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Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series

Page 43

by Beowulf


  in fiend’s gripe fast. I am firm to do

  an earl’s brave deed, or end the days

  of this life of mine in the mead-hall here.”

  Well these words to the woman seemed,

  640 Beowulf’s battle-boast. — Bright with gold

  gilp-cwide Gēates; ēode gold-hroden

  frēolīcu folc-cwēn tō hire frēan sittan.

  Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healle

  þry¯ð-word sprecen, þēod on sǣlum,

  645 sige-folca swēg, oð þæt semninga

  the stately dame by her spouse sat down.

  Again, as erst, began in hall

  warriors’ wassail and words of power,

  the proud-band’s revel, till presently

  645 the son of Healfdene hastened to seek

  sunu Healfdenes sēcean wolde

  ǣfen-ræste; wiste æt þǣm āhlǣcan

  tō þǣm hēah-sele hilde geþinged,

  siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēon ne meahton,

  650 oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,

  rest for the night; he knew there waited

  fight for the fiend in that festal hall,

  when the sheen of the sun they saw no more,

  and dusk of night sank darkling nigh,

  650 and shadowy shapes came striding on,

  scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðan cwōman,

  wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās.

  Grētte þā giddum guma ōðerne,

  Hrōðgār Bēowulf, and him hǣl ābēad,

  655 wīn-ærnes geweald and þæt word ācwæð:

  wan under welkin. The warriors rose.

  Man to man, he made harangue,

  Hrothgar to Beowulf, bade him hail,

  let him wield the wine hall: a word he added: —

  655 “Never to any man erst I trusted,

  “Nǣfre ic ǣnegum men ǣr āly¯fde,

  “siððan ic hond and rond hebban mihte,

  “þry¯ð-ærn Dena būton þē nū þā.

  “Hafa nū and geheald hūsa sēlest;

  660 “gemyne mǣrðo, mægen-ellen cy¯ð,

  since I could heave up hand and shield,

  this noble Dane-Hall, till now to thee.

  Have now and hold this house unpeered;

  remember thy glory; thy might declare;

  660 watch for the foe! No wish shall fail thee

  “waca wið wrāðum! Ne bið þē wilna gād,

  “gif þū þæt ellen-weorc aldre gedīgest.”

  if thou bidest the battle with bold-won life.”

  XI. THE WATCH FOR GRENDEL.

  Þā him Hrōðgār gewāt mid his hæleða gedryht,

  eodur Scyldinga ūt of healle;

  665 wolde wīg-fruma Wealhþēo sēcan,

  Then Hrothgar went with his hero-train,

  defence-of-Scyldings, forth from hall;

  fain would the war-lord Wealhtheow seek,

  665 couch of his queen. The King-of-Glory

  cwēn tō gebeddan Hæfde kyninga wuldor

  Grendle tō-gēanes, swā guman gefrungon,

  sele-weard āseted, sundor-nytte behēold

  ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard ābēad;

  670 hūru Gēata lēod georne truwode

  against this Grendel a guard had set,

  so heroes heard, a hall-defender,

  who warded the monarch and watched for the monster.

  In truth, the Geats’ prince gladly trusted

  670 his mettle, his might, the mercy of God!

  mōdgan mægnes, metodes hyldo.

  Þā hē him of dyde īsern-byrnan,

  helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,

  īrena cyst ombiht-þegne,

  675 and gehealdan hēt hilde-geatwe.

  Cast off then his corselet of iron,

  helmet from head; to his henchman gave, —

  choicest of weapons, — the well-chased sword,

  bidding him guard the gear of battle.

  675 Spake then his Vaunt the valiant man,

  Gespræc þā se gōda gylp-worda sum

  Bēowulf Gēata, ǣr hē on bed stige:

  “Nō ic mē an here-wǣsmum hnāgran talige

  “gūð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;

  680 “forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,

  Beowulf Geat, ere the bed he sought: —

  “Of force in fight no feebler I count me,

  in grim war-deeds, than Grendel deems him.

  Not with the sword, then, to sleep of death

  680 his life will I give, though it lie in my power.

  “aldre benēotan, þēah ic eal mǣge.

  “Nāt hē þāra gōda, þæt hē mē on-gēan slēa,

  “rand gehēawe, þēah þe hē rōf sīe

  “nīð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon

  685 “secge ofersittan, gif hē gesēcean dear

  No skill is his to strike against me,

  my shield to hew though he hardy be,

  bold in battle; we both, this night,

  shall spurn the sword, if he seek me here,

  685 unweaponed, for war. Let wisest God,

  “wīg ofer wǣpen, and siððan wītig god

  “on swā hwæðere hond hālig dryhten

  “mǣrðo dēme, swā him gemet þince.”

  Hylde hine þā heaðo-dēor, hlēor-bolster onfēng

  690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig

  sacred Lord, on which side soever

  doom decree as he deemeth right.”

  Reclined then the chieftain, and cheek-pillows held

  the head of the earl, while all about him

  690 seamen hardy on hall-beds sank.

  snellīc sǣ-rinc sele-reste gebēah.

  Nǣnig heora þōhte þæt hē þanon scolde

  eft eard-lufan ǣfre gesēcean,

  folc oððe frēo-burh, þǣr hē āfēded wæs,

  695 ac hīe hæfdon gefrūnen, þæt hīe ǣr tō fela micles

  None of them thought that thence their steps

  to the folk and fastness that fostered them,

  to the land they loved, would lead them back!

  Full well they wist that on warriors many

  695 battle-death seized, in the banquet-hall,

  in þǣm wīn-sele wæl-dēað fornam,

  Denigea lēode. Ac him dryhten forgeaf

  wīg-spēda gewiofu, Wedera lēodum

  frōfor and fultum, þæt hīe fēond heora

  700 þurh ānes cræft ealle ofercōmon,

  of Danish clan. But comfort and help,

  war-weal weaving, to Weder folk

  the Master gave, that, by might of one,

  over their enemy all prevailed,

  700 by single strength. In sooth ’tis told

  selfes mihtum: sōð is gecy¯ðed,

  þæt mihtig god manna cynnes

  wēold wīde-ferhð. Cōm on wanre niht

  scrīðan sceadu-genga. Scēotend swǣfon,

  705 þā þæt horn-reced healdan scoldon,

  that highest God o’er human kind

  hath wielded ever! — Thro’ wan night striding,

  came the walker-in-shadow. Warriors slept

  whose best was to guard the gabled hall, —

  705 all save one. ’Twas widely known

  ealle būton ānum. Þæt wæs yldum cūð,

  þæt hīe ne mōste, þā metod nolde,

  se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan;

  ac hē wæccende wrāðum on andan

  710 bād bolgen-mōd beadwa geþinges.

  that against God’s will the ghostly ravager

  him could not hurl to haunts of darkness;

  wakeful, ready, with warrior’s wrath,

  bold he bided the battle’s issue.

  XII. GRENDEL’S RAID.

  Þā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoðum

  Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær.

  Mynte se mān-scaða manna cynnes

  sumne besyrwan in sele þām hēan;

 
715 wōd under wolcnum, tō þæs þe hē wīn-reced,

  710 Then from the moorland, by misty crags,

  gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse

  fǣttum fāhne. Ne wæs þæt forma sīð,

  þæt hē Hrōðgāres hām gesōhte:

  nǣfre hē on aldor-dagum ǣr nē siððan

  720 heardran hæle, heal-þegnas fand!

  with God’s wrath laden, Grendel came.

  The monster was minded of mankind now

  sundry to seize in the stately house.

  Under welkin he walked, till the wine-palace there,

  715 gold-hall of men, he gladly discerned,

  Cōm þā tō recede rinc sīðian

  drēamum bedǣled. Duru sōna onarn

  fy¯r-bendum fæst, syððan hē hire folmum hrān;

  onbræd þā bealo-hy¯dig, þā hē ābolgen wæs,

  725 recedes mūðan. Raðe æfter þon

  flashing with fretwork. Not first time, this,

  that he the home of Hrothgar sought, —

  yet ne’er in his life-day, late or early,

  such hardy heroes, such hall-thanes, found!

  720 To the house the warrior walked apace,

  on fāgne flōr fēond treddode,

  ēode yrre-mōd; him of ēagum stōd

  līge gelīcost lēoht unfǣger.

  Geseah hē in recede rinca manige,

  730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ætgædere,

  parted from peace; the portal opened,

  though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had struck it,

  and baleful he burst in his blatant rage,

  the house’s mouth. All hastily, then,

  725 o’er fair-paved floor the fiend trod on,

  mago-rinca hēap: þā his mōd āhlōg,

  mynte þæt hē gedǣlde, ǣr þon dæg cwōme,

  atol āglǣca, ānra gehwylces

  līf wið līce, þā him ālumpen wæs

  735 wist-fylle wēn. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þā gēn,

  ireful he strode; there streamed from his eyes

  fearful flashes, like flame to see.

  He spied in hall the hero-band,

  kin and clansmen clustered asleep,

  730 hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart;

  þæt hē mā mōste manna cynnes

  þicgean ofer þā niht. Þry¯ð-swy¯ð behēold

  mǣg Higelāces, hū se mān-scaða

  under fǣr-gripum gefaran wolde.

  740 Nē þæt se āglǣca yldan þōhte,

  for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn,

  savage, to sever the soul of each,

  life from body, since lusty banquet

  waited his will! But Wyrd forbade him

  735 to seize any more of men on earth

  ac hē gefēng hraðe forman siðe

  slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,

  bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,

  syn-snǣdum swealh: sōna hæfde

  745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod

  after that evening. Eagerly watched

  Hygelac’s kinsman his cursed foe,

  how he would fare in fell attack.

  Not that the monster was minded to pause!

  740 Straightway he seized a sleeping warrior

  fēt and folma. Forð nēar ætstōp,

  nam þā mid handa hige-þīhtigne

  rinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēan

  fēond mid folme, hē onfēng hraðe

  750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesæt.

  for the first, and tore him fiercely asunder,

  the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams,

  swallowed him piecemeal: swiftly thus

  the lifeless corse was clear devoured,

  745 e’en feet and hands. Then farther he hied;

  Sōna þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,

  þæt hē ne mētte middan-geardes

  eorðan scēata on elran men

  mund-gripe māran: hē on mōde wearð

  755 forht on ferhðe, nō þy¯ ǣr fram meahte;

  for the hardy hero with hand he grasped,

  felt for the foe with fiendish claw,

  for the hero reclining, — who clutched it boldly,

  prompt to answer, propped on his arm.

  750 Soon then saw that shepherd-of-evils

  hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,

  sēcan dēofla gedræg: ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,

  swylce hē on ealder-dagum ǣr gemētte.

  Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces

  760 ǣfen-sprǣce, up-lang āstōd

  that never he met in this middle-world,

  in the ways of earth, another wight

  with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared,

  sorrowed in soul, — none the sooner escaped!

  755 Fain would he flee, his fastness seek,

  and him fæste wiðfēng. Fingras burston;

  eoten wæs ūt-weard, eorl furður stōp.

  Mynte se mǣra, þǣr hē meahte swā,

  wīdre gewindan and on weg þanon

  765 flēon on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald

  the den of devils: no doings now

  such as oft he had done in days of old!

  Then bethought him the hardy Hygelac-thane

  of his boast at evening: up he bounded,

  760 grasped firm his foe, whose fingers cracked.

  on grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,

  þæt se hearm-scaða tō Heorute ātēah:

  dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð,

  ceaster-būendum, cēnra gehwylcum,

  770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgen,

  The fiend made off, but the earl close followed.

  The monster meant — if he might at all —

  to fling himself free, and far away

  fly to the fens, — knew his fingers’ power

  765 in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march

  rēðe rēn-weardas. Reced hlynsode;

  þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sele

  wiðhæfde heaðo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,

  fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs

  775 innan and ūtan īren-bendum

  to Heorot this monster of harm had made!

  Din filled the room; the Danes were bereft,

  castle-dwellers and clansmen all,

  earls, of their ale. Angry were both

  770 those savage hall-guards: the house resounded.

  searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēag

  medu-benc monig mīne gefrǣge,

  golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;

  þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,

  780 þæt hit ā mid gemete manna ǣnig

  Wonder it was the wine-hall firm

  in the strain of their struggle stood, to earth

  the fair house fell not; too fast it was

  within and without by its iron bands

  775 craftily clamped; though there crashed from sill

  betlīc and bān-fāg tōbrecan meahte,

  listum tōlūcan, nymðe līges fæðm

  swulge on swaðule. Swēg up āstāg

  nīwe geneahhe; Norð-Denum stōd

  785 atelīc egesa ānra gehwylcum

  many a mead-bench — men have told me —

  gay with gold, where the grim foes wrestled.

  So well had weened the wisest Scyldings

  that not ever at all might any man

  780 that bone-decked, brave house break asunder,

  þāra þe of wealle wōp gehy¯rdon,

  gryre-lēoð galan godes andsacan,

  sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigean

  helle hæftan. Hēold hine tō fæste

  790 sē þe manna wæs mægene strengest

  crush by craft, — unless clasp of fire

  in smoke engulfed it. — Again uprose

  din redoubled. Danes of the North

  with fear and frenzy were filled, each one, />
  785 who from the wall that wailing heard,

  on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.

  God’s foe sounding his grisly song,

  cry of the conquered, clamorous pain

  from captive of hell. Too closely held him

  he who of men in might was strongest

  790 in that same day of this our life.

  XIII. BĒOWULF TEARS OFF GRENDEL’S ARM.

  Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þinga

  þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,

  nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum

  795 nytte tealde. Þǣr genehost brægd

  Not in any wise would the earls’-defence

  suffer that slaughterous stranger to live,

  useless deeming his days and years

  to men on earth. Now many an earl

  795 of Beowulf brandished blade ancestral,

  eorl Bēowulfes ealde lāfe,

  wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian

  mǣres þēodnes, þǣr hīe meahton swā;

  hīe þæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,

  800 heard-hicgende hilde-mecgas,

  fain the life of their lord to shield,

  their praiséd prince, if power were theirs;

  never they knew, — as they neared the foe,

  hardy-hearted heroes of war,

  800 aiming their swords on every side

  and on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,

  sāwle sēcan, þæt þone syn-scaðan

  ǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,

  gūð-billa nān grētan nolde;

  805 ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,

  the accursed to kill, — no keenest blade,

  no fairest of falchions fashioned on earth,

  could harm or hurt that hideous fiend!

  He was safe, by his spells, from sword of battle,

  805 from edge of iron. Yet his end and parting

  ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor-gedāl

  on þǣm dæge þysses līfes

  earmlīc wurðan and se ellor-gāst

  on fēonda geweald feor sīðian.

  810 Þā þæt onfunde sē þe fela ǣror

  on that same day of this our life

  woful should be, and his wandering soul

  far off flit to the fiends’ domain.

  Soon he found, who in former days,

  810 harmful in heart and hated of God,

  mōdes myrðe manna cynne

  fyrene gefremede (hē wæs fāg wið god)

  þæt him se līc-homa lǣstan nolde,

  ac hine se mōdega mǣg Hygelāces

  815 hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæðer ōðrum

  on many a man such murder wrought,

  that the frame of his body failed him now.

  For him the keen-souled kinsman of Hygelac

  held in hand; hateful alive

  815 was each to other. The outlaw dire

  lifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebād

  atol ǣglǣca, him on eaxle wearð

 

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