Beowulf Part 16

Afterward Heremod's hero-strength failed him, 65 His vigor and valor. 'Mid venomous haters To the hands of foemen he was foully delivered, Offdriven early. Agony-billows

{Unlike Sigemund and Beowulf, Heremod was a burden to his people.}

Oppressed him too long, to his people he became then, To all the athelings, an ever-great burden; 70 And the daring one's journey in days of yore Many wise men were wont to deplore, Such as hoped he would bring them help in their sorrow, That the son of their ruler should rise into power, Holding the heads.h.i.+p held by his fathers, 75 Should govern the people, the gold-h.o.a.rd and borough, The kingdom of heroes, the realm of the Scyldings.

{Beowulf is an honor to his race.}

He to all men became then far more beloved, Higelac's kinsman, to kindreds and races, To his friends much dearer; him malice a.s.saulted.--

{The story is resumed.}

80 Oft running and racing on roadsters they measured The dun-colored highways. Then the light of the morning Was hurried and hastened. Went henchmen in numbers To the beautiful building, bold ones in spirit, To look at the wonder; the liegelord himself then 85 From his wife-bower wending, warden of treasures, Glorious trod with troopers unnumbered, Famed for his virtues, and with him the queen-wife Measured the mead-ways, with maidens attending.

[1] S. emends, suggesting 'deop' for 'deog,' and removing semicolon after 'weol.' The two half-lines 'welling ... hid him' would then read: _The b.l.o.o.d.y deep welled with sword-gore_. B. accepts 'deop' for 'deog,' but reads 'dea-faeges': _The deep boiled with the sword-gore of the death-doomed one_.

[2] Another and quite different rendering of this pa.s.sage is as follows: _Oft a liegeman of the king, a fame-covered man mindful of songs, who very many ancient traditions remembered (he found other word-groups accurately bound together) began afterward to tell of Beowulf's adventure, skilfully to narrate it, etc_.

[3] Might 'guma gilp-hladen' mean 'a man laden with boasts of the deeds of others'?

[4] t.B. accepts B.'s 'he aes aron ah' as given by H.-So., but puts a comma after 'ah,' and takes 'sian' as introducing a dependent clause: _He throve in honor since Heremod's strength ... had decreased_.

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XV.

HROTHGAR'S GRAt.i.tUDE.

Hrothgar discoursed (to the hall-building went he, He stood by the pillar,[1] saw the steep-rising hall-roof Gleaming with gold-gems, and Grendel his hand there):

{Hrothgar gives thanks for the overthrow of the monster.}

"For the sight we behold now, thanks to the Wielder 5 Early be offered! Much evil I bided, Snaring from Grendel:[2] G.o.d can e'er 'complish Wonder on wonder, Wielder of Glory!

{I had given up all hope, when this brave liegeman came to our aid.}

But lately I reckoned ne'er under heaven Comfort to gain me for any of sorrows, 10 While the handsomest of houses horrid with bloodstain Gory uptowered; grief had offfrightened[3]

Each of the wise ones who weened not that ever The folk-troop's defences 'gainst foes they should strengthen, 'Gainst sprites and monsters. Through the might of the Wielder 15 A doughty retainer hath a deed now accomplished Which erstwhile we all with our excellent wisdom

{If his mother yet liveth, well may she thank G.o.d for this son.}

Failed to perform. May affirm very truly What woman soever in all of the nations Gave birth to the child, if yet she surviveth, 20 That the long-ruling Lord was lavish to herward In the birth of the bairn. Now, Beowulf dear,

{Hereafter, Beowulf, thou shalt be my son.}

Most excellent hero, I'll love thee in spirit As bairn of my body; bear well henceforward The relations.h.i.+p new. No lack shall befall thee 25 Of earth-joys any I ever can give thee.

Full often for lesser service I've given [34] Hero less hardy h.o.a.rd-treasure precious,

{Thou hast won immortal distinction.}

To a weaker in war-strife. By works of distinction Thou hast gained for thyself now that thy glory shall flourish 30 Forever and ever. The All-Ruler quite thee With good from His hand as He hitherto did thee!"

{Beowulf replies: I was most happy to render thee this service.}

Beowulf answered, Ecgtheow's offspring: "That labor of glory most gladly achieved we, The combat accomplished, unquailing we ventured 35 The enemy's grapple; I would grant it much rather Thou wert able to look at the creature in person, Faint unto falling, the foe in his trappings!

On murder-bed quickly I minded to bind him, With firm-holding fetters, that forced by my grapple 40 Low he should lie in life-and-death struggle 'Less his body escape; I was wholly unable,

{I could not keep the monster from escaping, as G.o.d did not will that I should.}

Since G.o.d did not will it, to keep him from going, Not held him that firmly, hated opposer; Too swift was the foeman. Yet safety regarding 45 He suffered his hand behind him to linger, His arm and shoulder, to act as watcher;

{He left his hand and arm behind.}

No shadow of solace the woe-begone creature Found him there nathless: the hated destroyer Liveth no longer, lashed for his evils, 50 But sorrow hath seized him, in snare-meshes hath him Close in its clutches, keepeth him writhing In baleful bonds: there banished for evil The man shall wait for the mighty tribunal,

{G.o.d will give him his deserts.}

How the G.o.d of glory shall give him his earnings."

55 Then the soldier kept silent, son of old Ecglaf,

{Unferth has nothing more to say, for Beowulf's actions speak louder than words.}

From boasting and bragging of battle-achievements, Since the princes beheld there the hand that depended 'Neath the lofty hall-timbers by the might of the n.o.bleman, Each one before him, the enemy's fingers; 60 Each finger-nail strong steel most resembled, The heathen one's hand-spur, the hero-in-battle's Claw most uncanny; quoth they agreeing,

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{No sword will harm the monster.}

That not any excellent edges of brave ones Was willing to touch him, the terrible creature's 65 Battle-hand b.l.o.o.d.y to bear away from him.

[1] B. and t.B. read 'staole,' and translate _stood on the floor_.

[2] For 'snaring from Grendel,' 'sorrows at Grendel's hands' has been suggested. This gives a parallel to 'laes.' 'Grynna' may well be gen.

pl. of 'gyrn,' by a scribal slip.

[3] The H.-So punctuation has been followed; but B. has been followed in understanding 'gehwylcne' as object of 'wid-scofen (haefde).' Gr.

construes 'wea' as nom abs.

XVI.

HROTHGAR LAVISHES GIFTS UPON HIS DELIVERER.