Beowulf (12 page)

Thus have I ruled the Ring-Danes under the heavens
for fifty winters, waging war to protect them
against many peoples throughout this middle-earth,
with spears and swords, so I did not consider myself
to have any enemy remaining under the sky’s expanse.
But hear! My homeland suffered reversal of fortune,
of grief following happiness, after Grendel the invader
became my monstrous enemy for many years.
Without any break, I bore that oppression,
with much sorrow in spirit. May the Creator be thanked,
the eternal Lord, that I survived with life,
so that I may see with my own eyes
that sword-bloodied head after the long struggle!
Go now to your seat, have joy in celebrating
the honors from battle, for between us two
many riches will be shared when morning comes.”

In gladness of spirit, the Geat then went
to seek out his seat, as the wise king directed.
Then once more as before, a feast was made ready,
for heroes famed for courage, sitting in the hall
for this occasion. The shadows of dusk deepened,
spreading darkness over all. Seasoned warriors rose up,
as their hoary-haired king, old ruler of the Scyldings,
wished to seek his bed. Well pleased was the Geat,
the famed shield-warrior, to find his own rest.
Then a hall thane showed the way to the warrior,
come from a far land, and weary from his venture.
The thane ministered to the needs of the man
with all due courtesy, such as in those days
seafaring warriors were supposed to receive.

The great-hearted hero took his rest. The hall rose up,
broad and gold-adorned. The guest slept within,
until the black raven with blithe spirit announced
the joy of the heavens.
^w
Then brightness hastened,
[daylight after darkness.] The warriors moved quickly,
as the nobles were eager to embark on the journey
back to their people. The brave-hearted visitor
wished to seek out his ship far from that hall.

Then battle-brave Beowulf ordered that Hrunting
be brought to Unferth, for him to take back the sword,
the beloved blade, and thanked him for that gift.
The Geat said he thought the sword a good war-friend,
bold in battle, and said that he found no fault
in the edge of the blade. That was a high-minded man!
Then eager to depart, the Geats were all dressed,
ready in war-gear. Their prince who had won honor
among the Danes, the brave hero in battle,
went to Hrothgar’s high-seat, and greeted the king.

Beowulf spoke, the son of Ecgtheow:
“Now we seafarers, come from far off,
wish to say we desire your leave to seek out
our own King Hygelac. We have been welcomed here
most graciously. You have hosted us well.
If I can do anything in this wide world
to earn from you greater heart’s affection,
ruler over men, than I have already performed
of works of war, I shall stand ready.
If I should hear, over the stretch of the sea,
that neighboring nations threaten you with war,
as enemy peoples have done in the past,
I shall bring to your aid thousands of war-thanes,
an army of heroes. I know that Hygelac,
the king of the Geats, protector of his people,
though young in years, will support me in this
with words and deeds. Thus I will honor you well,
and bring into battle a forest of spears,
to support you with strength, when you have need of men.
If some time your son Hrethric should decide to come
to the court of the Geats, he could count on finding
many friends there. It is truly fitting to visit
faraway countries for a man of real worth.”

Then Hrothgar spoke, gave reply to the Geat:
“The Ruler of Wisdom has sent well-formed words
into your head. Never till now have I heard
such mature speaking by a man so young.
You are strong in might, prudent in spirit,
wise in word-smithing. I fully expect
that if it should happen, that the shaft of a spear,
sword-grim battle, sickness or blade of iron
swept away Hrethel’s son, your dear lord,
the people’s protector—and you still have life—
that the Sea-Geats could not seek anywhere
to find a better choice for their own king,
hoard-guardian of heroes, if you would rule
the kingdom of your kin. I admire your spirit
more and more as time passes, dear Beowulf.
You have brought it about, that both our peoples,
the nations of Sea-Geats and of Spear-Danes,
shall share in the peace, and put strife to rest—
the malicious evil they endured before—
while I wield power over the wide kingdom,
treasures will be shared, and many a man will greet
another with gifts over the gannet’s bath.
^x
The ring-prowed ship shall bring over the seas
tokens of mutual affection. I know my countrymen
forever remain firm with both friend and foe,
unswervingly faithful to ancient tradition.”

Then the safeguard of nobles, the son of Healfdene,
gave him gifts in the hall, twelve treasures in all.
Hrothgar bade him seek safety among his dear people,
to come quickly back to them with precious gifts.
Then the king of noble lineage, the lord of the Scyldings,
kissed the best of thanes, Beowulf the Geat,
and clasped his neck, while tears dropped down
from the hoary-haired ruler. Old and very wise,
he might expect one of two things, but especially one—
that after this day they would not see one another,
as brave men meeting together. Beowulf was to him so dear
that he could not control the surgings in his breast,
but in his heart the bonds of spirit held fast,
and he kept secret the longing that burned in his blood
for the dear man to stay. Then Beowulf strode away,
over grassy turf, a gold-proud warrior,
exulting in treasure. The sea-going ship
awaited its master, riding on anchor.
While sailing over waves, the gifts of Hrothgar
would often be praised. For he was a prince
in every way blameless, until conquering old age,
as with many others, stole from him the joys of strength.

—
XXVII—

Then the company of brave young comrades
came to the sea. They wore coats of mail,
woven with interlocked rings. The coastguard watched
the approach of this band, as he had done before.
He did not insult them by greeting these guests
from the rim of the cliff, but rode down toward them,
proclaiming these shining warriors returning to their ship
would be most welcome to the people of the Weders.
Then on the beach the curved wide boat
was loaded with war-gear, the ring-prowed ship
filled with horses and treasures. The mast towered
high over the hoard of riches given out by Hrothgar.
To the guardian of the boat Beowulf gave a sword,
bound round with gold, so later on the mead-bench
the man was more honored for holding this treasure,
an ancient heirloom. Then Beowulf mounted the boat,
to drive through deep waters, leaving the Danish land.
There by the mast was a sheet of sea-garment,
a sail held fast by a rope. The ship’s planks creaked;
the wind over waters did not hinder the wave-floater
from steering its course. The sea-vessel plunged on,
its neck spraying foam, floating over the flood,
the tightly bound prow pitching over the streams—
till the sailors could see the high cliffs of the Geats,
the well-known headlands, and the ship shot forward,
buffeted by winds, to land up on the beach.
At once the harbor-guard, who had eagerly gazed,
looking far out over the ocean for a very long time,
expecting these comrades, stood ready by the sea.
He steadied on the sand the wide-bosomed ship,
made fast by anchor-ropes, so the might of the waves
could not carry away the fine wooden craft.
Then Beowulf gave orders to bring the noble treasures,
precious adornments and plated gold, for it was not far
for them to seek their great giver of gifts,
Hygelac son of Hrethel, where he dwelt at home,
surrounded by retainers, nearby the sea-wall.

The building was splendid, the bold king sitting
in the high hall, along with Hygd, his very young queen,
who was wise and accomplished, though very few winters
had this daughter of Haereth spent dwelling there,
within the stronghold. She was not mean in spirit,
nor sparing in giving gifts of rich treasures
to the Geatish folk—far different from Modthryth,
herself a high queen, who committed outrages.
There was no man among the close comrades
so brave as to dare to look on her by day,
with eyes upon her, except her own husband,
but he could count himself destined for deadly bonds
artfully woven. Soon after that he was seized,
held by strong hand-grips for the doom of the sword,
so the bright patterned blade would settle the matter,
displaying deadly evil. That is no way for a queen
to exercise power, though she may have no equals—
she should be a peace-weaver,
¹⁷
not fake a pretext
to take away life from a loyal retainer.
So the kinsman of Hemming
^y
put a stop to that.
Men drinking ale told a different tale,
that she produced less distress among the people,
far fewer hostilities, after she was given in marriage,
adorned with gold and of goodly lineage,
to the young chieftain, following her father’s advice,
and sailed over the yellow waves to take her seat
in Offa’s hall. Afterward she made excellent use
of her queenly throne, became famous for goodness
as long as her life-span was ordered by fate.
She held noble love for the chieftain of heroes,
who of all mankind, as I have heard told,
was the very best-living between the seas
of all the nations. For Offa was famed
as a spear-skilled man, and widely honored
in gift-giving and war, ruling with wisdom
his own native land. Then Offa fathered Eomer,
champion of heroes and kinsman of Hemming,
grandson of Garmund, skillful in battle.

Then Beowulf the bold went with his war-band,
striding over the sand to the plain by the sea,
along the wide shore. The world-candle
^z
shone,
the sun hastening from the south. Marching together,
they quickened their pace, toward the protector of nobles,
the slayer of Ongentheow,
^aa
inside the stronghold,
the young war-king, who had proved his worth
giving rings to retainers. There King Hygelac
was right away told of Beowulf’s arrival—
that back to his home, the king’s guardian of comrades,
his shield-companion, had come full of life,
unharmed from sword-sport, to greet him in court.
Space was quickly cleared, within the wide hall,
as the king directed, to welcome the foot-warriors.

Then with the king sat the one who survived
the deadly fighting, kinsman opposite kinsman,
as the ruler of men gave ceremonial greeting,
with earnest words. The queenly daughter of Haereth
^ab
went round the high hall with vessels of mead,
showed love to the people, sharing the drinking cup
among the heroes. Then Hygelac began,
pressed by curiosity, politely to question
his companion sitting there in the high hall
about the adventures of the Sea-Geats:
“How did you do on your voyage, dear Beowulf,
after all of a sudden you resolved to go off,
to seek deadly combat far over salt waters,
hand-fighting at Heorot? Have you for Hrothgar,
the prince of renown, somewhat remedied
his widely-known woes? Worried over this venture,
I have seethed with sorrows, yet did not trust the chances
of my beloved friend. For long I entreated you
not to take on in battle that deadly terror,
but let the South-Danes settle their own scores,
in their war with Grendel.
¹⁸
I give thanks to God
that I may now see you back, safe and sound.”

Beowulf spoke, son of Ecgtheow:
“The truth is not hidden, King Hygelac,
among many men, concerning the great meeting
of Grendel and me in the time we two tested
each other in battle, in the place he brought sorrow,
never-ending miseries, to so many of the men
of the Victory-Scyldings. Yet I won vengeance,
so no kinsmen of Grendel can have reason to boast,
anywhere over the earth, about our night-clashing-no
matter who lives longest of that loathsome race,
enveloped in evil. When first there, I went
to the ring-hall to hold counsel with Hrothgar.
As soon as he knew what my heart was set on,
the famous king, the kinsman of Healfdene,
assigned me a seat beside his own sons.
The company was spirited; never have I seen,
under heaven’s arch, more joy in mead-drinking
among friends in the hall. At times the famed queen,
peace-bringer to the people, circled around the hall,
urging on the young revelers. Often she gave rings
to some of the men, before she went to her seat.
At times Hrothgar’s daughter herself took the ale-cup
to each of the earls in the war-band of veterans,
and I heard the men sitting together in the hall
call her Freawaru, as she passed the studded cup
to each of the heroes. She has been promised as bride,
gold-adorned and youthful, to the gracious son of Froda.
^ac
The king of the Scyldings, protector of his people,
arranged terms for the union, considered it advisable
that he could settle the conflicts of deadly feuds,
through marriage of his daughter. Yet seldom does it
happen
that the spear stays at rest, for even a short while,
after a man has been slain—though the bride be splendid!

Then may the Heathobard prince be provoked,
and each of the thanes from among his people,
when he goes with his wife into the hall,
that her Danish attendants are entertained nobly
and richly adorned with ancient heirlooms,
Heathobard treasures, made hard and patterned,
that were theirs while they might wield those weapons—

till they led their own comrades, with themselves as well,
down to destruction in the shield-play of battle.
Then at the beer-drinking, an old spear-warrior will speak,
seeing a Heathobard sword on one of the Danes,
and remembering the slaughter—his spirit made grim—
in this sad mood, he begins to put to the test
a young Heathobard hero, awakening in his heart
the fury of war through uttering these words:
‘My dear comrade, can you recognize that sword,
the fine old blade, that your father bore
into the battle, with his helmet strapped on
for the last time, when he was struck down by Danes,
the powerful Scyldings, who controlled the killing-place
when our Withergyld
^ad
fell, in the slaughter of heroes?
Now in this hall some young son of those murderers
swaggers out on the floor, gloating in our arms,
boasting of the carnage, and bearing the old sword,
the one that you by right ought to possess.’
Thus he tempts the young warrior every time he can,
with stinging words, until the moment arrives
when the offending thane of the queen is cut down,
bloodied by the bite of the blade, forfeiting his life
for his father’s deeds. His Heathobard foe
escapes with his life, since he knows the land well.
Then the oaths sworn by earls on both sides
will be broken. After that deadly rage wells up
against Ingeld, and after new troubles arise
his love for his wife begins to become cooler.
Thus I would not count on the firm friendship
of the Heathobard people, nor on peace made by
marriage,
without deceit toward Danes.