Beowulf | Page 4

bring?as the doughty monarch may deign to give."?Hied then in haste to where Hrothgar sat?white-haired and old, his earls about him,?till the stout thane stood at the shoulder there?of the Danish king: good courtier he!?Wulfgar spake to his winsome lord: --?"Hither have fared to thee far-come men?o'er the paths of ocean, people of Geatland;?and the stateliest there by his sturdy band?is Beowulf named. This boon they seek,?that they, my master, may with thee?have speech at will: nor spurn their prayer?to give them hearing, gracious Hrothgar!?In weeds of the warrior worthy they,?methinks, of our liking; their leader most surely,?a hero that hither his henchmen has led."
VI
HROTHGAR answered, helmet of Scyldings: --?"I knew him of yore in his youthful days;?his aged father was Ecgtheow named,?to whom, at home, gave Hrethel the Geat?his only daughter. Their offspring bold?fares hither to seek the steadfast friend.?And seamen, too, have said me this, --?who carried my gifts to the Geatish court,?thither for thanks, -- he has thirty men's?heft of grasp in the gripe of his hand,?the bold-in-battle. Blessed God?out of his mercy this man hath sent?to Danes of the West, as I ween indeed,?against horror of Grendel. I hope to give?the good youth gold for his gallant thought.?Be thou in haste, and bid them hither,?clan of kinsmen, to come before me;?and add this word, -- they are welcome guests?to folk of the Danes."?[To the door of the hall?Wulfgar went] and the word declared: --?"To you this message my master sends,?East-Danes' king, that your kin he knows,?hardy heroes, and hails you all?welcome hither o'er waves of the sea!?Ye may wend your way in war-attire,?and under helmets Hrothgar greet;?but let here the battle-shields bide your parley,?and wooden war-shafts wait its end."?Uprose the mighty one, ringed with his men,?brave band of thanes: some bode without,?battle-gear guarding, as bade the chief.?Then hied that troop where the herald led them,?under Heorot's roof: [the hero strode,]?hardy 'neath helm, till the hearth he neared.?Beowulf spake, -- his breastplate gleamed,?war-net woven by wit of the smith: --?"Thou Hrothgar, hail! Hygelac's I,?kinsman and follower. Fame a plenty?have I gained in youth! These Grendel-deeds?I heard in my home-land heralded clear.?Seafarers say how stands this hall,?of buildings best, for your band of thanes?empty and idle, when evening sun?in the harbor of heaven is hidden away.?So my vassals advised me well, --?brave and wise, the best of men, --?O sovran Hrothgar, to seek thee here,?for my nerve and my might they knew full well.?Themselves had seen me from slaughter come?blood-flecked from foes, where five I bound,?and that wild brood worsted. I' the waves I slew?nicors {6a} by night, in need and peril?avenging the Weders, {6b} whose woe they sought, --?crushing the grim ones. Grendel now,?monster cruel, be mine to quell?in single battle! So, from thee,?thou sovran of the Shining-Danes,?Scyldings'-bulwark, a boon I seek, --?and, Friend-of-the-folk, refuse it not,?O Warriors'-shield, now I've wandered far, --?that I alone with my liegemen here,?this hardy band, may Heorot purge!?More I hear, that the monster dire,?in his wanton mood, of weapons recks not;?hence shall I scorn -- so Hygelac stay,?king of my kindred, kind to me! --?brand or buckler to bear in the fight,?gold-colored targe: but with gripe alone?must I front the fiend and fight for life,?foe against foe. Then faith be his?in the doom of the Lord whom death shall take.?Fain, I ween, if the fight he win,?in this hall of gold my Geatish band?will he fearless eat, -- as oft before, --?my noblest thanes. Nor need'st thou then?to hide my head; {6c} for his shall I be,?dyed in gore, if death must take me;?and my blood-covered body he'll bear as prey,?ruthless devour it, the roamer-lonely,?with my life-blood redden his lair in the fen:?no further for me need'st food prepare!?To Hygelac send, if Hild {6d} should take me,?best of war-weeds, warding my breast,?armor excellent, heirloom of Hrethel?and work of Wayland. {6e} Fares Wyrd {6f} as she must."
VII
HROTHGAR spake, the Scyldings'-helmet: --?"For fight defensive, Friend my Beowulf,?to succor and save, thou hast sought us here.?Thy father's combat {7a} a feud enkindled?when Heatholaf with hand he slew?among the Wylfings; his Weder kin?for horror of fighting feared to hold him.?Fleeing, he sought our South-Dane folk,?over surge of ocean the Honor-Scyldings,?when first I was ruling the folk of Danes,?wielded, youthful, this widespread realm,?this hoard-hold of heroes. Heorogar was dead,?my elder brother, had breathed his last,?Healfdene's bairn: he was better than I!?Straightway the feud with fee {7b} I settled,?to the Wylfings sent, o'er watery ridges,?treasures olden: oaths he {7c} swore me.?Sore is my soul to say to any?of the race of man what ruth for me?in Heorot Grendel with hate hath wrought,?what sudden harryings. Hall-folk fail me,?my warriors wane; for Wyrd hath swept them?into Grendel's grasp. But God is able?this deadly foe from his deeds to turn!?Boasted full oft, as my beer they drank,?earls o'er the ale-cup,