Beowulf Part 28

[5] The repet.i.tion of 'hord' in this pa.s.sage 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 h.o.a.rd-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.'

x.x.xIII.

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 punis.h.i.+ng 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-s.h.i.+eld

{He orders an iron s.h.i.+eld 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 s.h.i.+eld 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 h.o.a.rd-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 a.s.saults 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 clas.h.i.+ngs 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-s.h.i.+elds: 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 'laan cynnes' (2355), t.B. suggests 'laan 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._

x.x.xIV.

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 pa.s.sed 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.}