Beowulf Part 32

15 Each one of earthmen, arm him who pleaseth!

And he saw there lying an all-golden banner High o'er the h.o.a.rd, of hand-wonders greatest, Linked with lacets: a light from it sparkled, That the floor of the cavern he was able to look on,

{The dragon is not there.}

20 To examine the jewels. Sight of the dragon [94] Not any was offered, but edge offcarried him.

{Wiglaf bears the h.o.a.rd away.}

Then I heard that the hero the h.o.a.rd-treasure plundered, The giant-work ancient reaved in the cavern, Bare on his bosom the beakers and platters, 25 As himself would fain have it, and took off the standard, The brightest of beacons;[2] the bill had erst injured (Its edge was of iron), the old-ruler's weapon, Him who long had watched as ward of the jewels, Who fire-terror carried hot for the treasure, 30 Rolling in battle, in middlemost darkness, Till murdered he perished. The messenger hastened, Not loth to return, hurried by jewels: Curiosity urged him if, excellent-mooded, Alive he should find the lord of the Weders 35 Mortally wounded, at the place where he left him.

'Mid the jewels he found then the famous old chieftain, His liegelord beloved, at his life's-end gory: He thereupon 'gan to lave him with water, Till the point of his word pierced his breast-h.o.a.rd.

40 Beowulf spake (the gold-gems he noticed),

{Beowulf is rejoiced to see the jewels.}

The old one in sorrow: "For the jewels I look on Thanks do I utter for all to the Ruler, Wielder of Wors.h.i.+p, with words of devotion, The Lord everlasting, that He let me such treasures 45 Gain for my people ere death overtook me.

Since I've bartered the aged life to me granted For treasure of jewels, attend ye henceforward

{He desires to be held in memory by his people.}

The wants of the war-thanes; I can wait here no longer.

The battle-famed bid ye to build them a grave-hill, 50 Bright when I'm burned, at the brim-current's limit; As a memory-mark to the men I have governed, [95] Aloft it shall tower on Whale's-Ness uprising, That earls of the ocean hereafter may call it Beowulf's barrow, those who barks ever-das.h.i.+ng 55 From a distance shall drive o'er the darkness of waters."

{The hero's last gift}

The bold-mooded troop-lord took from his neck then The ring that was golden, gave to his liegeman, The youthful war-hero, his gold-flas.h.i.+ng helmet, His collar and war-mail, bade him well to enjoy them:

{and last words.}

60 "Thou art latest left of the line of our kindred, Of Waegmunding people: Weird hath offcarried All of my kinsmen to the Creator's glory, Earls in their vigor: I shall after them fare."

'Twas the aged liegelord's last-spoken word in 65 His musings of spirit, ere he mounted the fire, The battle-waves burning: from his bosom departed His soul to seek the sainted ones' glory.

[1] The word 'oferhigian' (2767) being vague and little understood, two quite distinct translations of this pa.s.sage have arisen. One takes 'oferhigian' as meaning 'to exceed,' and, inserting 'hord' after 'gehwone,' renders: _The treasure may easily, the gold in the ground, exceed in value every h.o.a.rd of man, hide it who will._ The other takes 'oferhigian' as meaning 'to render arrogant,' and, giving the sentence a moralizing tone, renders substantially as in the body of this work.

(Cf. 28_13 et seq.)

[2] The pa.s.sage beginning here is very much disputed. 'The bill of the old lord' is by some regarded as Beowulf's sword; by others, as that of the ancient possessor of the h.o.a.rd. 'aer gescod' (2778), translated in this work as verb and adverb, is by some regarded as a compound participial adj. = _sheathed in bra.s.s_.

x.x.xIX.

THE DEAD FOES.--WIGLAF'S BITTER TAUNTS.

{Wiglaf is sorely grieved to see his lord look so un-warlike.}

It had wofully chanced then the youthful retainer To behold on earth the most ardent-beloved At his life-days' limit, lying there helpless.

The slayer too lay there, of life all bereaved, 5 Horrible earth-drake, hara.s.sed with sorrow:

{The dragon has plundered his last h.o.a.rd.}

The round-twisted monster was permitted no longer To govern the ring-h.o.a.rds, but edges of war-swords Mightily seized him, battle-sharp, st.u.r.dy Leavings of hammers, that still from his wounds 10 The flier-from-farland fell to the earth Hard by his h.o.a.rd-house, hopped he at midnight Not e'er through the air, nor exulting in jewels Suffered them to see him: but he sank then to earthward Through the hero-chief's handwork. I heard sure it throve then

[96]

{Few warriors dared to face the monster.}

15 But few in the land of liegemen of valor, Though of every achievement bold he had proved him, To run 'gainst the breath of the venomous scather, Or the hall of the treasure to trouble with hand-blows, If he watching had found the ward of the h.o.a.rd-hall 20 On the barrow abiding. Beowulf's part of The treasure of jewels was paid for with death; Each of the twain had attained to the end of Life so unlasting. Not long was the time till

{The cowardly thanes come out of the thicket.}

The tardy-at-battle returned from the thicket, 25 The timid truce-breakers ten all together, Who durst not before play with the lances In the prince of the people's pressing emergency;

{They are ashamed of their desertion.}

But blus.h.i.+ng with shame, with s.h.i.+elds they betook them, With arms and armor where the old one was lying: 30 They gazed upon Wiglaf. He was sitting exhausted, Foot-going fighter, not far from the shoulders Of the lord of the people, would rouse him with water; No whit did it help him; though he hoped for it keenly, He was able on earth not at all in the leader 35 Life to retain, and nowise to alter The will of the Wielder; the World-Ruler's power[1]

Would govern the actions of each one of heroes,

{Wiglaf is ready to excoriate them.}

As yet He is doing. From the young one forthwith then Could grim-worded greeting be got for him quickly 40 Whose courage had failed him. Wiglaf discoursed then, Weohstan his son, sad-mooded hero,

{He begins to taunt them.}

Looked on the hated: "He who soothness will utter Can say that the liegelord who gave you the jewels, The ornament-armor wherein ye are standing, 45 When on ale-bench often he offered to hall-men Helmet and burnie, the prince to his liegemen, As best upon earth he was able to find him,--

[97]

{Surely our lord wasted his armor on poltroons.}

That he wildly wasted his war-gear undoubtedly When battle o'ertook him.[2] The troop-king no need had 50 To glory in comrades; yet G.o.d permitted him,

{He, however, got along without you}

Victory-Wielder, with weapon unaided Himself to avenge, when vigor was needed.

I life-protection but little was able To give him in battle, and I 'gan, notwithstanding,

{With some aid, I could have saved our liegelord}

55 Helping my kinsman (my strength overtaxing): He waxed the weaker when with weapon I smote on My mortal opponent, the fire less strongly Flamed from his bosom. Too few of protectors Came round the king at the critical moment.

{Gift-giving is over with your people: the ring-lord is dead.}

60 Now must ornament-taking and weapon-bestowing, Home-joyance all, cease for your kindred, Food for the people; each of your warriors Must needs be bereaved of rights that he holdeth In landed possessions, when faraway n.o.bles 65 Shall learn of your leaving your lord so basely,

{What is life without honor?}

The dastardly deed. Death is more pleasant To every earlman than infamous life is!"