Beówulf | Page 5

of the poem ends. The second begins with the accession of Beówulf to
the throne, after the fall of Hygelac and his son Heardred. He rules prosperously for fifty
years, till a dragon, brooding over a hidden treasure, begins to ravage the country, and
destroys Beówulf's palace with fire. Beówulf sets out in quest of its hiding-place, with
twelve men. Having a presentiment of his approaching end, he pauses and recalls to mind
his past life and exploits. He then takes leave of his followers, one by one, and advances
alone to attack the dragon. Unable, from the heat, to enter the cavern, he shouts aloud,
and the dragon comes forth. The dragon's scaly hide is proof against Beówulf's sword,
and he is reduced to great straits. Then Wiglaf, one of his followers, advances to help him.
Wiglaf's shield is consumed by the dragon's fiery breath, and he is compelled to seek
shelter under Beówulf's shield of iron. Beówulf's sword snaps asunder, and he is seized
by the dragon. Wiglaf stabs the dragon from underneath, and Beówulf cuts it in two with
his dagger. Feeling that his end is near, he bids Wiglaf bring out the treasures from the
cavern, that he may see them before he dies. Wiglaf enters the dragon's den, which is
described, returns to Beówulf, and receives his last commands. Beówulf dies, and Wiglaf
bitterly reproaches his companions for their cowardice. The disastrous consequences of
Beówulf's death are then foretold, and the poem ends with his funeral.--H. Sweet, in
Warton's History of English Poetry, Vol. II. (ed. 1871). Cf. also Ten Brink's History of
English Literature.
BEÓWULF.
I. THE PASSING OF SCYLD.
Hwät! we Gâr-Dena in geâr-dagum
þeód-cyninga þrym gefrunon,
hû þâ äðelingas
ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scêfing sceaðena þreátum,
5 monegum mægðum
meodo-setla ofteáh.
Egsode eorl, syððan ærest wearð
feá-sceaft funden: he þäs frôfre gebâd,
weôx under
wolcnum, weorð-myndum ðâh,
ôð þät him æghwylc þâra ymb-sittendra
10 ofer
hron-râde hýran scolde,
gomban gyldan: þät wäs gôd cyning!
þäm eafera wäs äfter cenned
geong in geardum,
þone god sende
folce tô frôfre; fyren-þearfe ongeat,
15 þät hie ær drugon aldor-leáse
lange hwîle. Him þäs lîf-freá,
wuldres wealdend, worold-âre forgeaf;
Beówulf wäs
breme (blæd wîde sprang),
Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.

20 Swâ sceal geong
guma, gôde gewyrcean,

fromum feoh-giftum on fäder wine,
þät hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wil-gesîðas,
þonne wîg cume,
leóde gelæsten: lof-dædum sceal
25 in mægða gehwære man
geþeón.
Him þâ Scyld gewât tô gescäp-hwîle
fela-hrôr fêran on freán wære;
hi hyne þâ
ätbæron tô brimes faroðe.
swæse gesîðas, swâ he selfa bäd,
30 þenden wordum weóld
wine Scyldinga,
leóf land-fruma lange âhte.
Þær ät hýðe stôd hringed-stefna,
îsig and ûtfûs, äðelinges
fär;
â-lêdon þâ leófne þeóden,
35 beága bryttan on bearm scipes,
mærne be mäste. Þær wäs mâdma fela,
of feor-wegum frätwa gelæded:
ne hýrde ic
cymlîcor ceól gegyrwan
hilde-wæpnum and heaðo-wædum,
40 billum and byrnum;
him on bearme läg
mâdma mänigo, þâ him mid scoldon
on flôdes æht feor gewîtan.
Nalas hi hine lässan
lâcum teódan,
þeód-gestreónum, þonne þâ dydon,
45 þe hine ät frumsceafte forð
onsendon
ænne ofer ýðe umbor wesende:
þâ gyt hie him âsetton segen gyldenne
heáh ofer
heáfod, lêton holm beran,
geâfon on gâr-secg: him wäs geômor sefa,
50 murnende
môd. Men ne cunnon
secgan tô soðe sele-rædende,
häleð under heofenum, hwâ þäm hläste onfêng.
II. THE HALL HEOROT.
Þâ wäs on burgum Beówulf Scyldinga,
leóf leód-cyning, longe þrage
55 folcum
gefræge (fäder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), ôð þät him eft onwôc
heáh Healfdene; heóld þenden lifde,
gamol and
gûð-reów, gläde Scyldingas.
Þäm feówer bearn forð-gerîmed
60 in worold wôcun,
weoroda ræswan,
Heorogâr and Hrôðgâr and Hâlga til;
hýrde ic, þat Elan cwên Ongenþeówes wäs

Heaðoscilfinges heals-gebedde.
Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre here-spêd gyfen,
65 wîges
weorð-mynd, þät him his wine-mâgas
georne hýrdon, ôð þät seó geogoð geweôx,
mago-driht micel. Him on môd bearn,

þät
heal-reced hâtan wolde,
medo-ärn micel men gewyrcean,
70 þone yldo bearn æfre
gefrunon,
and þær on innan eall gedælan
geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde,
bûton
folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Þâ ic wîde gefrägn weorc gebannan
75 manigre
mægðe geond þisne middan-geard,

folc-stede frätwan. Him on fyrste gelomp
ädre mid yldum, þät hit wearð eal gearo,

heal-ärna mæst; scôp him Heort naman,
se þe his wordes geweald wîde häfde.
80 He
beót ne âlêh, beágas dælde,
sinc ät symle. Sele hlifade
heáh and horn-geáp: heaðo-wylma bâd,
lâðan lîges; ne wäs
hit lenge þâ gen
þät se ecg-hete âðum-swerian
85 äfter wäl-nîðe wäcnan scolde.
Þâ se ellen-gæst earfoðlîce
þrage geþolode, se þe in þýstrum bâd,
þät he dôgora
gehwâm dreám gehýrde
hlûdne in healle; þær wäs hearpan swêg,
90 swutol sang
scôpes. Sägde se þe cûðe
frum-sceaft fira feorran reccan,
cwäð þät se älmihtiga eorðan worhte,
wlite-beorhtne
wang, swâ wäter bebûgeð,
gesette sige-hrêðig sunnan and mônan
95 leóman tô leóhte
land-bûendum,
and gefrätwade foldan sceátas
leomum and leáfum; lîf eác gesceôp
cynna gehwylcum,
þâra þe cwice hwyrfað.
Swâ þâ driht-guman dreámum lifdon
100 eádiglîce, ôð þät ân
ongan
fyrene fremman, feónd on helle:
wäs se grimma gäst Grendel hâten,
mære
mearc-stapa, se þe môras heóld,
fen and fästen; fîfel-cynnes eard
105 won-sælig wer
weardode hwîle,
siððan him scyppend forscrifen häfde.
In Caines cynne þone cwealm gewräc,
êce
drihten, þäs þe he Abel slôg;
ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac he hine feor