Beowulf - Delphi Poets Series Read online

  4 The antitype again: see above, v. 901. Heremod is of Hrothgar’s own kingdom; of Ecgwela, a Danish ancestor also, nothing is known.

  5 Poetry was a wide word of old, and gid — i.e. “verse” or “poem” — was also used to indicate the oral communication of wisdom (once always in rimed saws, proverbs, and the like) and philosophy.

  XXV

  1745 “Under harness his heart then is hit indeed

  by sharpest shafts; and no shelter avails

  from foul behest of the hellish fiend.1

  Him seems too little what long he possessed.

  Greedy and grim, no golden rings

  1750 he gives for his pride; the promised future

  forgets he and spurns, with all God has sent him,

  Wonder-Wielder, of wealth and fame.

  Yet in the end it ever comes

  that the frame of the body fragile yields,

  1755 fatéd falls; and there follows another

  who joyously the jewels divides,2

  the royal riches, nor recks of his forebear.

  Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest,

  best of men, and the better part choose,

  1760 profit eternal; and temper thy pride,

  warrior famous! The flower of thy might

  lasts now a while: but erelong it shall be

  that sickness or sword thy strength shall minish,

  or fang of fire, or flooding billow,

  1765 or bite of blade, or brandished spear,

  or odious age; or the eyes’ clear beam

  wax dull and darken: Death even thee

  in haste shall o’erwhelm, thou hero of war!

  So the Ring-Danes these half-years a hundred I ruled,

  1770 wielded ‘neath welkin, and warded them bravely

  from mighty-ones many o’er middle-earth,

  from spear and sword, till it seemed for me

  no foe could be found under fold of the sky.

  Lo, sudden the shift! To me seated secure

  1775 came grief for joy when Grendel began

  to harry my home, the hellish foe;

  for those ruthless raids, unresting I suffered

  heart-sorrow heavy. Heaven be thanked,

  Lord Eternal, for life extended

  1780 that I on this head all hewn and bloody,

  after long evil, with eyes may gaze!

  — Go to the bench now! Be glad at banquet,

  warrior worthy! A wealth of treasure

  at dawn of day, be dealt between us!”

  1785 Glad was the Geats’ lord, going betimes

  to seek his seat, as the Sage commanded.

  Afresh, as before, for the famed-in-battle,

  for the band of the hall, was a banquet dight

  nobly anew. The Night-Helm darkened

  1790 dusk o’er the drinkers.

  The doughty ones rose:

  for the hoary-headed would hasten to rest,

  agéd Scylding; and eager the Geat,

  shield-fighter sturdy, for sleeping yearned.

  Him wander-weary, warrior-guest

  1795 from far, a hall-thane heralded forth,

  who by custom courtly cared for all

  needs of a thane as in those old days

  warrior-wanderers wont to have.

  So slumbered the stout-heart. Stately the hall

  1800 rose gabled and gilt where the guest slept on

  till a raven black the rapture-of-heaven3

  blithe-heart boded. Bright came flying

  shine after shadow. The swordsmen hastened,

  athelings all were eager homeward

  1805 forth to fare; and far from thence

  the great-hearted guest would guide his keel.

  Bade then the hardy-one Hrunting be brought

  to the son of Ecglaf, the sword bade him take,

  excellent iron, and uttered his thanks for it,

  1810 quoth that he counted it keen in battle,

  “war-friend” winsome: with words he slandered not

  edge of the blade: ’twas a big-hearted man!4

  Now eager for parting and armed at point

  warriors waited, while went to his host

  1815 that Darling of Danes. The doughty atheling

  to high-seat hastened and Hrothgar greeted.

  Footnotes

  1 That is, he is now undefended by conscience from the temptations (shafts) of the devil. This “sermon” of Hrothgar may be “of forty-parson power,” as some one says; but one likes to know what sort of sermon those English of the seventh century preferred. This one would have pleased Dr. Johnson. The same allegory is found in the Middle-English Sawles Warde, — that is, conscience, — and in many other places, times, and authors.

  2 Note the absumet heres Cæcuba dignior as partly a division of treasure, the right Germanic thing to do, and the hint of revel and profusion in Horace’s vein.

  3 Kenning for the sun. — This is a strange rôle for the raven. He is the warrior’s bird of battle, exults in slaughter and carnage; his joy here is a compliment to the sunrise.

  4 This is the simplest way to render a disputed passage; but it may not be the right way. The “hardy-one” here is Beowulf; he returns “Hrunting” in a formal speech, and praises its merits, laying no stress (properly, for enchantment was at work) on its failure to “bite” in the battle with Grendel’s mother. So the Geat’s courtesy is put in strong relief, and the parting from Unferth is contrasted with the meeting. Probably there were favorite songs once about Beowulf’s flyting with Unferth, and our amiable Christian poet, who has doubtless softened many of its asperities, now lays stress on the reconciliation. Klaeber, however, has shown that the philological ways of this interpretation are not smooth. Moreover, the present to a parting guest was inexorable custom in Germania; and Unferth is only doing his duty when (the passage can so be read) he, “the hardy-one,” the son of Ecglaf, orders “Hrunting” to be brought to Beowulf, who accepts it in his customary polite fashion. Of course, one must suppose that “Hrunting” has been already handed back to its owner, and is now finally presented.

  XXVI

  Beowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: —

  “Lo, we seafarers say our will,

  far-come men, that we fain would seek

  1820 Hygelac now. We here have found

  hosts to our heart: thou hast harbored us well.

  If ever on earth I am able to win me

  more of thy love, O lord of men,

  aught anew, than I now have done,

  1825 for work of war I am willing still!

  If it come to me ever across the seas

  that neighbor foemen annoy and fright thee, —

  as they that hate thee erewhile have used, —

  thousands then of thanes I shall bring,

  1830 heroes to help thee. Of Hygelac I know,

  ward of his folk, that, though few his years,

  the lord of the Geats will give me aid

  by word and by work, that well I may serve thee,

  wielding the war-wood to win thy triumph

  1835 and lending thee might when thou lackest men.

  If thy Hrethric should, come to court of Geats,1

  a sovran’s son, he will surely there

  find his friends. A far-off land

  each man should visit who vaunts him brave.”

  1840 Him then answering, Hrothgar spake: —

  “These words of thine the wisest God

  sent to thy soul! No sager counsel

  from so young in years e’er yet have I heard.

  Thou art strong of main and in mind art wary,

  1845 art wise in words! I ween indeed

  if ever it hap that Hrethel’s heir2

  by spear be seized, by sword-grim battle,

  by illness or iron,3 thine elder and lord,

  people’s leader, — and life be thine, —

  1850 no seemlier man will the Sea-Geats find

  a
t all to choose for their chief and king,

  for hoard-guard of heroes, if hold thou wilt

  thy kinsman’s kingdom! Thy keen mind pleases me

  the longer the better, Beowulf loved!

  1855 Thou hast brought it about that both our peoples,

  sons of the Geat and Spear-Dane folk,

  shall have mutual peace, and from murderous strife,

  such as once they waged, from war refrain.

  Long as I rule this realm so wide,

  1860 let our hoards be common, let heroes with gold

  each other greet o’er the gannet’s-bath,

  and the ringed-prow bear o’er rolling waves

  tokens of love. I trow my landfolk

  towards friend and foe are firmly joined,

  1865 and honor they keep in the olden way.”

  To him in the hall, then, Healfdene’s son

  gave treasures twelve, and the trust-of-earls

  bade him fare with the gifts to his folk beloved,

  hale to his home, and in haste return.

  1870 Then kissed the king of kin renowned,

  Scyldings’ chieftain, that choicest thane,

  and fell on his neck. Fast flowed the tears

  of the hoary-headed. Heavy with winters,

  he had chances twain, but he clung to this,4 —

  1875 that each should look on the other again,

  and hear him in hall. Was this hero so dear to him,

  his breast’s wild billows he banned in vain;

  safe in his soul a secret longing,

  locked5 in his mind, for that lovéd man

  1880 burned in his blood. Then Beowulf strode,

  glad of his gold-gifts, the grass-plot o’er,

  warrior blithe. The wave-roamer bode

  riding at anchor, its owner awaiting.

  As they hastened onward, Hrothgar’s gift

  1885 they lauded at length.— ’Twas a lord unpeered,

  every way blameless, till age had broken

  — it spareth no mortal — his splendid might.

  Footnotes

  1 Courteous, dignified, smoothly phrased, this leave-taking speech is admirable. — The custom of sending one’s son to serve and live in other noble families was maintained in England down to relatively modem times. The concluding sententia admirably balances advantage of travel with the dangers of those who go far from the protection of their own kin.

  2 Hygelac. — The involutions and variations of this period — high compliment — are characteristic of all formal speeches in the epic.

  3 Compare for this combmation of abstract and concrete, Genesis, v. 2296: —

  When from thy heart hunger or wolf

  soul and body at the same time tears.

  So, also, “battling and bulwarks,” v. 2323, below.

  4 That is, he might or might not see Beowulf again. Old as he was, the latter chance was likely; but he clung to the former, hoping to see his young friend again “and exchange brave words in the hall.”

  5 The Anglo-Saxon gnomic poems insist on this secrecy of thought. When a man speaks or sings, “he unlocks his word-hoard.” The advice of secrecy is emphasized for exiles and kinless men, as witness The Wanderer, v. 11:

  Sooth I know,

  in every earl ’tis an excellent trait

  that he bar and bind his breast amain,

  keep fast his thought-treasure, — think as he will.

  XXVII

  Came now to ocean the ever-courageous

  hardy henchmen, their harness bearing,

  1890 woven war-sarks. The warden marked,

  trusty as ever, the earl’s return.

  From the height of the hill no hostile words

  reached the guests as he rode to greet them;

  but “Welcome!” he called to that Weder clan

  1895 as the sheen-mailed spoilers to ship marched on.

  Then on the strand, with steeds and treasure

  and armor their roomy and ring-dight ship

  was heavily laden: high its mast

  rose over Hrothgar’s hoarded gems.

  1900 A sword to the boat-guard Beowulf gave,

  mounted with gold; on the mead-bench since

  he was better esteemed, that blade possessing,

  heirloom old. — Their ocean-keel boarding,

  they drove through the deep, and Daneland left.

  1905 A sea-cloth was set, a sail with ropes,

  firm to the mast; the flood-timbers moaned;1

  nor did wind over billows that wave-swimmer blow

  across from her course. The craft sped on,

  foam-necked it floated forth o’er the waves,

  1910 keel firm-bound over briny currents,

  till they got them sight of the Geatish cliffs,

  home-known headlands. High the boat,

  stirred by winds, on the strand updrove.

  Helpful at haven the harbor-guard stood,

  1915 who long already for loved companions

  by the water had waited and watched afar.

  He bound to the beach the broad-bosomed ship

  with anchor-bands, lest ocean-billows

  that trusty timber should tear away.

  1920 Then Beowulf bade them bear the treasure,

  gold and jewels; no journey far

  was it thence to go to the giver of rings,

  Hygelac Hrethling: at home he dwelt

  by the sea-wall close, himself and clan.

  1925 Haughty that house, a hero the king,

  high the hall, and Hygd2 right young,

  wise and wary, though winters few

  in those fortress walls she had found a home,

  Hæreth’s daughter. Nor humble her ways,

  1930 nor grudged she gifts to the Geatish men,

  of precious treasure. Not Thryth’s pride showed she,

  folk-queen famed, or that fell deceit.

  Was none so daring that durst make bold

  (save her lord alone) of the liegemen dear

  1935 that lady full in the face to look,

  but forgéd fetters he found his lot,

  bonds of death! And brief the respite;

  soon as they seized him, his sword-doom was spoken,

  and the burnished blade a baleful murder

  1940 proclaimed and closed. No queenly way

  for woman to practise, though peerless she,

  that the weaver-of-peace3 from warrior dear

  by wrath and lying his life should reave!

  But Hemming’s kinsman4 hindered this. —

  1945 For over their ale men also told

  that of these folk-horrors fewer she wrought,5

  onslaughts of evil, after she went,

  gold-decked bride, to the brave young prince,

  atheling haughty, and Offa’s hall

  1950 o’er the fallow flood at her father’s bidding

  safely sought, where since she prospered,

  royal, thronéd, rich in goods,

  fain of the fair life fate had sent her,

  and leal in love to the lord of warriors.

  1955 He, of all heroes I heard of ever

  from sea to sea, of the sons of earth,

  most excellent seemed. Hence6 Offa was praised

  for his fighting and feeing by far-off men,

  the spear-bold warrior; wisely he ruled

  1960 over his empire. Eomer woke to him,

  help of heroes, Hemming’s kinsman,

  grandson of Garmund,7 grim in war.

  Footnotes

  1 With the speed of the boat.

  2 Queen to Hygelac. She is praised by contrast with the antitype, Thryth, just as Beowulf was praised by contrast with Heremod. The slight insertion of a negative in the text of v. 1932, made by Schücking, Englische Studien, xxxix, 108 f., seems a most happy solution of the problem presented by this passage. The old emendation, —

  But Thrytho proved,

  folk-queen fearsome, fell an
d cruel . . .

  was rejected by recent editors because Thrytho is not a likely form of the name. Reading as the translation reads, one has a most likely bit of praise by negative, in the usual manner of this poet, for Hygd, who did not show the cruelty and haughtiness of Thryth, the legendary wife of Offa, king of the Continental Angles. With her legend is perhaps mingled a reference to the Anglo-Saxon queen of the Mercian Offa, Cynethryth. She died in 795, and is too late for the original version of the Beowulf, if those considerations have weight which are urged against a date for the original version later than the seventh century. See, however, Stevenson’s note to Asser’s Alfred, Cap, 15, and , where the tale of Eadburh, daughter to Offa of Mercia, is told to explain why Wessex folk disliked the name of “queen.” — Thryth belongs to that well-known family of obstreperous maids who riot and rage until tamed by the right man. In no case can the description apply to Hygd, who is called “very young.” — There is some reason for thinking that The Banished Wife’s Complaint, an Anglo-Saxon lyric, is based on the story of Offa.

  3 Kenning for “wife.”

  4 Eomer, as below (conjecturally), v. 1960; or, as Gering suggests, Offa himself.

  5 Litotes for “ceased altogether.” — Offa is praised in the Widsith lay, v. 38.

  6 See the ideal of a good king at the opening of the poem.

  7 The genealogy of the Mercian Offa makes his ancestral Anglian namesake, Offa, the son of Wærmund.

  XXVIII

  Hastened the hardy one, henchmen with him,

  sandy strand of the sea to tread

  1965 and widespread ways. The world’s great candle,

  sun shone from south. They strode along

  with sturdy steps to the spot they knew

  where the battle-king young, his burg within,

  slayer of Ongentheow,1 shared the rings,

  1970 shelter-of-heroes. To Hygelac

  Beowulf’s coming was quickly told, —

  that there in the court the clansmen’s refuge,

  the shield-companion sound and alive,

  hale from the hero-play homeward strode.

  1975 With haste in the hall, by highest order,

  room for the rovers was readily made.

  By his sovran he sat, come safe from battle,

  kinsman by kinsman. His kindly lord

  he first had greeted in gracious form,

  1980 with manly words. The mead dispensing,

  came through the high hall Hæreth’s daughter,

  winsome to warriors, wine-cup bore

  to the hands of the heroes. Hygelac then

  his comrade fairly with question plied