will bear off my bloody corse to feast on it; lonely, will eat it without compunction;

IX. HUNFERTH'S TAUNT. THE REPLY Hunferth spake, the son of Ecglaf,

wili mark out my moor-mound. Thou wilt not who sat at the feet of the Scyldings' lord,

need

care to take for my body's disposal.
If the conflict take me, send to Hygelac
this best of battle-coats shielding my breast,
of vests most excellent; 'tis Hrædla 's legacy,
Weland's work. Fate goes aye as it must."

VIII. HROTHGAR'S LAMENT

Hrothgar spake, the Scyldings' shield: "For battles thou, my friend Beowulf, and for honor, us hast sought.

450

499

unloosed his malice. To him was the voyage
of the bold sailor, Beowulf, a great displeasure,
because he grudged that another man
should ever 'neath heaven more glories hold
of this middle-earth, than he himself.
"Art thou the Beowulf who strove with
Breca

511

on the wide sea, in a swimming-strife, where ye from pride tempted the floods, and, for foolish vaunt, in the deep water ventured your lives? Nor might any man, either friend or foe, restrain you from 460 the perilous voyage, when seaward ye swam with arms outspread o'er the ocean-stream, measured the sea-ways, smote with your hands, o'er the main glided. With winter's fury the ocean-waves boiled; for a sennight ye toiled on the water's domain. He conquered thee swimming;

Thy father fought in the greatest feud:
he was of Heatholaf the slayer,
with the Wylfings, when the Weder-Geats
for fear of war-feud might not harbor him.
Thence he sought, o'er the rolling waves,
the South Danes' folk, the noble Seyldings,
when first ruled the Danish people
and in my youth held spacious realms,
the hoard-burg of heroes. Dead was Heregar,
my elder brother, son of Healfdene,—

passed from the living; he was better than I.
Later, that quarrel I settled with money;
over the water's back old treasures

470

I sent to the Wylfings: he swore to me oaths. "Sorry am I in my mind to say

to any man what Grendel has wrought me in Heorot with his hostile designs,

what swift mischiefs done. My courtiers are though everywhere thou hast excelled in grim minished,

my martial band; them fate has off-swept

war,

in martial exploits-if thou to Grendel darest near abide for a night-long space." Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow's son:

66

480 Well, my friend Hunferth, drunken with

beer,

to the horrors of Grendel. Yet God may easily
turn from his deeds the frenzied spoiler.
Oft have promised the sons of conflict,
with beer drunken, over the ale-cup,
that they in the beer-hall would await
with sharp sword-edges Grendel's warfare.
Then at morning, when the day dawned,
this princely mead-hall was stained with gore,
all the bench-floor with blood besteamed,
the hall with sword-blood: I owned the fewer
of dear, faithful nobles, whom death destroyed. | in youthful life), that we on the ocean

For the sons of the Geats then, all together, in the beer-hall a bench was cleared. There the strong-souled went to sit, proudly rejoicing; a thane did duty, who bare in his hand the ale-cup bedecked, poured the bright liquor. Clear rose the gleeman's

song in Heorot. There was joy of warriors, a noble band of Danes and Weders.

a deal hast thou spoken here about Breca,
about his adventure. The sooth I tell,
that I possessed greater endurance at sea,
strength on the waves, than any other.
We two agreed when we were striplings,
and made our boast (we were both as yet

would venture our lives; and thus we did. A naked sword we held in hand

530

in the sea more swiftly, and from him I would not.

Then we together were in the sea

a five night's space, till it drove us asunder. Weltering waves, coldest of tempests,

2 The divine smith, or Vulcan, of northern legend. cloudy night, and the fierce north wind

grimly assaulted us; rough were the billows.
The rage of the sea-fishes was aroused.
Then my body-sark, hard and hand-locked,
afforded me help against my foes;
my braided war-shirt lay on my breast,
with gold adorned. A speckled monster
drew me to bottom, a grim one held me
fast in his grasp. Yet was it granted
that with the point I reached the creature,
with my war-falchion. A deadly blow,
dealt by my hand, destroyed the sea-beast.

551

X. THE QUEEN'S GREETING. GLEE IN HEOROT
"Thus frequently me my hated foes
fiercely threatened; but I served them
with my dear sword as it was fitting.
Not of that gluttony had they joy,
foul destroyers, to sit round the feast
near the sea-bottom and cat my body;

but in the morning, with falchions wounded,

up they lay among the shore-drift,

610

Then was rejoiced the treasure-distributor; hoary-locked, war-famed, the bright Danes' lord trusted in succor; the people's shepherd from Beowulf heard his steadfast resolve. 560 There was laughter of men, the din resounded words were winsome. Wealhtheow came forth, Hrothgar's queen; mindful of courtesy, the gold-adorned greeted the men in the hall. First then the woman, high-born, handed the cup to the East-Danes' country's guardian, bade him be blithe at the beer-drinking,

put to sleep by the sword; so that ne'er after dear to his people. He gladly partook of stopt they the way for ocean-sailers

over the surge. Light came from the east,
God's bright beacon, the seas grew calm,
so that the sea-nesses I might see,
windy walls. Fate often saves

an undoomed man when his valor avails.
"Yes, 'twas my lot with sword to slay
nickers nine. I have heard of no harder
struggle by night 'neath heaven's vault,
nor of man more harried in ocean-streams.

570

the feast, and the hall-cup, battle-famed king. Round then went the dame of the Helmings1

on every side, among old and young,

costly cups proffered, till came occasion
that she, the high-minded, ring-adorned queen
the mead-cup bore unto Beowulf.

620

She greeted the lord of the Geats, thanked
God,

sagacious in words, that her wish had befallen,

Yet with life I escaped from the grasp of that she in any warrior might trust

have I heard tell such feats of daring,
such falchion-terrors. Ne 'er yet Breca
at game of war, nor either of you,
so valiantly performed a deed
with shining swords (thereof I boast not),
tho' thou of thy brothers wast murderer,
of thy chief kinsmen, wherefore in hell
shalt thou suffer damnation, keen tho' thy wit
be.

In sooth I say to thee, son of Ecglaf,
that never had Grendel, the fiendish wretch,
such horrors committed against thy prince,
such harm in Heorot, were thy spirit,
thy mind, as war-fierce as thou supposest.
But he has found that he need not greatly
care for the hatred of your people,

for comfort 'gainst crimes. He took the cup,
the warrior fierce, from Wealhtheow's hand,
and then made speech, eager for battle,-
Beowulf spake, the son of Ecgtheow:
"I resolved, when I went on the main
with my warrior-band and sat in the seaboat,
that I would wholly accomplish the will
of your people in this, or bow in death,
fast in the foe's grasp. I shall perform
deeds of valor, or look to find

here in this mead-hall my last day."

631

The Geat's proud speech the woman liked well;

590

1 Name of the queen's family.
"In this speech," says Dr. J. R. C. Hall, "in
less than fourscore passionate lines, we have
rude and outspoken repartee, proud and un-
blushing boast, a rapid narrative, Munchausen
episodes, flashes of nature, a pagan proverb,
a bitter taunt, a reckless insult to the Dan
ish race, a picture of a peaceful time to

come.

when Healfdene's son was fain to go to
his evening rest. He knew that conflict
awaited the monster in the high hall
so soon as they might no longer see
the sun's light, and o'er all murk night,
the shadow-helm of men, came creeping,
dusk under heaven. The company rose.
Hrothgar then paid Beowulf reverence-
one hero the other-and bade him hail,
gave him command of the wine-hall and said:
"Never since hand and shield I could raise,
have I before entrusted to any

650 gave woven victory,* to the Weders' people comfort and succor, so that they all

the hall of the Danes, save now to thee.
Have now and hold this best of houses;
be mindful of glory, show mighty valor,
keep watch for the foe. No wish shall be lack-
ing
660
if thou from this venture escape with thy life."'

XI. BEOWULF'S VIGIL

Then Hrothgar departed, the Scyldings' pro-
tector,

out of the hall with his band of warriors;
the martial leader would seek his consort,
Wealhtheow the queen. The glory of kings
had set against Grendel, as men have heard tell,
a hall-ward; he held a special office

He strode 'neath the clouds until the winehouse,

about the Dane-prince, kept guard 'gainst the the gold-hall of men, he readily saw,
giant.

But the chief of the Geats well trusted in 669
his own proud might and the Creator's favor.
He doffed from him then his iron byrnie,
the helm from his head, and gave to a hench-

richly adorned. Nor was that time
the first that Hrothgar's home he had sought:
but ne'er in his life, before nor since,
found he a bolder man or hall-thanes.

720

730

So then to the mansion the man bereft of joys came journeying; soon with his hands undid the door, tho' with forged bands fast; the baleful-minded, angry, burst open the mansion's mouth. Soon thereafter the fiend was treading the glittering floor, paced wroth of mood; from his eyes started a horrid light, most like to flame. He in the mansion saw warriors many, a kindred band, together sleeping, fellow-warriors. His spirit exulted. The fell wretch expected that ere day came he would dissever the life from the body of each, for in him the hope had risen of a gluttonous feast. Yet 'twas not his fate that he might more of the race of men eat after that night. The mighty kinsman of Hygelac watched how the wicked spoiler would proceed with his sudden grasping. Nor did the monster mean to delay; for he at the first stroke quickly seized 740

This is a characteristic Northern figure, as well as Creek; but it is not Christian. An interesting éxpansion of it may be found in Gray's poem of The Fatal Sisters.

a sleeping warrior, tore him unawares,

bit his bone-casings, drank his veins' blood,
in great morsels swallowed him. Soon had he
devoured all of the lifeless one,

feet and hands. He stepped up nearer,
took then with his hand the doughty-minded
warrior at rest; with his hand the foe
reached towards him. He instantly grappled
with the evil-minded, and on his arm rested.
Soon as the criminal realized
that in no other man of middle-earth,
of the world's regions, had he found

a stronger hand-grip, his mind grew fearful.
Yet not for that could he sooner escape.

750

800

to any folk. There many a warrior
of Beowulf's drew his ancient sword;
they would defend the life of their lord,
of the great prince, if so they might.
They knew not, when they entered the strife,
the bold and eager sons of battle,
and thought to hew him on every side
his life to seek, that not the choicest
of irons on earth, no battle-falchion,
could ever touch the wicked scather,
since martial weapons he had forsworn,
every edge whatever. Yet on that day
of this life was his life-parting
wretched to be, and the alien spirit
to travel far into power of fiends.

Then he who before in mirth of mood
(he was God's foe) had perpetrated
many crimes 'gainst the race of men,
found that his body would not avail him,
for him the proud kinsman of Hygelac
had in hand; each was to the other
hateful alive. The fell wretch suffered
bodily pain; a deadly wound

flee to his fen-mound; he knew his fingers' appeared on his shoulder, his sinews started, power his bone-casings burst. To Beowulf was

in the fierce one's grasp. 'Twas a dire journey the war-glory given; Grendel must thence,

the baleful spoiler made to Heorot.
The princely hall thundered; terror was
on all the Danes, the city-dwellers,
each valiant one, while both the fierce 769
strong warriors raged; the mansion resounded.
Then was it wonder great that the wine-hall
withstood the war-beasts, nor fell to the ground,
the fair earthly dwelling; yet was it too fast,
within and without, with iron bands,
cunningly forged, though where the fierce ones
fought, I have heard, many a mead-bench,
with gold adorned, from its sill started.
Before that, weened not the Scyldings' sages
that any man ever, in any wise,

in pieces could break it, goodly and bone-
decked,

or craftily rive-only the flame's clutch
in smoke could devour it. Startling enough
the noise uprose. Over the North Danes
stood dire terror, on every one

of those who heard from the wall the whoop,
the dread lay sung by God's denier,
the triumphless song of the thrall of hell,
his pain bewailing. He held him fast,-
he who of men was strongest of might,
of them who in that day lived this life..

.XIII. THE MONSTER REPULSED Not for aught would the refuge of earls leave alive the deadly guest;

the days of his life he counted not useful

780

790

810

820

death-sick, under his fen-shelters flee,
seek a joyless dwelling; well he knew
that the end of his life was come, his appointed
number of days. For all the Danes,

that fierce fight done, was their wish accom-
plished.

So he then, the far-come, the wise and strong of soul, had purified Hrothgar's hall, saved it from malice; his night's work rejoiced him,

830

his valor-glories. The Geatish chieftain
had to the East-Danes his boast fulfilled,
had healed, to-wit, the preying sorrow
that they in that country before had suffered
and had to endure for hard necessity,
no small affliction. A manifest token
it was when the warrior laid down the hand-
arm and shoulder, Grendel's whole grappler
together there-'neath the vaulted roof.

XIV. JOY AT HEOROT

Then in the morning, as I have heard tell, there was many a warrior around the gift hall: folk-chiefs came, from far and near,

840

o'er distant ways, the wonder to see,
the tracks of the foe. His taking from life
seemed not grievous to any warrior
who the inglorious one's trail beheld,—
how, weary in spirit, o'ercome in the conflict,
death-doomed and fleeing, he bare death-traces
thence away to the nickers' mere.

of worldly desires, wherein I have power. Full often for less have I dealt a reward, it an honor-gift, to a feebler warrior, weaker in conflict. Thou for thyself hast wrought so well, that thy glory shall live through every age. May the All-wielder with good reward thee, as now He has done.'' Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow's son: