The Tale of Beowulf | Page 7

of the West Danes, as now I have weening,?'Gainst the terror of Grendel. So I to that good one?For his mighty mood-daring shall the dear treasure bid.?Haste now and be speedy, and bid them in straightway,?The kindred-band gather'd together, to see us,?And in words say thou eke that they be well comen?To the folk of the Danes. To the door of the hall then?Went Wulfgar, and words withinward he flitted: 390 He bade me to say you, my lord of fair battle,?The elder of East-Danes, that he your blood knoweth,?And that unto him are ye the sea-surges over,?Ye lads hardy-hearted, well come to land hither;?And now may ye wend you all in war-raiment?Under the battle-mask Hrothgar to see.?But here let your battle-boards yet be abiding,?With your war-weed and slaughter-shafts, issue of words.?Then rose up the rich one, much warriors around him,?Chosen heap of the thanes, but there some abided 400 The war-gear to hold, as the wight one was bidding.?Swift went they together, as the warrior there led them,?Under Hart's roof: went the stout-hearted,?The hardy neath helm, till he stood by the high-seat.?Then Beowulf spake out, on him shone the byrny,?His war-net besown by the wiles of the smith:?Hail to thee, Hrothgar! I am of Hygelac?Kinsman and folk-thane; fair deeds have I many?Begun in my youth-tide, and this matter of Grendel?On the turf of mine own land undarkly I knew. 410 'Tis the seafarers' say that standeth this hall,?The best house forsooth, for each one of warriors?All idle and useless, after the even-light?Under the heaven-loft hidden becometh.?Then lightly they learn'd me, my people, this lore,?E'en the best that there be of the wise of the churls,?O Hrothgar the kingly, that thee should I seek to,?Whereas of the might of my craft were they cunning;?For they saw me when came I from out of my wargear,?Blood-stain'd from the foe whenas five had I bounden, 420 Quell'd the kin of the eotens, and in the wave slain?The nicors by night-tide: strait need then I bore,?Wreak'd the grief of the Weders, the woe they had gotten; I ground down the wrathful; and now against Grendel?I here with the dread one alone shall be dooming,?In Thing with the giant. I now then with thee,?O lord of the bright Danes, will fall to my bidding,?O berg of Scyldings, and bid thee one boon,?Which, O refuge of warriors, gainsay me not now,?Since, O free friend of folks, from afar have I come, 430 That I alone, I and my band of the earls,?This hard heap of men, may cleanse Hart of ill.?This eke have I heard say, that he, the fell monster,?In his wan-heed recks nothing of weapons of war;?Forgo I this therefore (if so be that Hygelac?Will still be my man-lord, and he blithe of mood)?To bear the sword with me, or bear the broad shield,?Yellow-round to the battle; but with naught save the hand-grip With the foe shall I grapple, and grope for the life?The loathly with loathly. There he shall believe 440 In the doom of the Lord whom death then shall take.?Now ween I that he, if he may wield matters,?E'en there in the war-hall the folk of the Geats?Shall eat up unafear'd, as oft he hath done it?With the might of the Hrethmen: no need for thee therefore My head to be hiding; for me will he have?With gore all bestain'd, if the death of men get me;?He will bear off my bloody corpse minded to taste it;?Unmournfully then will the Lone-goer eat it,?Will blood-mark the moor-ways; for the meat of my body 450 Naught needest thou henceforth in any wise grieve thee.?But send thou to Hygelac, if the war have me,?The best of all war-shrouds that now my breast wardeth,?The goodliest of railings, the good gift of Hrethel,?The hand-work of Weland. Weird wends as she willeth.
VIII. HROTHGAR ANSWERETH BEOWULF?AND BIDDETH HIM SIT TO THE FEAST.
Spake out then Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings:?Thou Beowulf, friend mine, for battle that wardeth?And for help that is kindly hast sought to us hither.?Fought down thy father the most of all feuds;?To Heatholaf was he forsooth for a hand-bane 460 Amidst of the Wylfings. The folk of the Weders?Him for the war-dread that while might not hold.?So thence did he seek to the folk of the South-Danes?O'er the waves' wallow, to the Scyldings be-worshipped.?Then first was I wielding the weal of the Dane-folk,?That time was I holding in youth-tide the gem-rich?Hoard-burg of the heroes. Dead then was Heorogar,?Mine elder of brethren; unliving was he,?The Healfdene's bairn that was better than I.?That feud then thereafter with fee did I settle; 470 I sent to the Wylfing folk over the waters' back?Treasures of old time; he swore the oaths to me.?Sorrow is in my mind that needs must I say it?To any of grooms, of Grendel