Beowulf 56When I proved before heroes the slayer of Dæghrefn
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Literature · Religion
Beowulf 56
When I proved before heroes the slayer of Dæghrefn
HallEnglish
Knight of the Hugmen: he by no means was suffered
To the king of the Frisians to carry the jewels,
The breast-decoration; but the banner-possessor
Bowed in the battle, brave-mooded atheling.
45 No weapon was slayer, but war-grapple broke then
The surge of his spirit, his body destroying.
Now shall weapon's edge make war for the treasure,
And hand and firm-sword." Beowulf spake then,
Boast-words uttered--the latest occasion:
{He boasts of his youthful prowess, and declares himself still fearless.}
50 "I braved in my youth-days battles unnumbered;
Still am I willing the struggle to look for,
Fame-deeds perform, folk-warden prudent,
If the hateful despoiler forth from his cavern
Seeketh me out!" Each of the heroes,
55 Helm-bearers sturdy, he thereupon greeted
{His last salutations.}
Belovèd co-liegemen--his last salutation:
"No brand would I bear, no blade for the dragon,
Wist I a way my word-boast to 'complish
Else with the monster, as with Grendel I did it;
60 But fire in the battle hot I expect there,
Furious flame-burning: so I fixed on my body
Target and war-mail. The ward of the barrow
I'll not flee from a foot-length, the foeman uncanny.
At the wall 'twill befall us as Fate decreeth,
{Let Fate decide between us.}
65 Each one's Creator. I am eager in spirit,
With the wingèd war-hero to away with all boasting.
Bide on the barrow with burnies protected,
{Wait ye here till the battle is over.}
Earls in armor, which of us two may better
Bear his disaster, when the battle is over.
70 'Tis no matter of yours, and man cannot do it,
But me and me only, to measure his strength with
The monster of malice, might-deeds to 'complish.
I with prowess shall gain the gold, or the battle,
Direful death-woe will drag off your ruler!"
75 The mighty champion rose by his shield then,
Brave under helmet, in battle-mail went he
'Neath steep-rising stone-cliffs, the strength he relied on
Of one man alone: no work for a coward.
Then he saw by the wall who a great many battles
80 Had lived through, most worthy, when foot-troops collided,
{The place of strife is described.}
Stone-arches standing, stout-hearted champion,
Saw a brook from the barrow bubbling out thenceward:
The flood of the fountain was fuming with war-flame:
Not nigh to the hoard, for season the briefest
85 Could he brave, without burning, the abyss that was yawning,
The drake was so fiery. The prince of the Weders
Caused then that words came from his bosom,
So fierce was his fury; the firm-hearted shouted:
His battle-clear voice came in resounding
90 'Neath the gray-colored stone. Stirred was his hatred,
{Beowulf calls out under the stone arches.}
The hoard-ward distinguished the speech of a man;
Time was no longer to look out for friendship.
The breath of the monster issued forth first,
Vapory war-sweat, out of the stone-cave:
{The terrible encounter.}
95 The earth re-echoed. The earl 'neath the barrow
Lifted his shield, lord of the Geatmen,
Tow'rd the terrible stranger: the ring-twisted creature's
Heart was then ready to seek for a struggle.
{Beowulf brandishes his sword,}
The excellent battle-king first brandished his weapon,
100 The ancient heirloom, of edges unblunted,
To the death-planners twain was terror from other.
{and stands against his shield.}
The lord of the troopers intrepidly stood then
'Gainst his high-rising shield, when the dragon coiled him
{The dragon coils himself.}
Quickly together: in corslet he bided.
105 He went then in blazes, bended and striding,
Hasting him forward. His life and body
The targe well protected, for time-period shorter
Than wish demanded for the well-renowned leader,
Where he then for the first day was forced to be victor,
110 Famous in battle, as Fate had not willed it.
The lord of the Geatmen uplifted his hand then,
Smiting the fire-drake with sword that was precious,
That bright on the bone the blade-edge did weaken,
Bit more feebly than his folk-leader needed,
115 Burdened with bale-griefs. Then the barrow-protector,
{The dragon rages}
When the sword-blow had fallen, was fierce in his spirit,
Flinging his fires, flamings of battle
Gleamed then afar: the gold-friend of Weders
{Beowulf's sword fails him.}
Boasted no conquests, his battle-sword failed him
120 Naked in conflict, as by no means it ought to,
Long-trusty weapon. 'Twas no slight undertaking
That Ecgtheow's famous offspring would leave
The drake-cavern's bottom; he must live in some region
Other than this, by the will of the dragon,
125 As each one of earthmen existence must forfeit.
'Twas early thereafter the excellent warriors
{The combat is renewed.}
Met with each other. Anew and afresh
The hoard-ward took heart (gasps heaved then his bosom):
{The great hero is reduced to extremities.}
Sorrow he suffered encircled with fire
130 Who the people erst governed. His companions by no means
Were banded about him, bairns of the princes,
{His comrades flee!}
With valorous spirit, but they sped to the forest,
Seeking for safety. The soul-deeps of one were
{Blood is thicker than water.}
Ruffled by care: kin-love can never
135 Aught in him waver who well doth consider.
The clause 2520(2)-2522(1), rendered by 'Wist I ... monster,' Gr.,
followed by S., translates substantially as follows: _If I knew how
else I might combat the boastful defiance of the monster_.--The
translation turns upon 'wiðgrípan,' a word not understood.
B. emends and translates: _I will not flee the space of a foot
from the guard of the barrow, but there shall be to us a fight at the
wall, as fate decrees, each one's Creator._
The translation of this passage is based on 'unsláw' (2565),
accepted by H.-So., in lieu of the long-standing 'ungléaw.' The former
is taken as an adj. limiting 'sweord'; the latter as an adj. c.
'gúð-cyning': _The good war-king, rash with edges, brandished his
sword, his old relic._ The latter gives a more rhetorical Anglo-Saxon
(poetical) sentence.
XXXVI.
WIGLAF THE TRUSTY.--BEOWULF IS DESERTED BY FRIENDS AND BY SWORD.
The son of Weohstan was Wiglaf entitled,
Shield-warrior precious, prince of the Scylfings,
Ælfhere's kinsman: he saw his dear liegelord
Enduring the heat 'neath helmet and visor.
5 Then he minded the holding that erst he had given him,
{Wiglaf recalls Beowulf's generosity.}
The Wægmunding warriors' wealth-blessèd homestead,
Each of the folk-rights his father had wielded;
He was hot for the battle, his hand seized the target,
The yellow-bark shield, he unsheathed his old weapon,
10 Which was known among earthmen as the relic of Eanmund,
Ohthere's offspring, whom, exiled and friendless,
Weohstan did slay with sword-edge in battle,
And carried his kinsman the clear-shining helmet,
The ring-made burnie, the old giant-weapon
15 That Onela gave him, his boon-fellow's armor,
Ready war-trappings: he the feud did not mention,
Though he'd fatally smitten the son of his brother.
Many a half-year held he the treasures,
The bill and the burnie, till his bairn became able,
20 Like his father before him, fame-deeds to 'complish;
Then he gave him 'mong Geatmen a goodly array of
Weeds for his warfare; he went from life then
Old on his journey. 'Twas the earliest time then
{This is Wiglaf's first battle as liegeman of Beowulf.}
That the youthful champion might charge in the battle
25 Aiding his liegelord; his spirit was dauntless.
Nor did kinsman's bequest quail at the battle:
This the dragon discovered on their coming together.
Wiglaf uttered many a right-saying,
Said to his fellows, sad was his spirit:
{Wiglaf appeals to the pride of the cowards.}
30 "I remember the time when, tasting the mead-cup,
We promised in the hall the lord of us all
Who gave us these ring-treasures, that this battle-equipment,
Swords and helmets, we'd certainly quite him,
Should need of such aid ever befall him:
{How we have forfeited our liegelord's confidence!}
