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"Hold thou, O Earth, now heroes no more may,
The earnings of earlmen. Lo! erst in thy bosom
Worthy men won them; war-death hath ravished,
Perilous life-bale, all my warriors,
30 Liegemen beloved, who this life have forsaken,
Who hall-pleasures saw. No sword-bearer have I,
And no one to burnish the gold-plated vessel,
The high-valued beaker: my heroes are vanished.
The hardy helmet behung with gilding
35 Shall be reaved of its riches: the ring-cleansers slumber
Who were charged to have ready visors-for-battle,
And the burnie that bided in battle-encounter
[77] O'er breaking of war-shields the bite of the edges
Moulds with the hero. The ring-twisted armor,
40 Its lord being lifeless, no longer may journey
Hanging by heroes; harp-joy is vanished,
The rapture of glee-wood, no excellent falcon
Swoops through the building, no swift-footed charger
Grindeth the gravel. A grievous destruction
45 No few of the world-folk widely hath scattered!"
So, woful of spirit one after all
Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness
By day and by night, till death with its billows
{The fire-dragon}
Dashed on his spirit. Then the ancient dusk-scather
50 Found the great treasure standing all open,
He who flaming and fiery flies to the barrows,
Naked war-dragon, nightly escapeth
Encompassed with fire; men under heaven
Widely beheld him. 'Tis said that he looks for[4]
55 The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding
The heathenish treasure; he'll be nowise the better.
{The dragon meets his match.}
So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples
Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall,
Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly:
60 The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain
And fullest remission for all his remissness
Begged of his liegelord. Then the hoard[5] was discovered,
The treasure was taken, his petition was granted
{The hero plunders the dragon's den}
The lorn-mooded liegeman. His lord regarded
65 The old-work of earth-folk--'twas the earliest occasion.
When the dragon awoke, the strife was renewed there;
He snuffed 'long the stone then, stout-hearted found he
[78] The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone
With cunning craftiness close to the head of
70 The fire-spewing dragon. So undoomed he may 'scape from
Anguish and exile with ease who possesseth
The favor of Heaven. The hoard-warden eagerly
Searched o'er the ground then, would meet with the person
That caused him sorrow while in slumber reclining:
75 Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern,
All of it outward; not any of earthmen
Was seen in that desert.[6] Yet he joyed in the battle,
Rejoiced in the conflict: oft he turned to the barrow,
Sought for the gem-cup;[7] this he soon perceived then
{The dragon perceives that some one has disturbed his treasure.}
80 That some man or other had discovered the gold,
The famous folk-treasure. Not fain did the hoard-ward
Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow
Was angry in spirit, the loathed one wished to
Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire.
85 Then the day was done as the dragon would have it,
He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed
{The dragon is infuriated.}
Fire-impelled, flaming. Fearful the start was
To earls in the land, as it early thereafter
To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.
[1] For 'long-gestreona,' B. suggests 'laengestreona,' and renders,
_Of fleeting treasures_. S. accepts H.'s 'long-gestreona,' but
renders, _The treasure long in accumulating_.
[2] For 'hard-fyrdne' (2246), B. first suggested 'hard-fyndne,'
rendering: _A heap of treasures ... so great that its equal would be
hard to find_. The same scholar suggests later 'hord-wynne dael' = _A
deal of treasure-joy_.
[3] Some read 'fec-word' (2247), and render: _Banning words uttered_.
[4] An earlier reading of H.'s gave the following meaning to this
passage: _He is said to inhabit a mound under the earth, where he,
etc._ The translation in the text is more authentic.
[5] The repetition of 'hord' in this passage has led some scholars to
suggest new readings to avoid the second 'hord.' This, however, is not
under the main stress, and, it seems to me, might easily be accepted.
[6] The reading of H.-So. is well defended in the notes to that
volume. B. emends and renders: _Nor was there any man in that desert
who rejoiced in conflict, in battle-work._ That is, the hoard-ward
could not find any one who had disturbed his slumbers, for no warrior
was there, t.B.'s emendation would give substantially the same
translation.
[7] 'Sinc-faet' (2301): this word both here and in v. 2232, t.B.
renders 'treasure.'
XXXIII.
BRAVE THOUGH AGED.--REMINISCENCES.
{The dragon spits fire.}
The stranger began then to vomit forth fire,
To burn the great manor; the blaze then glimmered
For anguish to earlmen, not anything living
[79] Was the hateful air-goer willing to leave there.
5 The war of the worm widely was noticed,
The feud of the foeman afar and anear,
How the enemy injured the earls of the Geatmen,
Harried with hatred: back he hied to the treasure,
To the well-hidden cavern ere the coming of daylight.
10 He had circled with fire the folk of those regions,
With brand and burning; in the barrow he trusted,
In the wall and his war-might: the weening deceived him.
{Beowulf hears of the havoc wrought by the dragon.}
Then straight was the horror to Beowulf published,
Early forsooth, that his own native homestead,[1]
15 The best of buildings, was burning and melting,
Gift-seat of Geatmen. 'Twas a grief to the spirit
Of the good-mooded hero, the greatest of sorrows:
{He fears that Heaven is punishing him for some crime.}
The wise one weened then that wielding his kingdom
'Gainst the ancient commandments, he had bitterly angered
20 The Lord everlasting: with lorn meditations
His bosom welled inward, as was nowise his custom.
The fire-spewing dragon fully had wasted
The fastness of warriors, the water-land outward,
The manor with fire. The folk-ruling hero,
25 Prince of the Weders, was planning to wreak him.
The warmen's defender bade them to make him,
Earlmen's atheling, an excellent war-shield
{He orders an iron shield to be made from him, wood is useless.}
Wholly of iron: fully he knew then
That wood from the forest was helpless to aid him,
30 Shield against fire. The long-worthy ruler
Must live the last of his limited earth-days,
Of life in the world and the worm along with him,
Though he long had been holding hoard-wealth in plenty.
{He determines to fight alone.}
Then the ring-prince disdained to seek with a war-band,
35 With army extensive, the air-going ranger;
He felt no fear of the foeman's assaults and
He counted for little the might of the dragon,
[80] His power and prowess: for previously dared he
{Beowulf's early triumphs referred to}
A heap of hostility, hazarded dangers,
40 War-thane, when Hrothgar's palace he cleansed,
Conquering combatant, clutched in the battle
The kinsmen of Grendel, of kindred detested.[2]
{Higelac's death recalled.}
'Twas of hand-fights not least where Higelac was slaughtered,
When the king of the Geatmen with clashings of battle,
45 Friend-lord of folks in Frisian dominions,
Offspring of Hrethrel perished through sword-drink,
With battle-swords beaten; thence Beowulf came then
On self-help relying, swam through the waters;
He bare on his arm, lone-going, thirty
50 Outfits of armor, when the ocean he mounted.
The Hetwars by no means had need to be boastful
Of their fighting afoot, who forward to meet him
Carried their war-shields: not many returned from
The brave-mooded battle-knight back to their homesteads.
55 Ecgtheow's bairn o'er the bight-courses swam then,
Lone-goer lorn to his land-folk returning,
Where Hygd to him tendered treasure and kingdom,
{Heardred's lack of capacity to rule.}
Rings and dominion: her son she not trusted,
To be able to keep the kingdom devised him
60 'Gainst alien races, on the death of King Higelac.
{Beowulf's tact and delicacy recalled.}
Yet the sad ones succeeded not in persuading the atheling
In any way ever, to act as a suzerain
To Heardred, or promise to govern the kingdom;
Yet with friendly counsel in the folk he sustained him,
65 Gracious, with honor, till he grew to be older,
{Reference is here made to a visit which Beowulf receives from Eanmund and
Eadgils, why they come is not known.}
Wielded the Weders. Wide-fleeing outlaws,
Ohthere's sons, sought him o'er the waters:
They had stirred a revolt 'gainst the helm of the Scylfings,
The best of the sea-kings, who in Swedish dominions
70 Distributed treasure, distinguished folk-leader.
[81] 'Twas the end of his earth-days; injury fatal[3]
By swing of the sword he received as a greeting,
Offspring of Higelac; Ongentheow's bairn
Later departed to visit his homestead,
75 When Heardred was dead; let Beowulf rule them,
Govern the Geatmen: good was that folk-king.
[1] 'Ham' (2326), the suggestion of B. is accepted by t.B. and other
scholars.
[2] For 'laethan cynnes' (2355), t.B. suggests 'laethan cynne,' apposition
to 'maegum.' From syntactical and other considerations, this is a most
excellent emendation.
[3] Gr. read 'on feorme' (2386), rendering: _He there at the banquet a
fatal wound received by blows of the sword._
XXXIV.
BEOWULF SEEKS THE DRAGON.--BEOWULF'S REMINISCENCES.
He planned requital for the folk-leader's ruin
In days thereafter, to Eadgils the wretched
Becoming an enemy. Ohthere's son then
Went with a war-troop o'er the wide-stretching currents
5 With warriors and weapons: with woe-journeys cold he
After avenged him, the king's life he took.
{Beowulf has been preserved through many perils.}
So he came off uninjured from all of his battles,
Perilous fights, offspring of Ecgtheow,
From his deeds of daring, till that day most momentous
10 When he fate-driven fared to fight with the dragon.
{With eleven comrades, he seeks the dragon.}
With eleven companions the prince of the Geatmen
Went lowering with fury to look at the fire-drake:
Inquiring he'd found how the feud had arisen,
Hate to his heroes; the highly-famed gem-vessel
15 Was brought to his keeping through the hand of th' informer.
{A guide leads the way, but}
That in the throng was thirteenth of heroes,
That caused the beginning of conflict so bitter,
Captive and wretched, must sad-mooded thenceward
{very reluctantly.}
Point out the place: he passed then unwillingly
20 To the spot where he knew of the notable cavern,
The cave under earth, not far from the ocean,
The anger of eddies, which inward was full of
Jewels and wires: a warden uncanny,
[82] Warrior weaponed, wardered the treasure,
25 Old under earth; no easy possession
For any of earth-folk access to get to.
Then the battle-brave atheling sat on the naze-edge,
While the gold-friend of Geatmen gracious saluted
His fireside-companions: woe was his spirit,
30 Death-boding, wav'ring; Weird very near him,
Who must seize the old hero, his soul-treasure look for,
Dragging aloof his life from his body:
Not flesh-hidden long was the folk-leader's spirit.
Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow's son:
{Beowulf's retrospect.}
35 "I survived in my youth-days many a conflict,
Hours of onset: that all I remember.
I was seven-winters old when the jewel-prince took me,
High-lord of heroes, at the hands of my father,
Hrethel the hero-king had me in keeping,
{Hrethel took me when I was seven.}
40 Gave me treasure and feasting, our kinship remembered;
Not ever was I _any_ less dear to him
{He treated me as a son.}
Knight in the boroughs, than the bairns of his household,
Herebald and Haethcyn and Higelac mine.
To the eldest unjustly by acts of a kinsman
45 Was murder-bed strewn, since him Haethcyn from horn-bow
{One of the brothers accidentally kills another.}
His sheltering chieftain shot with an arrow,
Erred in his aim and injured his kinsman,
One brother the other, with blood-sprinkled spear:
{No fee could compound for such a calamity.}
'Twas a feeless fight, finished in malice,
50 Sad to his spirit; the folk-prince however
Had to part from existence with vengeance untaken.
{[A parallel case is supposed.]}
So to hoar-headed hero 'tis heavily crushing[1]
[83] To live to see his son as he rideth
Young on the gallows: then measures he chanteth,
55 A song of sorrow, when his son is hanging
For the raven's delight, and aged and hoary
He is unable to offer any assistance.
Every morning his offspring's departure
Is constant recalled: he cares not to wait for
60 The birth of an heir in his borough-enclosures,
Since that one through death-pain the deeds hath experienced.
He heart-grieved beholds in the house of his son the
Wine-building wasted, the wind-lodging places
Reaved of their roaring; the riders are sleeping,
65 The knights in the grave; there's no sound of the harp-wood,
Joy in the yards, as of yore were familiar.
[1] 'Gomelum ceorle' (2445).--H. takes these words as referring to
Hrethel; but the translator here departs from his editor by
understanding the poet to refer to a hypothetical old man, introduced
as an illustration of a father's sorrow.
Hrethrel had certainly never seen a son of his ride on the gallows to
feed the crows.
The passage beginning 'swa bieth geomorlic' seems to be an effort to
reach a full simile, 'as ... so.' 'As it is mournful for an old man,
etc. ... so the defence of the Weders (2463) bore heart-sorrow, etc.'
The verses 2451 to 2463-1/2 would be parenthetical, the poet's feelings
being so strong as to interrupt the simile. The punctuation of the
fourth edition would be better--a comma after 'galgan' (2447). The
translation may be indicated as follows: _(Just) as it is sad for an
old man to see his son ride young on the gallows when he himself is
uttering mournful measures, a sorrowful song, while his son hangs for a
comfort to the raven, and he, old and infirm, cannot render him any
kelp--(he is constantly reminded, etc., 2451-2463)--so the defence of
the Weders, etc._
XXXV.
REMINISCENCES (_continued_).--BEOWULF'S LAST BATTLE.
"He seeks then his chamber, singeth a woe-song
One for the other; all too extensive
Seemed homesteads and plains. So the helm of the Weders
{Hrethel grieves for Herebald.}
Mindful of Herebald heart-sorrow carried,
5 Stirred with emotion, nowise was able
To wreak his ruin on the ruthless destroyer:
He was unable to follow the warrior with hatred,
With deeds that were direful, though dear he not held him.
[84] Then pressed by the pang this pain occasioned him,
10 He gave up glee, God-light elected;
He left to his sons, as the man that is rich does,
His land and fortress, when from life he departed.
{Strife between Swedes and Geats.}
Then was crime and hostility 'twixt Swedes and Geatmen,
O'er wide-stretching water warring was mutual,
15 Burdensome hatred, when Hrethel had perished,
And Ongentheow's offspring were active and valiant,
Wished not to hold to peace oversea, but
Round Hreosna-beorh often accomplished
Cruelest massacre. This my kinsman avenged,
20 The feud and fury, as 'tis found on inquiry,
Though one of them paid it with forfeit of life-joys,
{Haethcyn's fall at Ravenswood.}
With price that was hard: the struggle became then
Fatal to Haethcyn, lord of the Geatmen.
Then I heard that at morning one brother the other
25 With edges of irons egged on to murder,
Where Ongentheow maketh onset on Eofor:
The helmet crashed, the hoary-haired Scylfing
Sword-smitten fell, his hand then remembered
Feud-hate sufficient, refused not the death-blow.
{I requited him for the jewels he gave me.}
30 The gems that he gave me, with jewel-bright sword I
'Quited in contest, as occasion was offered:
Land he allowed me, life-joy at homestead,
Manor to live on. Little he needed
From Gepids or Danes or in Sweden to look for
35 Trooper less true, with treasure to buy him;
'Mong foot-soldiers ever in front I would hie me,
Alone in the vanguard, and evermore gladly
Warfare shall wage, while this weapon endureth
That late and early often did serve me
{Beowulf refers to his having slain Daeghrefn.}
40 When I proved before heroes the slayer of Daeghrefn,
Knight of the Hugmen: he by no means was suffered
To the king of the Frisians to carry the jewels,
The breast-decoration; but the banner-possessor
Bowed in the battle, brave-mooded atheling.
[85] 45 No weapon was slayer, but war-grapple broke then
The surge of his spirit, his body destroying.
Now shall weapon's edge make war for the treasure,
And hand and firm-sword." Beowulf spake then,
Boast-words uttered--the latest occasion:
{He boasts of his youthful prowess, and declares himself still fearless.}
50 "I braved in my youth-days battles unnumbered;
Still am I willing the struggle to look for,
Fame-deeds perform, folk-warden prudent,
If the hateful despoiler forth from his cavern
Seeketh me out!" Each of the heroes,
55 Helm-bearers sturdy, he thereupon greeted
{His last salutations.}
Beloved co-liegemen--his last salutation:
"No brand would I bear, no blade for the dragon,
Wist I a way my word-boast to 'complish[1]
Else with the monster, as with Grendel I did it;
60 But fire in the battle hot I expect there,
Furious flame-burning: so I fixed on my body
Target and war-mail. The ward of the barrow[2]
I'll not flee from a foot-length, the foeman uncanny.
At the wall 'twill befall us as Fate decreeth,
{Let Fate decide between us.}
65 Each one's Creator. I am eager in spirit,
With the winged war-hero to away with all boasting.
Bide on the barrow with burnies protected,
{Wait ye here till the battle is over.}
Earls in armor, which of _us_ two may better
Bear his disaster, when the battle is over.
70 'Tis no matter of yours, and man cannot do it,
But me and me only, to measure his strength with
The monster of malice, might-deeds to 'complish.
I with prowess shall gain the gold, or the battle,
[86] Direful death-woe will drag off your ruler!"
75 The mighty champion rose by his shield then,
Brave under helmet, in battle-mail went he
'Neath steep-rising stone-cliffs, the strength he relied on
Of one man alone: no work for a coward.
Then he saw by the wall who a great many battles
80 Had lived through, most worthy, when foot-troops collided,
{The place of strife is described.}
Stone-arches standing, stout-hearted champion,
Saw a brook from the barrow bubbling out thenceward:
The flood of the fountain was fuming with war-flame:
Not nigh to the hoard, for season the briefest
85 Could he brave, without burning, the abyss that was yawning,
The drake was so fiery. The prince of the Weders
Caused then that words came from his bosom,
So fierce was his fury; the firm-hearted shouted:
His battle-clear voice came in resounding
90 'Neath the gray-colored stone. Stirred was his hatred,
{Beowulf calls out under the stone arches.}
The hoard-ward distinguished the speech of a man;
Time was no longer to look out for friendship.
The breath of the monster issued forth first,
Vapory war-sweat, out of the stone-cave:
{The terrible encounter.}
95 The earth re-echoed. The earl 'neath the barrow
Lifted his shield, lord of the Geatmen,
Tow'rd the terrible stranger: the ring-twisted creature's
Heart was then ready to seek for a struggle.
{Beowulf brandishes his sword,}
The excellent battle-king first brandished his weapon,
100 The ancient heirloom, of edges unblunted,[3]
To the death-planners twain was terror from other.
{and stands against his shield.}
The lord of the troopers intrepidly stood then
'Gainst his high-rising shield, when the dragon coiled him
{The dragon coils himself.}
Quickly together: in corslet he bided.
[87] 105 He went then in blazes, bended and striding,
Hasting him forward. His life and body
The targe well protected, for time-period shorter
Than wish demanded for the well-renowned leader,
Where he then for the first day was forced to be victor,
110 Famous in battle, as Fate had not willed it.
The lord of the Geatmen uplifted his hand then,
Smiting the fire-drake with sword that was precious,
That bright on the bone the blade-edge did weaken,
Bit more feebly than his folk-leader needed,
115 Burdened with bale-griefs. Then the barrow-protector,
{The dragon rages}
When the sword-blow had fallen, was fierce in his spirit,
Flinging his fires, flamings of battle
Gleamed then afar: the gold-friend of Weders
{Beowulf's sword fails him.}
Boasted no conquests, his battle-sword failed him
120 Naked in conflict, as by no means it ought to,
Long-trusty weapon. 'Twas no slight undertaking
That Ecgtheow's famous offspring would leave
The drake-cavern's bottom; he must live in some region
Other than this, by the will of the dragon,
125 As each one of earthmen existence must forfeit.
'Twas early thereafter the excellent warriors
{The combat is renewed.}
Met with each other. Anew and afresh
The hoard-ward took heart (gasps heaved then his bosom):
{The great hero is reduced to extremities.}
Sorrow he suffered encircled with fire
130 Who the people erst governed. His companions by no means
Were banded about him, bairns of the princes,
{His comrades flee!}
With valorous spirit, but they sped to the forest,
Seeking for safety. The soul-deeps of one were
{Blood is thicker than water.}
Ruffled by care: kin-love can never
135 Aught in him waver who well doth consider.
[88]
[1] The clause 2520(2)-2522(1), rendered by 'Wist I ... monster,' Gr.,
followed by S., translates substantially as follows: _If I knew how
else I might combat the boastful defiance of the monster_.--The
translation turns upon 'wiethgripan,' a word not understood.
[2] B. emends and translates: _I will not flee the space of a foot
from the guard of the barrow, but there shall be to us a fight at the
wall, as fate decrees, each one's Creator._
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