The Tale of Beowulf | Page 6

of either?That the shield-warrior sharp the sundering wotteth,?Of words and of works, if he think thereof well.?I hear it thus said that this host here is friendly 290 To the lord of the Scyldings; forth fare ye then, bearing Your weed and your weapons, of the way will I wise you;?Likewise mine own kinsmen I will now be bidding?Against every foeman your floater before us,?Your craft but new-tarred, the keel on the sand,?With honour to hold, until back shall be bearing?Over the lake-streams this one, the lief man,?The wood of the wounden-neck back unto Wedermark.?Unto such shall be granted amongst the good-doers?To win the way out all whole from the war-race. 300 Then boun they to faring, the bark biding quiet;?Hung upon hawser the wide-fathom'd ship?Fast at her anchor. Forth shone the boar-shapes?Over the check-guards golden adorned,?Fair-shifting, fire-hard; ward held the farrow.?Snorted the war-moody, hasten'd the warriors?And trod down together until the hall timbered,?Stately and gold-bestain'd, gat they to look on,?That was the all-mightiest unto earth's dwellers?Of halls 'neath the heavens, wherein bode the mighty; 310 Glisten'd the gleam thereof o'er lands a many.?Unto them then the war-deer the court of the proud one?Full clearly betaught it, that they therewithal?Might wend their ways thither. Then he of the warriors?Round wended his steed, and spake a word backward:?Time now for my faring; but the Father All-wielder?May He with all helping henceforward so hold you?All whole in your wayfaring. Will I to sea-side?Against the wroth folk to hold warding ever.
VI. BEOWULF AND THE GEATS COME INTO HART.
Stone-diverse the street was, straight uplong the path led 320 The warriors together. There shone the war-byrny?The hard and the hand-lock'd; the ring-iron sheer?Sang over their war-gear, when they to the hall first?In their gear the all-fearful had gat them to ganging.?So then the sea-weary their wide shields set down,?Their war-rounds the mighty, against the hall's wall.?Then bow'd they to bench, and rang there the byrnies,?The war-weed of warriors, and up-stood the spears,?The war-gear of the sea-folk all gather'd together.?The ash-holt grey-headed; that host of the iron 330 With weapons was worshipful. There then a proud chief?Of those lads of the battle speer'd after their line:?Whence ferry ye then the shields golden-faced,?The grey sarks therewith, and the helms all bevisor'd,?And a heap of the war-shafts? Now am I of Hrothgar?The man and the messenger: ne'er saw I of aliens?So many of men more might-like of mood.?I ween that for pride-sake, no wise for wrack-wending?But for high might of mind, ye to Hrothgar have sought.?Unto him then the heart-hardy answer'd and spake, 340 The proud earl of the Weders the word gave aback,?The hardy neath helm: Now of Hygelac are we?The board-fellows; Beowulf e'en is my name,?And word will I say unto Healfdene's son,?To the mighty, the folk-lord, what errand is mine,?Yea unto thy lord, if to us he will grant it?That him, who so good is, anon we may greet.?Spake Wulfgar the word, a lord of the Wendels,?And the mood of his heart of a many was kenned,?His war and his wisdom: I therefore the Danes' friend 350 Will lightly be asking, of the lord of the Scyldings,?The dealer of rings, since the boon thou art bidding,?The mighty folk-lord, concerning thine errand,?And swiftly the answer shall do thee to wit?Which the good one to give thee aback may deem meetest.?Then turn'd he in haste to where Hrothgar was sitting?Right old and all hoary mid the host of his earl-folk:?Went the valour-stark; stood he the shoulders before?Of the Dane-lord: well could he the doughty ones' custom. So Wulfgar spake forth to his lord the well-friendly: 360 Hither are ferry'd now, come from afar off?O'er the field of the ocean, a folk of the Geats;?These men of the battle e'en Beowulf name they?Their elder and chiefest, and to thee are they bidding?That they, O dear lord, with thee may be dealing?In word against word. Now win them no naysay?Of thy speech again-given, O Hrothgar the glad-man:?For they in their war-gear, methinketh, be worthy?Of good deeming of earls; and forsooth naught but doughty Is he who hath led o'er the warriors hither. 370
VII. BEOWULF SPEAKETH WITH HROTHGAR,?AND TELLETH HOW HE WILL MEET GRENDEL.
Word then gave out Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings:?I knew him in sooth when he was but a youngling,?And his father, the old man, was Ecgtheow hight;?Unto whom at his home gave Hrethel the Geat-lord?His one only daughter; and now hath his offspring?All hardy come hither a lief lord to seek him.?For that word they spake then, the sea-faring men,?E'en they who the gift-seat for the Geat-folk had ferry'd, Brought thither for thanks, that of thirty of menfolk?The craft of might hath he within his own handgrip, 380 That war-strong of men. Now him holy God?For kind help hath sent off here even to us,?We men