Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. This reading by Kara Shallenberg Beowulf,
Speaker 1: translated by Francis Barton Gomere. Section two stone bright the street.
Speaker 1: It showed the way to the crowd of clansmen, corselets glistened,
Speaker 1: hand forged hard on their harness bright. The steel ring
Speaker 1: sang as they strode along in mail of battle, and
Speaker 1: marched to the hall there, weary of ocean the wall along.
Speaker 1: They set their bucklers, their broad shields down, and bowed
Speaker 1: them to bench. The breastplates clanged war gear of men,
Speaker 1: their weapons stacked, spears of the seafarers stood together, gray
Speaker 1: tipped that iron band was worthily weapon. A warrior proud
Speaker 1: asked of the heroes their home and kin. Whence now
Speaker 1: bear ye burnished shields, harness, gray and helmet's grim spears
Speaker 1: in multitude, Messenger I Hrothgar's herald heroes, So many ne'er
Speaker 1: met I as strangers of mood, so strong tis plain
Speaker 1: for that prowess not plunged into exile for high hearted valor, Hrothgar,
Speaker 1: Ye seek him. The sturdy in war bespake with words,
Speaker 1: proud earl of the Wedd'er's answer, maid Hardy neath helmet,
Speaker 1: heiglachs wee fellows at board. I am Beowulf named. I
Speaker 1: am seeking to say to the son of half Dane,
Speaker 1: this mission of mine to thy master lord, the doughty Prince,
Speaker 1: if he deign at all grace, that we greet him
Speaker 1: the good one. Now, Wolfgar spake the Wendell's chieftain, whose
Speaker 1: might of mine to many was known his courage and counsel,
Speaker 1: the King of Danes, the Skilding's friend. I fain will
Speaker 1: tell the breaker of rings as the boon thou askest
Speaker 1: the famed Prince of thy faring hither and swiftly after
Speaker 1: such answer, bring as the doughty monarch may deign to
Speaker 1: give hide. Then in haste to where Hrothgar sat, white haired,
Speaker 1: and old his earls about him, till the stout fine
Speaker 1: stood at the shoulder there of the Danish king good courtier.
Speaker 1: He Wulfgar spake to his winsome lord, hither have fared
Speaker 1: to thee far come men o'er the paths of ocean,
Speaker 1: people of Geatland, and the stateliest there by his sturdy
Speaker 1: band is Beowulf, named this boon. They seek that they
Speaker 1: my master may with thee have speech at will, nor
Speaker 1: spurn their prayer to give them hearing. Gracious Wrothgar in
Speaker 1: weeds of the warrior were the They methinks of our
Speaker 1: liking their leader most surely a hero, that hither his
Speaker 1: henchman has led. Hrosgar answered, helmet of Skildings. I knew
Speaker 1: him of yore in his youthful days. His aged father
Speaker 1: was ec Thou, named to whom, at home gave Hrethel
Speaker 1: the Geat, his only daughter their offspring Bold fares hither
Speaker 1: to seek the steadfast friend. And seamen too have sed
Speaker 1: me this who carried my gifts to the Geatish court.
Speaker 1: Thither for thanks he has thirty men's heft of grasp
Speaker 1: in the grip of his hand. The Bold in battle
Speaker 1: blessed God out of his mercy. This man hath sent
Speaker 1: to Danes of the west, as I ween, indeed, against
Speaker 1: horror of Grendel, I hope to give the good youth
Speaker 1: gold for his gallant thought. Be Thou in haste, and
Speaker 1: bid them hither clan of kinsmen, to come before me
Speaker 1: and add this word. They are welcome guests to folk
Speaker 1: of the Danes. To the door of the hall, Wulfgar went,
Speaker 1: and the word declared to you this message my master
Speaker 1: sends East Danes, king that your kin he knows hardy heroes,
Speaker 1: and hails you all. Welcome hither o'er waves of the sea.
Speaker 1: Ye may wend your way in war attire and under
Speaker 1: helmets Hrothgar greet. But let here the battle shields bide
Speaker 1: your parley, and wooden war shafts wait its end. Up
Speaker 1: rose the mighty one ringed with his men, brave band
Speaker 1: of Thanes. Some bode without battle gear guarding, as bade
Speaker 1: the chief. Then hide that troop where the herald led
Speaker 1: them under Herod's roof. The hero strode hardy neaf helm
Speaker 1: till the hearth he near'd Beowulf spake his breastplate, gleamed
Speaker 1: war net woven by wit of the smith. Thou Hrothgar,
Speaker 1: Hail haglax I kinsman and follower fame O plenty have
Speaker 1: I gained in youth these grendel deeds I heard in
Speaker 1: my homeland. Heralded clear sea farer, say, how stands this
Speaker 1: hall of buildings best for your band of Thanes empty
Speaker 1: and idle when evening sun in the harbor of heaven
Speaker 1: is hidden away. So my vassals advised me, well, brave
Speaker 1: and wise, the best of men, O Sovereign Hrothgar, to
Speaker 1: seek thee here for my nerve and my might. They
Speaker 1: knew full well themselves had seen me from slaughter, come,
Speaker 1: blood flecked from foes where five I bound, and that
Speaker 1: wild brew worsted I the waves. I slew nikors by night,
Speaker 1: in need and peril, avenging the waiters whose woe they sought,
Speaker 1: crushing the grim ones grendel. Now, monster cruel be mine
Speaker 1: to quell in single battle. So from thee thou, Sovereign
Speaker 1: of the Shining Danes, Skilding's bulwark a boon I seek,
Speaker 1: and friend of the folk, refuse it, not O warrior's shield.
Speaker 1: Now I've wandered far that I alone with my liegemen
Speaker 1: here this hardy band may herot purge. More. I hear
Speaker 1: that the monster dire in his wanton mood of weapons recks.
Speaker 1: Not hence shall I scorn, So hide luck stay, king
Speaker 1: of my kindred kind to me brand or buckler to
Speaker 1: bear in the fight, gold colored targe, But with grip alone.
Speaker 1: Must I front the fiend and fight for life foe
Speaker 1: against foe, then faith be his in the doom of
Speaker 1: the lord whom death shall take. Fain I ween if
Speaker 1: the fight he win in this hall of gold my
Speaker 1: geatish band, will he fearless eat as oft before my
Speaker 1: noblest Thanes. Nor needst thee then to hide my head
Speaker 1: for his? Shall I be died in gore? If death
Speaker 1: must take me and my blood covered body, he'll bear
Speaker 1: as prey, ruthless, devour it the roamer lonely with my
Speaker 1: life blood redden his lair in the fen. No further
Speaker 1: for me needs food. Prepare to Hageloch's end. If hild
Speaker 1: should take me best of war weeds, warding my breast
Speaker 1: armor excellent heirloom of Hrethel and work of wheland Fair's
Speaker 1: weird as she must Hrothgar spake the Skilding's helmet for fight.
Speaker 1: Defensive friend, my Beowulf, to succor and save thou hast
Speaker 1: sought us here thy father's combat. A feud enkindled when
Speaker 1: Haathelof with hand he slew among the wilfings his waider
Speaker 1: kin for horror of fighting, feared to hold him fleeing.
Speaker 1: He sought our south Dane folk over surge of ocean,
Speaker 1: the honor skildings. When first I was ruling, the folk
Speaker 1: of Danes wielded youthful, this wide spread realm, this hoard
Speaker 1: hold of heroes. Hey Oigar was dead. My elder brother
Speaker 1: had breathed his last half danes Bairn. He was better
Speaker 1: than I. Straightway the feud with Fee I settled to
Speaker 1: the wilfing scent o'er watery ridges, treasures olden oath. He
Speaker 1: swore me, sore is my soul to say to any
Speaker 1: of the race of man, what ruth for me? And
Speaker 1: Harot Grendel, with hate hath wrought what sudden harryings. Hal
Speaker 1: folk fail me, my warriors wane, for weird hath swept
Speaker 1: them into Grendel's grasp. But God is able this deadly
Speaker 1: foe from his deeds to turn boasted full oft as
Speaker 1: my beer. They drank earls o'er the ale cup, armed
Speaker 1: men that they would bide in the beer hall. Here
Speaker 1: Grendel's attack with terror of blae. Then was this mead
Speaker 1: house At morning tide died with Gore. When the daylight broke,
Speaker 1: all the boards of the benches, blood besprinkled gory. The
Speaker 1: hall I had heroes, the less doughty, dear ones that
Speaker 1: death had reft. But sit to the banquet, unbind thy words,
Speaker 1: hardy hero as heart shall prompt. Thee gathered together the
Speaker 1: gheetish men in the banquet hall on bench assigned, sturdy, spirited,
Speaker 1: sat them down, hardy hearted. A henchman attended, carried the
Speaker 1: carven cup in hand, served the clear mead oft minstrel
Speaker 1: sang blithe in herod heroes reveled, no dearth of warriors,
Speaker 1: waiter and dane. Unfairth spake the son of Ecglaff, who
Speaker 1: sat at the feet of the Skilding's lord, unbound. The
Speaker 1: battle rounds Beowulf's quest sturdy seafarers sorely galled him. Ever,
Speaker 1: he envied that other men should more achieve in Middle
Speaker 1: Earth of fame under heaven than he himself. Art thou
Speaker 1: that Beowulf, Breca's rival, who Emulus swam on the open sea,
Speaker 1: when for pride the pair of you prov'd the floods,
Speaker 1: and wantonly dared in waters deep to risk your lives.
Speaker 1: No living man, or leaf or loath from your labor
Speaker 1: dire could you dissuade from swimming the main ocean tides
Speaker 1: with your arms? Ye cover'd with strenuous hands the sea
Speaker 1: streets measured swam o'er the waters. Winter's storm roll'd the
Speaker 1: rough waves in realm of sea a senite strove. Ye
Speaker 1: in swimming he topp'd thee had more of Maine him.
Speaker 1: At morning tide, Billow's bore to the battling ramas. Whence
Speaker 1: he hied to his home, So dear beloved of his liegemen,
Speaker 1: to land of Brondings, fastness fair, where his folk he
Speaker 1: ruled town and treasure. In triumph o'er thee Bayanstan's bairn,
Speaker 1: his boast achieved, so Ween, I for thee a worse adventure.
Speaker 1: Though in buffet of battle, Thou brave hast been in
Speaker 1: struggle grim if Grendel's approach, Thou darest wait through the
Speaker 1: watch of night. Berewolf spake, bairn of Eck. Thou what
Speaker 1: a deal hast uttered, dear my unferth drunken with beer
Speaker 1: of brecon, now told of his triumph. Truth, I claim
Speaker 1: it that I had more of might in the sea
Speaker 1: than any man else more ocean endurance we Twain had
Speaker 1: talked in time of youth and made our boast. We
Speaker 1: were merely boys, stripling still to stake our lives far
Speaker 1: at sea, and so we performed it. Naked swords as
Speaker 1: we swam along, we held in hand with hope to
Speaker 1: guard us against the whales. Not a whit from me
Speaker 1: could he float afar o'er the flood of waves, haste
Speaker 1: o'er the billows, nor him I abandoned. Together we twain
Speaker 1: on the tide's abode five nights full till the flood
Speaker 1: divided us, churning waves and chillest weather, darkling night, and
Speaker 1: the northern wind, ruthless, rushed on us. Rough was the
Speaker 1: surge now the wrath of the sea. Fish rose apace
Speaker 1: yet me against the monsters. My mailed coat, hard and
Speaker 1: hand linked help afforded battle. Sark braided my breast to ward,
Speaker 1: garnished with gold, there grasped me firm and hailed me
Speaker 1: to bottom the hated foe with grimmest grip. Twas granted
Speaker 1: me though to pierce the monster with point of sword,
Speaker 1: with blade of battle. Huge beast of the sea was
Speaker 1: whelmed by the hurly through hand of mine me. Thus
Speaker 1: often the evil monsters thronging threatened with thrust of my
Speaker 1: sword the darling I dealt them due return. Nowise had
Speaker 1: they bliss from their booty than to devour their victim.
Speaker 1: Vengeful creatures seated to banquet at bottom of sea, But
Speaker 1: at break of day my brand sore hurt on the
Speaker 1: edge of ocean. Up they lay, put to sleep by
Speaker 1: the sword, and since by them on the fathomless sea ways,
Speaker 1: sailor folk are never molested. Light from east came bright
Speaker 1: God's beacon. The billows sank so that I saw the
Speaker 1: sea cliff's high, windy walls for weird oft saveth earl
Speaker 1: undoomed if he doughty be, And so it came that
Speaker 1: I kill'd with my sword. Nine of the nikors of
Speaker 1: night fought battles. Ne'er heard I a harder neath Heaven's dome,
Speaker 1: nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man. Yet
Speaker 1: I came unharmed from that hostile clutch, though spent with
Speaker 1: swimming the sea up bore me flood of the tide
Speaker 1: on Finnish land the welling waters. No wise of thee
Speaker 1: have I heard men tell such terror of falcians. Bitter
Speaker 1: battle Breca ne'er. Yet not one of you pair in
Speaker 1: the play of war such daring deed has done at
Speaker 1: all with bloody brand. I boast not of it, though
Speaker 1: thou wast the bane of thy brethren, Dear, thy closest kin.
Speaker 1: Whence curse of hell awaits thee well as thy wit
Speaker 1: may serve. For I say in sooth thou, son of Ecglaf,
Speaker 1: never had Grendel these grim deeds wrought monster dire on
Speaker 1: thy master, dear in Harot, such havoc if heart of
Speaker 1: thine were as battle bold as thy boast is loud.
Speaker 1: But he has found no feud will happen from sword clash,
Speaker 1: dread of your Danish clan. He vaunts him safe from
Speaker 1: the victor skildings, he forces, pledges, favors none of the
Speaker 1: land of Danes, but lustily murders fights and feasts, nor
Speaker 1: feud he dreads from speared ane men. But speedily now
Speaker 1: shall I prove him the prowess and pride of the Geats,
Speaker 1: shall bid him battle blithe to mead go he that listeth.
Speaker 1: When light of dawn this morrow morning, o'er men of earth,
Speaker 1: ether robed sun from the south shall beam joyous then
Speaker 1: was the jewel giver, hoar haired war brave help awaited
Speaker 1: the bright Danes Prince from Beowulf, hearing folk's good shepherd.
Speaker 1: Such firm resolve, then was laughter of Liegemen. Loud, resounding
Speaker 1: with winsome words, came wealthau Forth, Queen of Hrothgar, heedful
Speaker 1: of courtesy, gold decked, greeting the guests in hall, and
Speaker 1: the high born lady handed the cup first to the
Speaker 1: East Danes Heir and warden bade him be blithe at
Speaker 1: the beer carouse the land's beloved one lustily took he
Speaker 1: banquet and beaker battle famed king through the hall. Then
Speaker 1: went the Helmings Lady, too, younger and older, everywhere carried
Speaker 1: the cup till come the moment when the ring graced
Speaker 1: Queen the royal hearted to Beowulf bore the beaker of mead.
Speaker 1: She greeted the Geat's Lord God. She thanked in Wisdom's
Speaker 1: words that her will was granted, that at last on
Speaker 1: a hero her hope could lean for comfort and terrors.
Speaker 1: The cup he took hardy in war from whale Thow's hand,
Speaker 1: and answer uttered the eager for combat. Berewulf spake, Baron
Speaker 1: of eck thou. This was my thought, when my fanes
Speaker 1: and I bent to the ocean and entered our boat,
Speaker 1: that I would work the will of your people fully,
Speaker 1: or fighting fall in death in fiend's grip fast, I
Speaker 1: am firm to do an earl's brave deed, or end
Speaker 1: the days of this life of mine. In the mead
Speaker 1: hall here well these words to the woman seemed Beowulf's
Speaker 1: battle boast bright with gold. The stately dame by her spouse,
Speaker 1: sat down again as erst began in hall, warriors wassail
Speaker 1: and words of power the proud band's revel till presently
Speaker 1: the son of half Dane hastened to seek rest for
Speaker 1: the night. He knew there waited fight for the fiend
Speaker 1: in that festal hall. When the sheen of the sun
Speaker 1: they saw no more, and dusk of night sank, darkling nigh,
Speaker 1: and shadowy shapes came striding on Wan under welkin. The
Speaker 1: warriors rose man to man. He made harangue hrothgar to Beowulf,
Speaker 1: bade him hail, let him wield the wine hall. A
Speaker 1: word he added, never to any man erst I trusted,
Speaker 1: since I could heave up hand and shield this noble
Speaker 1: Dane Hall till now to THEE have now and hold
Speaker 1: this house unpeered. Remember thy glory, thy might declare, watch
Speaker 1: for the foe. No wish shall fail THEE if thou
Speaker 1: bidest the battle with bold won life. End of section
Speaker 1: two read by Krish Allenberg w w W dot Kray
Speaker 1: dot org on July twenty seventh to thousand and six
Speaker 1: in Oceanside, California,