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XLI.
THE MESSENGER'S RETROSPECT.
{The messenger continues, and refers to the feuds of Swedes and Geats.}
"The blood-stained trace of Swedes and Geatmen,
The death-rush of warmen, widely was noticed,
How the folks with each other feud did awaken.
The worthy one went then[1] with well-beloved comrades,
5 Old and dejected to go to the fastness,
Ongentheo earl upward then turned him;
Of Higelac's battle he'd heard on inquiry,
The exultant one's prowess, despaired of resistance,
With earls of the ocean to be able to struggle,
10 'Gainst sea-going sailors to save the hoard-treasure,
His wife and his children; he fled after thenceward
Old 'neath the earth-wall. Then was offered pursuance
To the braves of the Swedemen, the banner[2] to Higelac.
[100] They fared then forth o'er the field-of-protection,
15 When the Hrethling heroes hedgeward had thronged them.
Then with edges of irons was Ongentheow driven,
The gray-haired to tarry, that the troop-ruler had to
Suffer the power solely of Eofor:
{Wulf wounds Ongentheow.}
Wulf then wildly with weapon assaulted him,
20 Wonred his son, that for swinge of the edges
The blood from his body burst out in currents,
Forth 'neath his hair. He feared not however,
Gray-headed Scylfing, but speedily quited
{Ongentheow gives a stout blow in return.}
The wasting wound-stroke with worse exchange,
25 When the king of the thane-troop thither did turn him:
The wise-mooded son of Wonred was powerless
To give a return-blow to the age-hoary man,
But his head-shielding helmet first hewed he to pieces,
That flecked with gore perforce he did totter,
30 Fell to the earth; not fey was he yet then,
But up did he spring though an edge-wound had reached him.
{Eofor smites Ongentheow fiercely.}
Then Higelac's vassal, valiant and dauntless,
When his brother lay dead, made his broad-bladed weapon,
Giant-sword ancient, defence of the giants,
35 Bound o'er the shield-wall; the folk-prince succumbed then,
{Ongentheow is slain.}
Shepherd of people, was pierced to the vitals.
There were many attendants who bound up his kinsman,
Carried him quickly when occasion was granted
That the place of the slain they were suffered to manage.
40 This pending, one hero plundered the other,
His armor of iron from Ongentheow ravished,
His hard-sword hilted and helmet together;
{Eofor takes the old king's war-gear to Higelac.}
The old one's equipments he carried to Higelac.
He the jewels received, and rewards 'mid the troopers
45 Graciously promised, and so did accomplish:
The king of the Weders requited the war-rush,
Hrethel's descendant, when home he repaired him,
{Higelac rewards the brothers.}
To Eofor and Wulf with wide-lavished treasures,
To each of them granted a hundred of thousands
[101] 50 In land and rings wrought out of wire:
{His gifts were beyond cavil.}
None upon mid-earth needed to twit him[3]
With the gifts he gave them, when glory they conquered;
{To Eofor he also gives his only daughter in marriage.}
And to Eofor then gave he his one only daughter,
The honor of home, as an earnest of favor.
55 That's the feud and hatred--as ween I 'twill happen--
The anger of earthmen, that earls of the Swedemen
Will visit on us, when they hear that our leader
Lifeless is lying, he who longtime protected
His hoard and kingdom 'gainst hating assailers,
60 Who on the fall of the heroes defended of yore
The deed-mighty Scyldings,[4] did for the troopers
What best did avail them, and further moreover
{It is time for us to pay the last marks of respect to our lord.}
Hero-deeds 'complished. Now is haste most fitting,
That the lord of liegemen we look upon yonder,
65 And _that_ one carry on journey to death-pyre
Who ring-presents gave us. Not aught of it all
Shall melt with the brave one--there's a mass of bright jewels,
Gold beyond measure, grewsomely purchased
And ending it all ornament-rings too
70 Bought with his life; these fire shall devour,
Flame shall cover, no earlman shall wear
A jewel-memento, nor beautiful virgin
Have on her neck rings to adorn her,
But wretched in spirit bereaved of gold-gems
75 She shall oft with others be exiled and banished,
Since the leader of liegemen hath laughter forsaken,
[102] Mirth and merriment. Hence many a war-spear
Cold from the morning shall be clutched in the fingers,
Heaved in the hand, no harp-music's sound shall
80 Waken the warriors, but the wan-coated raven
Fain over fey ones freely shall gabble,
Shall say to the eagle how he sped in the eating,
When, the wolf his companion, he plundered the slain."
So the high-minded hero was rehearsing these stories
85 Loathsome to hear; he lied as to few of
{The warriors go sadly to look at Beowulf's lifeless body.}
Weirds and of words. All the war-troop arose then,
'Neath the Eagle's Cape sadly betook them,
Weeping and woful, the wonder to look at.
They saw on the sand then soulless a-lying,
90 His slaughter-bed holding, him who rings had given them
In days that were done; then the death-bringing moment
Was come to the good one, that the king very warlike,
Wielder of Weders, with wonder-death perished.
First they beheld there a creature more wondrous,
{They also see the dragon.}
95 The worm on the field, in front of them lying,
The foeman before them: the fire-spewing dragon,
Ghostly and grisly guest in his terrors,
Was scorched in the fire; as he lay there he measured
Fifty of feet; came forth in the night-time[5]
100 To rejoice in the air, thereafter departing
To visit his den; he in death was then fastened,
He would joy in no other earth-hollowed caverns.
There stood round about him beakers and vessels,
Dishes were lying and dear-valued weapons,
105 With iron-rust eaten, as in earth's mighty bosom
A thousand of winters there they had rested:
{The hoard was under a magic spell.}
That mighty bequest then with magic was guarded,
Gold of the ancients, that earlman not any
The ring-hall could touch, save Ruling-God only,
[103] 110 Sooth-king of Vict'ries gave whom He wished to
{God alone could give access to it.}
[6](He is earth-folk's protector) to open the treasure,
E'en to such among mortals as seemed to Him proper.
[1] For 'goda,' which seems a surprising epithet for a Geat to apply
to the "terrible" Ongentheow, B. suggests 'gomela.' The passage would
then stand: '_The old one went then,' etc._
[2] For 'segn Higelace,' K., Th., and B. propose 'segn Higelaces,'
meaning: _Higelac's banner followed the Swedes (in pursuit)._--S.
suggests 'saecc Higelaces,' and renders: _Higelac's pursuit._--The
H.-So. reading, as translated in our text, means that the banner of
the enemy was captured and brought to Higelac as a trophy.
[3] The rendering given in this translation represents the king as
being generous beyond the possibility of reproach; but some
authorities construe 'him' (2996) as plu., and understand the passage
to mean that no one reproached the two brothers with having received
more reward than they were entitled to.
[4] The name 'Scyldingas' here (3006) has caused much discussion, and
given rise to several theories, the most important of which are as
follows: (1) After the downfall of Hrothgar's family, Beowulf was king
of the Danes, or Scyldings. (2) For 'Scyldingas' read
'Scylfingas'--that is, after killing Eadgils, the Scylfing prince,
Beowulf conquered his land, and held it in subjection. (3) M.
considers 3006 a thoughtless repetition of 2053. (Cf. H.-So.)
[5] B. takes 'nihtes' and 'hwilum' (3045) as separate adverbial cases,
and renders: _Joy in the air had he of yore by night, etc_. He thinks
that the idea of vanished time ought to be expressed.
[6] The parenthesis is by some emended so as to read: (1) (_He_ (i.e.
_God_) _is the hope of men_); (2) (_he is the hope of heroes_). Gr.'s
reading has no parenthesis, but says: ... _could touch, unless God
himself, true king of victories, gave to whom he would to open the
treasure, the secret place of enchanters, etc_. The last is rejected
on many grounds.
XLII.
WIGLAF'S SAD STORY.--THE HOARD CARRIED OFF.
Then 'twas seen that the journey prospered him little
Who wrongly within had the ornaments hidden[1]
Down 'neath the wall. The warden erst slaughtered
Some few of the folk-troop: the feud then thereafter
5 Was hotly avenged. 'Tis a wonder where,[2]
When the strength-famous trooper has attained to the end of
Life-days allotted, then no longer the man may
Remain with his kinsmen where mead-cups are flowing.
So to Beowulf happened when the ward of the barrow,
10 Assaults, he sought for: himself had no knowledge
How his leaving this life was likely to happen.
So to doomsday, famous folk-leaders down did
Call it with curses--who 'complished it there--
[104] That that man should be ever of ill-deeds convicted,
15 Confined in foul-places, fastened in hell-bonds,
Punished with plagues, who this place should e'er ravage.[3]
He cared not for gold: rather the Wielder's
Favor preferred he first to get sight of.[4]
{Wiglaf addresses his comrades.}
Wiglaf discoursed then, Wihstan his son:
20 "Oft many an earlman on one man's account must
Sorrow endure, as to us it hath happened.
The liegelord beloved we could little prevail on,
Kingdom's keeper, counsel to follow,
Not to go to the guardian of the gold-hoard, but let him
25 Lie where he long was, live in his dwelling
Till the end of the world. Met we a destiny
Hard to endure: the hoard has been looked at,
Been gained very grimly; too grievous the fate that[5]
The prince of the people pricked to come thither.
30 _I_ was therein and all of it looked at,
The building's equipments, since access was given me,
Not kindly at all entrance permitted
{He tells them of Beowulf's last moments.}
Within under earth-wall. Hastily seized I
And held in my hands a huge-weighing burden
35 Of hoard-treasures costly, hither out bare them
To my liegelord beloved: life was yet in him,
And consciousness also; the old one discoursed then
Much and mournfully, commanded to greet you,
{Beowulf's dying request.}
Bade that remembering the deeds of your friend-lord
40 Ye build on the fire-hill of corpses a lofty
Burial-barrow, broad and far-famous,
As 'mid world-dwelling warriors he was widely most honored
While he reveled in riches. Let us rouse us and hasten
[105] Again to see and seek for the treasure,
45 The wonder 'neath wall. The way I will show you,
That close ye may look at ring-gems sufficient
And gold in abundance. Let the bier with promptness
Fully be fashioned, when forth we shall come,
And lift we our lord, then, where long he shall tarry,
50 Well-beloved warrior, 'neath the Wielder's protection."
{Wiglaf charges them to build a funeral-pyre.}
Then the son of Wihstan bade orders be given,
Mood-valiant man, to many of heroes,
Holders of homesteads, that they hither from far,
[6]Leaders of liegemen, should look for the good one
55 With wood for his pyre: "The flame shall now swallow
(The wan fire shall wax[7]) the warriors' leader
Who the rain of the iron often abided,
When, sturdily hurled, the storm of the arrows
Leapt o'er linden-wall, the lance rendered service,
60 Furnished with feathers followed the arrow."
Now the wise-mooded son of Wihstan did summon
The best of the braves from the band of the ruler
{He takes seven thanes, and enters the den.}
Seven together; 'neath the enemy's roof he
Went with the seven; one of the heroes
65 Who fared at the front, a fire-blazing torch-light
Bare in his hand. No lot then decided
Who that hoard should havoc, when hero-earls saw it
Lying in the cavern uncared-for entirely,
Rusting to ruin: they rued then but little
70 That they hastily hence hauled out the treasure,
{They push the dragon over the wall.}
The dear-valued jewels; the dragon eke pushed they,
The worm o'er the wall, let the wave-currents take him,
[106] The waters enwind the ward of the treasures.
{The hoard is laid on a wain.}
There wounden gold on a wain was uploaded,
75 A mass unmeasured, the men-leader off then,
The hero hoary, to Whale's-Ness was carried.
[1] For 'gehydde,' B. suggests 'gehyethde': the passage would stand as
above except the change of 'hidden' (v. 2) to 'plundered.' The
reference, however, would be to the thief, not to the dragon.
[2] The passage 'Wundur ... buan' (3063-3066), M. took to be a
question asking whether it was strange that a man should die when his
appointed time had come.--B. sees a corruption, and makes emendations
introducing the idea that a brave man should not die from sickness or
from old age, but should find death in the performance of some deed of
daring.--S. sees an indirect question introduced by 'hwar' and
dependent upon 'wundur': _A secret is it when the hero is to die,
etc_.--Why may the two clauses not be parallel, and the whole passage
an Old English cry of '_How wonderful is death!'?_--S.'s is the best
yet offered, if 'wundor' means 'mystery.'
[3] For 'strude' in H.-So., S. suggests 'stride.' This would require
'ravage' (v. 16) to be changed to 'tread.'
[4] 'He cared ... sight of' (17, 18), S. emends so as to read as
follows: _He (Beowulf) had not before seen the favor of the avaricious
possessor._
[5] B. renders: _That which drew the king thither_ (i.e. _the
treasure_) _was granted us, but in such a way that it overcomes us._
[6] 'Folc-agende' (3114) B. takes as dat. sing. with 'godum,' and
refers it to Beowulf; that is, _Should bring fire-wood to the place
where the good folk-ruler lay_.
[7] C. proposes to take 'weaxan' = L. 'vescor,' and translate
_devour_. This gives a parallel to 'fretan' above. The parenthesis
would be discarded and the passage read: _Now shall the fire consume,
the wan-flame devour, the prince of warriors, etc_.
XLIII.
THE BURNING OF BEOWULF.
{Beowulf's pyre.}
The folk of the Geatmen got him then ready
A pile on the earth strong for the burning,
Behung with helmets, hero-knights' targets,
And bright-shining burnies, as he begged they should have them;
5 Then wailing war-heroes their world-famous chieftain,
Their liegelord beloved, laid in the middle.
{The funeral-flame.}
Soldiers began then to make on the barrow
The largest of dead-fires: dark o'er the vapor
The smoke-cloud ascended, the sad-roaring fire,
10 Mingled with weeping (the wind-roar subsided)
Till the building of bone it had broken to pieces,
Hot in the heart. Heavy in spirit
They mood-sad lamented the men-leader's ruin;
And mournful measures the much-grieving widow
15 * * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
20 * * * * * * *
{The Weders carry out their lord's last request.}
The men of the Weders made accordingly
A hill on the height, high and extensive,
Of sea-going sailors to be seen from a distance,
And the brave one's beacon built where the fire was,
25 In ten-days' space, with a wall surrounded it,
As wisest of world-folk could most worthily plan it.
They placed in the barrow rings and jewels,
[107]
{Rings and gems are laid in the barrow.}
All such ornaments as erst in the treasure
War-mooded men had won in possession:
30 The earnings of earlmen to earth they entrusted,
The gold to the dust, where yet it remaineth
As useless to mortals as in foregoing eras.
'Round the dead-mound rode then the doughty-in-battle,
Bairns of all twelve of the chiefs of the people,
{They mourn for their lord, and sing his praises.}
35 More would they mourn, lament for their ruler,
Speak in measure, mention him with pleasure,
Weighed his worth, and his warlike achievements
Mightily commended, as 'tis meet one praise his
Liegelord in words and love him in spirit,
40 When forth from his body he fares to destruction.
So lamented mourning the men of the Geats,
Fond-loving vassals, the fall of their lord,
{An ideal king.}
Said he was kindest of kings under heaven,
Gentlest of men, most winning of manner,
45 Friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor.
[109]
ADDENDA.
Several discrepancies and other oversights have been noticed in the H.-So.
glossary. Of these a good part were avoided by Harrison and Sharp, the
American editors of Beowulf, in their last edition, 1888. The rest will, I
hope, be noticed in their fourth edition. As, however, this book may fall
into the hands of some who have no copy of the American edition, it seems
best to notice all the principal oversights of the German editors.
~From ham~ (194).--Notes and glossary conflict; the latter not having been
altered to suit the conclusions accepted in the former.
~Țaer gelyfan sceal dryhtnes dome~ (440).--Under 'dom' H. says 'the might
of the Lord'; while under 'gelyfan' he says 'the judgment of the Lord.'
~Eal bencțelu~ (486).--Under 'benc-țelu' H. says _nom. plu._; while under
'eal' he says _nom. sing._
~Heatho-raemas~ (519).--Under 'aetberan' H. translates 'to the Heathoremes';
while under 'Heatho-raemas' he says 'Heathoraemas reaches Breca in the
swimming-match with Beowulf.' Harrison and Sharp (3d edition, 1888) avoid
the discrepancy.
~Fah feond-scaetha~ (554).--Under 'feond-scaetha' H. says 'a gleaming
sea-monster'; under 'fah' he says 'hostile.'
~Onfeng hraethe inwit-țancum~ (749).--Under 'onfon' H. says 'he _received_
the maliciously-disposed one'; under 'inwit-țanc' he says 'he _grasped_,'
etc.
~Nieth-wundor seon~ (1366).--Under 'nieth-wundor' H. calls this word itself
_nom. sing._; under 'seon' he translates it as accus. sing., understanding
'man' as subject of 'seon.' H. and S. (3d edition) make the correction.
~Forgeaf hilde-bille~ (1521).--H., under the second word, calls it instr.
dat.; while under 'forgifan' he makes it the dat. of indir. obj. H. and S.
(3d edition) make the change.
~Brad~ and ~brun-ecg~ (1547).--Under 'brad' H. says 'das breite Hueftmesser
mit bronzener Klinge'; under 'brun-ecg' he says 'ihr breites Hueftmesser
mit blitzender Klinge.'
[110]
~Yethelice~ (1557).--Under this word H. makes it modify 'astod.' If this be
right, the punctuation of the fifth edition is wrong. See H. and S.,
appendix.
~Selran gesohte~ (1840).--Under 'sel' and 'gesecan' H. calls these two
words accus. plu.; but this is clearly an error, as both are nom. plu.,
pred. nom. H. and S. correct under 'sel.'
~Wieth sylfne~ (1978).--Under 'wieth' and 'gesittan' H. says 'wieth = near, by';
under 'self' he says 'opposite.'
~țeow~ (2225) is omitted from the glossary.
~For duguethum~ (2502).--Under 'dugueth' H. translates this phrase, 'in
Tuechtigkeit'; under 'for,' by 'vor der edlen Kriegerschaar.'
~țaer~ (2574).--Under 'wealdan' H. translates _țaer_ by 'wo'; under 'motan,'
by 'da.' H. and S. suggest 'if' in both passages.
~Wunde~ (2726).--Under 'wund' H. says 'dative,' and under 'wael-bleate' he
says 'accus.' It is without doubt accus., parallel with 'benne.'
~Strengum gebaeded~ (3118).--Under 'strengo' H. says 'Strengum' = mit
Macht; under 'gebaeded' he translates 'von den Sehnen.' H. and S. correct
this discrepancy by rejecting the second reading.
~Bronda be lafe~ (3162).--A recent emendation. The fourth edition had
'bronda betost.' In the fifth edition the editor neglects to change the
glossary to suit the new emendation. See 'bewyrcan.'
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