Beowulf 22Novel enough; on the North Danes fastened
18
Literature · Religion
Beowulf 22
Novel enough; on the North Danes fastened
HallEnglish
A terror of anguish, on all of the men there
Who heard from the wall the weeping and plaining,
The song of defeat from the foeman of heaven,
Heard him hymns of horror howl, and his sorrow
80 Hell-bound bewailing. He held him too firmly
Who was strongest of main-strength of men of that era.
B. and t.B. emend so as to make lines 9 and 10 read: _Never in his
life, earlier or later, had he, the hell-thane, found a braver
hero_.--They argue that Beowulf's companions had done nothing to merit
such encomiums as the usual readings allow them.
For 'réðe rén-weardas' (771), t.B. suggests 'réðe, rénhearde.'
Translate: They were both angry, raging and mighty.
XIII.
GRENDEL IS VANQUISHED.
{Beowulf has no idea of letting Grendel live.}
For no cause whatever would the earlmen's defender
Leave in life-joys the loathsome newcomer,
He deemed his existence utterly useless
To men under heaven. Many a noble
5 Of Beowulf brandished his battle-sword old,
Would guard the life of his lord and protector,
The far-famous chieftain, if able to do so;
While waging the warfare, this wist they but little,
Brave battle-thanes, while his body intending
{No weapon would harm Grendel; he bore a charmed life.}
