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Speaker 1: August two thousand six. Beowulf, translated by Francis Barton Gumare
Speaker 1: Section eight Twas now men say in his sovereign's need,
Speaker 1: that the earl made known his noble strain, craft and
Speaker 1: keenness and courage, enduring, heedless of harm. Though his hand
Speaker 1: was burned, hardy hearted, he helped his kinsman a little
Speaker 1: lower the loathsome beast he smote with his sword. His
Speaker 1: steel drove in bright and burnished. That blaze began to
Speaker 1: lose and lessen. At last the king wielded his wits
Speaker 1: again war knife, drew a biting blade by his breastplate hanging,
Speaker 1: and the wedder's helm smoke that warm asunder felled. The
Speaker 1: foe flung for or its life, so had they killed it.
Speaker 1: Kinsmen both athelings twain, Thus an earl should be in
Speaker 1: danger's day of deeds of valor. This conqueror's hour of
Speaker 1: the king was last of his work in the world.
Speaker 1: The wound began, which that dragon of Earth had erst
Speaker 1: inflicted to swell and smart, and soon he found in
Speaker 1: his breast was boiling, baleful and deep pain of poison.
Speaker 1: The prince walked on wise in his thought to the
Speaker 1: wall of rock, then sat and stared at the structure
Speaker 1: of Giants, where arch of stone and steadfast column upheld
Speaker 1: forever that hall in earth. Yet here must the hand
Speaker 1: of the henchman, peerless, lave with water his winsome lord,
Speaker 1: the king and conqueror, covered with blood, with struggle spent
Speaker 1: and unspan his helmet. Beowulf spake in spite of his hurt,
Speaker 1: his mortal wound full well. He knew his portion now
Speaker 1: was past and gone of earthly bliss, and all had
Speaker 1: fled of his file of days, and death was near.
Speaker 1: I would fain be stow on, son of mine. This
Speaker 1: gear of war were given me, now that any air
Speaker 1: should after me come of my proper blood. This people
Speaker 1: I ruled fifty winters. No folk king was there, none
Speaker 1: at all of the neighboring clans who war would wage
Speaker 1: me with warrior's friends and threaten me with horrors at home.
Speaker 1: I bided what fate might come, and I cared for
Speaker 1: mine own feuds. I sought not, nor falsely swore ever
Speaker 1: on oath for all these things. Though fatally wounded, fain
Speaker 1: am I from the ruler of man. No wrath shall
Speaker 1: seize me, when life from my frame must flee away
Speaker 1: for killing of kinsmen. Now quickly go and gaze on
Speaker 1: that hoard beneath the hoary rock wiglff loved. Now the
Speaker 1: worm lies low, sleeps, heart sore of his spoil, bereaved
Speaker 1: and fair in haste, I would fain behold the gorgeous
Speaker 1: heirloom's golden store, have joy in the jewels and gems,
Speaker 1: lay down softlier for sight of this splendid hoard. My
Speaker 1: life and lordship I long have held. I have heard
Speaker 1: that swiftly the son of Wherston at wish and word
Speaker 1: of his wounded king, war sick warrior, woven mail coat,
Speaker 1: battle sark boorneath the barrow's roof. Then the clansmen, keen
Speaker 1: of conquest, proud, passing the seat, saw a store of
Speaker 1: jewels and glistening gold. The ground. Along by the wall
Speaker 1: were marvels and many a vessel in the den of
Speaker 1: the dragon. The dawn flier old unburnished bowls of bygone men,
Speaker 1: reft of richness, rusty helms of the olden age, and
Speaker 1: arm rings many wondrously woven. Such wealth of gold booty
Speaker 1: from barrow can burden with pride each human white. Let
Speaker 1: him hide it, who will? His glance too, fell on
Speaker 1: a gold wove banner high o'er the Horde of handiwork, noblest,
Speaker 1: brilliantly broidered, so bright its gleam all the earth floor.
Speaker 1: He easily saw and viewed all these vessels. No vestige
Speaker 1: now was seen of the serpent. The sword had taken him.
Speaker 1: Then I heard the hill of its hoard was reft
Speaker 1: old work of giants by one alone. He burdened his
Speaker 1: bosom with beakers and plate at his his own good will,
Speaker 1: and the ensign took brightest of beacons, the blade of
Speaker 1: his lord, its edge was iron, had injured deep one
Speaker 1: that had guarded the golden Horde many a year, and
Speaker 1: its murder fires spread hot round the barrow in horror
Speaker 1: billows at midnight hour, till it met its doom. Hastened
Speaker 1: the herald. The horde so spurred him his track to retrace.
Speaker 1: He was troubled by doubt. High souled hero, if haply
Speaker 1: he'd find alive where he left him, the lord of waiters,
Speaker 1: weakening fast by the wall of the cave. So he
Speaker 1: carried the load his lord and king. He found all
Speaker 1: bleeding famous chief at the lapse of life. The liegeman
Speaker 1: again plashed him with water till point of word broke
Speaker 1: through the breast hord. Beowulf spake sage and sad as
Speaker 1: he stared at the gold, for the gold and treasure,
Speaker 1: to God, my thanks to the wielder of wonders. With
Speaker 1: words I say for what I behold, to Heaven's Lord,
Speaker 1: for the grace that I give such gifts to my folk,
Speaker 1: or ever the day of my death be run. Now
Speaker 1: I've bartered here for booty of treasure, the last of
Speaker 1: my life. So look ye well to the needs of
Speaker 1: my land. No longer I tarry a barrow. Bid ye
Speaker 1: the battle fand raise for my ashes. Twill shine by
Speaker 1: the shore of the flood to folk of mine. Memorial
Speaker 1: fare on Ron's head land high uplifted that ocean. Wanderers
Speaker 1: oft may hail Beowulf's sparrow, as back from far they
Speaker 1: drive their keels o'er the darkling wave from his neck.
Speaker 1: He unclasped the collar of gold valorous king to his vassal,
Speaker 1: gave it with bright gold helmet, breastplate and ring to
Speaker 1: the youthful Thane. Bade him use them in joy. Thou
Speaker 1: art end and remnant of all our race. The wagmunding
Speaker 1: name for word, hath swept them all my line to
Speaker 1: the land of doom earls in their glory, Aye after
Speaker 1: them go. This word was the last which the wise
Speaker 1: old man harbored in heart ere hot death, waves of
Speaker 1: bale fire he chose from his bosom, fled his soul
Speaker 1: to seek the saint's reward. It was heavy hap for
Speaker 1: that hero young on his lord beloved to look and
Speaker 1: find him lying on earth with life at end sorrowful sight.
Speaker 1: But the slayer, too awful earth dragon, empty of breath,
Speaker 1: lay felt in fight, nor fain of its treasure. Could
Speaker 1: the writhing monster rule it more. For edges of iron
Speaker 1: had ended its days hard in battle, sharp hammers leaving,
Speaker 1: and that flier Afar had fallen to the ground, hushed
Speaker 1: by its hurt, its hoard all near no longer lusty
Speaker 1: aloft to whirl at midnight, making its merriment seen proud
Speaker 1: of its prizes, prone it sank by the handiwork of
Speaker 1: the hero king forsooth among folk, but few achieve, though
Speaker 1: sturdy and strong, as stories tell me, and never so daring,
Speaker 1: indeed of valor, the perilous breath of a poisoned foe
Speaker 1: to brave and to rush on the ring board hall,
Speaker 1: whenever his watch the warden keeps bold in the barrow.
Speaker 1: Beowulf paid the price of death for that precious horde,
Speaker 1: and each of the foes had found the end of
Speaker 1: this fleeting life. Befell ere long that the laggards and
Speaker 1: wore the way Wood had left. Trothbreakers cowards tend together,
Speaker 1: fearing before to flourish a spear in the sore distress
Speaker 1: of their sovereign lord. Now in their shame their shields
Speaker 1: they carried armor of fight. Where the old man lay,
Speaker 1: and they gazed on Wiglaf wearied, he sat at his
Speaker 1: sovereign's shoulder. Shieldsmen good to wake him with water. No
Speaker 1: wise it availed, though well he wished it in world.
Speaker 1: No more could he bury her life for that leader
Speaker 1: of battles, nor baffle the will of all wielding god,
Speaker 1: doom of the Lord was law, or the deeds of
Speaker 1: every man, as it is to day grim was the
Speaker 1: answer easy to get from the youth for those that
Speaker 1: had yielded to fear Wiglaf spoke the son of Waeosten, mournful.
Speaker 1: He looked on those men unloved, who sooth will speak,
Speaker 1: can say indeed that the ruler who gave you golden
Speaker 1: rings and the harness of war in which you stand
Speaker 1: for he at ale bench oftentimes bestowed on hal folk
Speaker 1: helm and breastplate lord to Liegemen. The likeliest gear which
Speaker 1: nearer or far he could find to give, threw away
Speaker 1: and wasted these weeds of battle on men who failed
Speaker 1: when the foemen came. Not at all could the king
Speaker 1: of his comrades in arms venture to vaunt, though the
Speaker 1: victory wielder God gave him grace that he got revenge
Speaker 1: soul with his sword in stress and need to rescue
Speaker 1: his life, twas little that I could serve him in struggle.
Speaker 1: Yet shift I made hopeless it seemed to help my kinsmen.
Speaker 1: Its strength ever, waned when with weapon I struck that
Speaker 1: fatal foe, and the fire less strongly flowed from its head.
Speaker 1: Too few the heroes in Throe of contest that thronged
Speaker 1: to our king, now gift of treasure and girding of sword,
Speaker 1: joy of the house and home delight shall fail your
Speaker 1: folk his freehold land. Every clansman within your kin shall
Speaker 1: lose and leave when lords high born here afar of
Speaker 1: that flight of yours a fameless deed. Yea death is
Speaker 1: better for liegemen all than a life of shame. That
Speaker 1: battle toil bade he at Burg to announce at the
Speaker 1: fort on the cliff, where full of sorrow, all the
Speaker 1: morning earls had sat daring shieldsmen in doubt of twain.
Speaker 1: Would they wail as dead or welcome home their lord
Speaker 1: beloved little kept back of the tidings new, but told
Speaker 1: them all the herald that up the Headland road, now
Speaker 1: the willing giver to weder folk. In death bed lies
Speaker 1: the Lord of Gates. On the slaughter bed sleeps by
Speaker 1: the serpent's deed, And beside him is stretched that slayer
Speaker 1: of men, with knife wounds sick. No sword availed on
Speaker 1: the awesome thing in any wise to work a wound.
Speaker 1: Their wig laugh sitteth Whilston's barren by Beowulf's side, the
Speaker 1: living earl by the other dead and heavy of heart,
Speaker 1: a head watch keeps or friend and foe. Now our
Speaker 1: folk may look for waging of war when, once unhidden
Speaker 1: to Frisian and Frank, the fall of the king is
Speaker 1: spread afar. The strife began when hot on the Hugos
Speaker 1: Hagelac fell and fared with his fleet to the Frisian
Speaker 1: land him. There the hetwaras humbled in more plied with
Speaker 1: such prowess, their power overwhelming that the bold in battle
Speaker 1: bowed beneath it and fell in fight. To his friends,
Speaker 1: no one could that earl give treasure, And ever since
Speaker 1: the Marrowing's favor has failed us wholly nor aught. Expect
Speaker 1: I of peace and faith from Swedish folk. Twas spread afar,
Speaker 1: how ungan thou reft at ravenswood hyketh ANDed brethling of
Speaker 1: hope and life. When the folk of Gates for the
Speaker 1: first time sought in wanton pride, the warlike skilfings. Soon
Speaker 1: the sage old sire of Altaire, ancient and awful, gave
Speaker 1: answering blow the sea king he slew and his spouse redeemed.
Speaker 1: His good wife rescued, though robbed of her gold, Mother
Speaker 1: of Oterr and onela. Then he followed his foes, who
Speaker 1: fled before him sore beset, and stole their way, bereft
Speaker 1: of a ruler, to Ravenswood. With his host, he besieged
Speaker 1: there what swords had left, the weary and wounded woes.
Speaker 1: He threatened the whole night through to that hard pressed throng.
Speaker 1: Some with the morrow his swords should kill, some should
Speaker 1: go to the gallows tree for rapture of ravens. But
Speaker 1: rescue came with dawn of day for those desperate men,
Speaker 1: when they heard the horn of high glax sound tones
Speaker 1: of his trumpet. The trusty king had followed their trail
Speaker 1: with faithful band. The bloody swath of Swedes and gates
Speaker 1: and the storm of their strife were seen afar. How
Speaker 1: folk against folk, the fight had wakened. The ancient king,
Speaker 1: with his atheling band, sought his citadel, sorrowing much onganho
Speaker 1: earl went up to his burg. He had tested Heiglac's hardihood.
Speaker 1: The proud one's prowess would prove it no longer defied
Speaker 1: no more those fighting wanderers. Nor hoped from the seamen
Speaker 1: to save his hoard, his baron, and his bride, so
Speaker 1: he bent him again old to his earth walls. Yet
Speaker 1: after him came with slaughter for swedes the standards of
Speaker 1: Hyglac over peaceful plains in pride, advancing till threthlings fought
Speaker 1: in the fenced town. Then onganhoe with edge of sword,
Speaker 1: the hoary bearded was held at bay, and the fulk
Speaker 1: king there was forced to suffer yeofor's anger in ire
Speaker 1: at the king wolf wanderting with weapons struck, and the
Speaker 1: chieftain's blood for that blow in streams flowed neath his hair.
Speaker 1: No fear felt he stout old skilfing, but straightway repaid
Speaker 1: in better bargain that bitter stroke, and faced his foe
Speaker 1: with fell intent. Nor swift enough was the son of
Speaker 1: one rid answer to render the aged chief too soon
Speaker 1: on his head, the helm was cloven, blood bedecked. He
Speaker 1: bowed to earth and fell adown. Not doomed was he yet,
Speaker 1: and well he waxed, though the wound was sore. Then
Speaker 1: the hardy haigilac Fane, when his brother fell with broad brand,
Speaker 1: smote Giant's sword, crashing through Giant's helm across the shield wall,
Speaker 1: sank the king, his folk's old herdsman fatally hurt. There
Speaker 1: were many to bind the brother's wounds and lift him fast,
Speaker 1: as fate allowed his people to wield the place of war.
Speaker 1: But yeofor took from Ungenthal earl from other the iron breastplate,
Speaker 1: hard sword, hilted and helmet too, and the hoar chief's
Speaker 1: harness to Higelac carried, who took the trappings and truly
Speaker 1: promised rich fee mid folk, and fulfilled it. So for
Speaker 1: that grim strike gave the Gaetish lord Rethel's offspring. When
Speaker 1: home he came to Yofor and Wolf a wealth of treasure.
Speaker 1: Each of them had a hundred thousand in land and
Speaker 1: linked rings, nor at less price reckoned mid earth men
Speaker 1: such mighty deeds. And to Yofor he gave his only
Speaker 1: daughter in pledge of grace the pride of his home.
Speaker 1: Such is the feud, the foeman's rage, death, hate of men.
Speaker 1: So I deem it sure that the Swedish folk will
Speaker 1: seek us home for this fall of their friends, the
Speaker 1: fighting Skilfings. When once they learned that our warrior leader
Speaker 1: lifeless lies, who land and hoard ever defended from all
Speaker 1: his foes, furthered his folk's will finished his course a
Speaker 1: hardy hero. Now haste is best that we go to
Speaker 1: gaze on our gatish lord, and bear the bountiful breaker
Speaker 1: of rings to the funeral pyre. No fragments merely shall
Speaker 1: burn with the warrior wealth of jewels, gold untold and
Speaker 1: gained in terror, treasure. At last, with his life obtained,
Speaker 1: all of that booty, the brands shall take fire shall
Speaker 1: eat it. No earl must carry memorial jewel. No maiden
Speaker 1: fair shall breath her nes with noble ring, nay sad
Speaker 1: in spirit, and shorn of her gold oft shall she
Speaker 1: pass o'er paths of exile. Now, our Lord, all laughter
Speaker 1: has laid aside, all mirth and revel. Many a spear
Speaker 1: morning cold shall be clasped, a main lifted aloft, Nor
Speaker 1: shall lilt of harp those warriors wake. But the wan
Speaker 1: hewed raven fain o'er the fallen his feast shall praise
Speaker 1: and boast to the eagle. How bravely he ate when
Speaker 1: he and the wolf were wasting the slain. So he
Speaker 1: told his sorrowful tidings, and little he lied the loyal
Speaker 1: man of word or of work. The warriors rose sad.
Speaker 1: They climbed to the cliff of eagles, went welling with
Speaker 1: tears the wonder to view found on the sand there
Speaker 1: stretched at rest their lifeless lord, who had lavished rings
Speaker 1: of old upon them. Ending day had dawned on the
Speaker 1: doughty one death had seized in woeful slaughter the waiter's king.
Speaker 1: There saw they, besides the strangest, being loathsome lying their
Speaker 1: leader near prone on the field. The fiery dragon, fearful
Speaker 1: fiend with flame, was scorched, reckoned by feet. It was
Speaker 1: fifty measures in length as it lay aloft ere while
Speaker 1: it had reveled by night and anon came back seeking
Speaker 1: its den. Now in death's sure clutch, it had come
Speaker 1: to the end of its earth Hall. Joys by it.
Speaker 1: There stood the stoops and jars dishes lay there, and
Speaker 1: dear decked swords eaten with rest as on Earth's lamp,
Speaker 1: Resting a thousand winters. They waited there for all that heritage, huge,
Speaker 1: that gold of bygone men, was bound by a spell,
Speaker 1: so the treasure hall could be touched by none of
Speaker 1: human kind, save that Heaven's King God himself, might give,
Speaker 1: whom he would helper of heroes, the horde to open
Speaker 1: even such a man, as it seemed to him meet
Speaker 1: perilous path. It proved he trod who heinously hid that
Speaker 1: hall within wealth under wall. Its watcher had killed one
Speaker 1: of a few, and the feud was avenged in woeful fashion.
Speaker 1: Wondrous seems it what manner a man of might and
Speaker 1: valor oft ends his life when the earl no longer
Speaker 1: in mead hall may live with loving friends. So Beowulf,
Speaker 1: when that barrow's wooden he sought, and the struggle himself
Speaker 1: knew not in what wise he should wend from the world.
Speaker 1: At last, for Prince's potent, who placed the gold with
Speaker 1: a curse to doomsday, covered it deep, so that marked
Speaker 1: with sin the man should be hedged with horrors in
Speaker 1: hell bounds fast racked with plagues, who should rob their hoard?
Speaker 1: Yet no greed for gold, but the grace of heaven
Speaker 1: ever had the king kept in view. Wig Laugh, spoke
Speaker 1: the son of Worston, at the mandate of one oft warriors.
Speaker 1: Many sorrow may suffer, and so must we. The people's
Speaker 1: shepherd showed not aught of care for our counsel. King
Speaker 1: beloved that guardian of gold, he should grapple, not urged we,
Speaker 1: but let him lie where he long had been in
Speaker 1: his Earth's hall, waiting at the end of the world,
Speaker 1: the hest of heaven. This hoard is ours, but grievously
Speaker 1: gotten too grim the fate which thither carried our King
Speaker 1: and Lord. I was within there, and all I viewed
Speaker 1: the chambered treasure when chance allowed me, and my path
Speaker 1: was made in no pleasant wise under the earth wall.
Speaker 1: Eager I seized such heap from the hoard as hands
Speaker 1: could bear, and hurriedly carried it hither back to my legion,
Speaker 1: Lord alive, he was still still wielding his wits. The
Speaker 1: wise old man spake much in his sorrow and sent
Speaker 1: you greetings, and bade yet ye build when he breathe
Speaker 1: no more on the place of his bale fire a
Speaker 1: barrow high memorial. Mighty of men, was he worthiest warrior
Speaker 1: wide earth over the while he had joy of his
Speaker 1: jewels and burg Let us set out in haste now
Speaker 1: the second time, to see and search this store of treasure.
Speaker 1: These wall hid wonders the way I show you where
Speaker 1: gathered near, ye may gaze your fill at broad golden rings.
Speaker 1: Let the bier soon made be all in order. When
Speaker 1: out we come our King and Captain, to carry thither
Speaker 1: man beloved, where long he shall bide safe in the
Speaker 1: shelter of Sovrn God. Then the Baron of Worston bade
Speaker 1: command hardy chief to heroes, many that owned their homesteads
Speaker 1: hither to bring firewood from far or the folk. They
Speaker 1: ruled for the famed one's funeral, fire shaw devour and
Speaker 1: wan flame's feed on the fearless warrior who oft stood
Speaker 1: stout in the iron shower, when sped from string a
Speaker 1: storm of arrows shot or the shield wall the shaft
Speaker 1: held firm featly feathered, followed the barb And now the sage,
Speaker 1: young son of Weylston seven, chose of the chieftain's thains
Speaker 1: the best. He found that band within and went with
Speaker 1: these warriors. One of eight, under hostile roof in hand,
Speaker 1: one bore a lighted torch and led the way. No
Speaker 1: lots they cast for keeping the horde. When once the
Speaker 1: warriors saw it in hall altogether without a guardian, lying
Speaker 1: there lost and little, they mourned. When they had hastily
Speaker 1: hailed it out, dear bought treasure the dragon. They cast
Speaker 1: the worm or the wall for the wave to take,
Speaker 1: and surges swallowed that shepherd of gems. Then the woven
Speaker 1: gold on a wain was laden countless quite, and the
Speaker 1: king was born hoary hero to Hrone's nest. Then fashioned
Speaker 1: for him the fulk of gates, firm on the earth
Speaker 1: a funeral pile, and hung it with helmets and harness
Speaker 1: of war and breastplates bright as the boon, he asked,
Speaker 1: and they laid it amid the mighty chieftain heroes mourning
Speaker 1: their master dear. Then on the hill that hugest of
Speaker 1: bale fires, the warriors wakened. Wood smoke rose black over blaze,
Speaker 1: and blent was the roar of flame, with weeping. The
Speaker 1: wind was still till the fire had broken, the frame
Speaker 1: of bones hot at the heart. In heavy mood their
Speaker 1: misery moaned they their master's death, wailing her woe. The widow, old,
Speaker 1: her hair upbound for Beowulf's death, sung in her sorrow
Speaker 1: and said full oft she dreaded the doleful days to come,
Speaker 1: deaths a now, and doom of battle and shame. The
Speaker 1: smoke by the sky was devoured. The folk of the
Speaker 1: waiters fashioned there on the headland a barrow broad and
Speaker 1: high by ocean. Farers descried. In ten days time their
Speaker 1: toil had raised it the battle brave's beacon, round brands
Speaker 1: of the pyre a wall they built the worthiest ever
Speaker 1: that wit could prompt in their wisest men, they placed
Speaker 1: in the barrow that precious booty, the rounds and the
Speaker 1: rings they had reft erewhile hardy heroes from hoard in cave,
Speaker 1: trusting the ground with treasure of earls, gold in the
Speaker 1: earth wherever it lies useless to men as of yore.
Speaker 1: It was then about that barrow the battle keen road,
Speaker 1: atheling borne a band of twelve lament to make to
Speaker 1: mourn their king, chant, their dirge, and their chieftain honor.
Speaker 1: They praised his earlship, his acts of prowess worthily witnessed,
Speaker 1: and well it is that men their master friend mightily
Speaker 1: laud heartily love, when hence he goes from life in
Speaker 1: the body forlorn away. Thus made their mourning, the men
Speaker 1: of Gateland for their heroes, passing his hearth. Companions quoth
Speaker 1: that of all the kings of earth, of men, he
Speaker 1: was mildest and most beloved to his kin, the kindest,
Speaker 1: keenest for praise. End of Section eight, End of Beowulf,
Speaker 1: translated by Francis Barton Gomer