Beowulf Part 33

[1] For 'daedum raedan' (2859) B. suggests 'dea araedan,' and renders: _The might (or judgment) of G.o.d would determine death for every man, as he still does._

[2] Some critics, H. himself in earlier editions, put the clause, 'When ... him' (A.-S. 'a ... beget') with the following sentence; that is, they make it dependent upon 'orfte' (2875) instead of upon 'forwurpe' (2873).

XL.

THE MESSENGER OF DEATH.

{Wiglaf sends the news of Beowulf's death to liegemen near by.}

Then he charged that the battle be announced at the hedge Up o'er the cliff-edge, where the earl-troopers bided The whole of the morning, mood-wretched sat them, Bearers of battle-s.h.i.+elds, both things expecting, 5 The end of his lifetime and the coming again of The liegelord beloved. Little reserved he Of news that was known, who the ness-cliff did travel, But he truly discoursed to all that could hear him:

[98]

{The messenger speaks.}

"Now the free-giving friend-lord of the folk of the Weders, 10 The folk-prince of Geatmen, is fast in his death-bed, By the deeds of the dragon in death-bed abideth; Along with him lieth his life-taking foeman Slain with knife-wounds: he was wholly unable To injure at all the ill-planning monster

{Wiglaf sits by our dead lord.}

15 With bite of his sword-edge. Wiglaf is sitting, Offspring of Wihstan, up over Beowulf, Earl o'er another whose end-day hath reached him, Head-watch holdeth o'er heroes unliving,[1]

{Our lord's death will lead to attacks from our old foes.}

For friend and for foeman. The folk now expecteth 20 A season of strife when the death of the folk-king To Frankmen and Frisians in far-lands is published.

The war-hatred waxed warm 'gainst the Hugmen,

{Higelac's death recalled.}

When Higelac came with an army of vessels Faring to Friesland, where the Frankmen in battle 25 Humbled him and bravely with overmight 'complished That the mail-clad warrior must sink in the battle, Fell 'mid his folk-troop: no fret-gems presented The atheling to earlmen; aye was denied us Merewing's mercy. The men of the Swedelands 30 For truce or for truth trust I but little; But widely 'twas known that near Ravenswood Ongentheow

{Haethcyn's fall referred to.}

Sundered Haethcyn the Hrethling from life-joys, When for pride overweening the War-Scylfings first did Seek the Geatmen with savage intentions.

35 Early did Ohthere's age-laden father, Old and terrible, give blow in requital, Killing the sea-king, the queen-mother rescued, The old one his consort deprived of her gold, Onela's mother and Ohthere's also, [99] 40 And then followed the feud-nursing foemen till hardly, Reaved of their ruler, they Ravenswood entered.

Then with vast-numbered forces he a.s.saulted the remnant, Weary with wounds, woe often promised The livelong night to the sad-hearted war-troop: 45 Said he at morning would kill them with edges of weapons, Some on the gallows for glee to the fowls.

Aid came after to the anxious-in-spirit At dawn of the day, after Higelac's bugle And trumpet-sound heard they, when the good one proceeded 50 And faring followed the flower of the troopers.

[1] 'Hige-meum' (2910) is glossed by H. as dat. plu. (= for the dead). S. proposes 'hige-mee,' nom. sing. limiting Wiglaf; i.e. _W., mood-weary, holds head-watch o'er friend and foe_.--B. suggests taking the word as dat. inst. plu. of an abstract noun in -'u.' The translation would be substantially the same as S.'s.

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 h.o.a.rd-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 a.s.saulted 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-h.o.a.ry man, But his head-s.h.i.+elding 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 va.s.sal, 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 s.h.i.+eld-wall; the folk-prince succ.u.mbed 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 h.o.a.rd and kingdom 'gainst hating a.s.sailers, 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 ma.s.s 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