

  2605 with heat under helmet hard oppressed.

  He minded the prizes his prince had given him,

  wealthy seat of the Wægmunding line,

  and folk-rights that his father owned.

  Not long he lingered. The linden yellow,

  2610 his shield, he seized; the old sword he drew: —

  as heirloom of Eanmund earth-dwellers knew it,

  who was slain by the sword-edge, son of Ohtere,

  friendless exile, erst in fray

  killed by Weohstan, who won for his kin

  2615 brown-bright helmet, breastplate ringed,

  old sword of Eotens, Onela’s gift,

  weeds of war of the warrior-thane,

  battle-gear brave: though a brother’s child

  had been felled, the feud was unfelt by Onela.2

  2620 For winters this war-gear Weohstan kept,

  breastplate and board, till his bairn had grown

  earlship to earn as the old sire did:

  then he gave him, mid Geats, the gear of battle,

  portion huge, when he passed from life,

  2625 fared agéd forth. For the first time now

  with his leader-lord the liegeman young

  was bidden to share the shock of battle.

  Neither softened his soul, nor the sire’s bequest

  weakened in war.3 So the worm found out

  2630 when once in fight the foes had met!

  Wiglaf spake, — and his words were sage;

  sad in spirit, he said to his comrades: —

  “I remember the time,4 when mead we took,

  what promise we made to this prince of ours

  2635 in the banquet-hall, to our breaker-of-rings,

  for gear of combat to give him requital,

  for hard-sword and helmet, if hap should bring

  stress of this sort! Himself who chose us

  from all his army to aid him now,

  2640 urged us to glory, and gave these treasures,

  because he counted us keen with the spear

  and hardy ‘neath helm, though this hero-work

  our leader hoped unhelped and alone

  to finish for us, — folk-defender

  2645 who hath got him glory greater than all men

  for daring deeds! Now the day is come

  that our noble master has need of the might

  of warriors stout. Let us stride along

  the hero to help while the heat is about him

  2650 glowing and grim! For God is my witness

  I am far more fain the fire should seize

  along with my lord these limbs of mine!5

  Unsuiting6 it seems our shields to bear

  homeward hence, save here we essay

  2655 to fell the foe and defend the life

  of the Weders’ lord. I wot ‘twere shame

  on the law of our land7 if alone the king

  out of Geatish warriors woe endured

  and sank in the struggle! My sword and helmet,

  2660 breastplate and board, for us both shall serve!”

  Through slaughter-reek strode he to succor his chieftain,

  his battle-helm bore, and brief words spake: —

  “Beowulf dearest, do all bravely,

  as in youthful days of yore thou vowedst

  2665 that while life should last thou wouldst let no wise

  thy glory droop! Now, great in deeds,

  atheling steadfast, with all thy strength

  shield thy life! I will stand to help thee.”

  At the words the worm came once again,

  2670 murderous monster mad with rage,

  with fire-billows flaming, its foes to seek,

  the hated men. In heat-waves burned

  that board8 to the boss, and the breastplate failed

  to shelter at all the spear-thane young.

  2675 Yet quickly under his kinsman’s shield

  went eager the ea
rl, since his own was now

  all burned by the blaze. The bold king again

  had mind of his glory: with might his glaive

  was driven into the dragon’s head, —

  2680 blow nerved by hate. But Nægling9 was shivered,

  broken in battle was Beowulf’s sword,

  old and gray. ’Twas granted him not

  that ever the edge of iron at all

  could help him at strife: too strong was his hand,

  2685 so the tale is told, and he tried too far

  with strength of stroke all swords he wielded,

  though sturdy their steel: they steaded him nought.

  Then for the third time thought on its feud

  that folk-destroyer, fire-dread dragon,

  2690 and rushed on the hero, where room allowed,

  battle-grim, burning; its bitter teeth

  closed on his neck, and covered him

  with waves of blood from his breast that welled.

  Footnotes

  1 As noted above to v. 2151, Weohstan was a kinsman of Hygelac and Beowulf, but had taken service under the Swedish king Onela, killing the rebel Eanmund and winning his weapons and armor. When Eadgils, Eanmund’s brother, succeeds to the Swedish throne, Weohstan returns to his own kindred. Evidently he makes his peace, gets the family estates, and leaves them to his son Wiglaf. (Gering, .)

  2 That is, although Eanmund was brother’s son to Onela, the slaying of the former by Weohstan is not felt as cause of feud, and is rewarded by gift of the slain man’s weapons.

  3 Both Wiglaf and the sword did their duty. — The following is one of the classic passages for illustrating the comitatus as the most conspicuous Germanic institution, and its underlying sense of duty, based partly on the idea of loyalty and partly on the practical basis of benefits received and repaid. It should be read along with the wholly admirable companion portions of The Fight at Maldon, as well as the story of Cynewulf and Cyneheard in the Chronicle. Historical song and epic strike the same note; and the testimony of Tacitus (Germania, c. xiv) is warm with praise and admiration of Germanic loyalty among the warriors of the first and second centuries. Cæsar, as one would expect, looks at the institution from a practical military man’s point of view.

  4 See the famous talk of Biarco and Hialto which Saxo (Bk. II, Holder, pp.59 f.) says he got from “an old Danish song.” In Elton’s translation Hialto says: “Sweet it is to repay the gifts received from our lord…let us do with brave hearts all the things that in our cups we boasted…let us keep the vows which we swore. . . .” And Biarco (Bjarki): “I will die overpowered near the head of my slain Captain, and at his feet thou also shalt slip on thy face in death, so that whoso scans the piled corpses may see in what wise we rate the gold our lord gave us!” — As to “remembering the mead,” see Finnsburg, vv. 39 ff. The very words of Wiglaf, however, are echoed in Maldon by Ælwine, as the faithful thane exhorts his comrades to fight on nor forsake their slain lord.