Beowulf

XXI

BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow:

“Sorrow not, sage! It beseems us better

friends to avenge than fruitlessly mourn them.

Each of us all must his end abide

in the ways of the world; so win who may

glory ere death! When his days are told,

that is the warrior’s worthiest doom.

Rise, O realm-warder! Ride we anon,

and mark the trail of the mother of Grendel.

No harbor shall hide her — heed my promise! —

enfolding of field or forested mountain

or floor of the flood, let her flee where she will!

But thou this day endure in patience,

as I ween thou wilt, thy woes each one.”

Leaped up the graybeard: God he thanked,

mighty Lord, for the man’s brave words.

For Hrothgar soon a horse was saddled

wave-maned steed. The sovran wise

stately rode on; his shield-armed men

followed in force. The footprints led

along the woodland, widely seen,

a path o’er the plain, where she passed, and trod

the murky moor; of men-at-arms

she bore the bravest and best one, dead,

him who with Hrothgar the homestead ruled.

On then went the atheling-born

o’er stone-cliffs steep and strait defiles,

narrow passes and unknown ways,

headlands sheer, and the haunts of the Nicors.

Foremost he [21a] fared, a few at his side

of the wiser men, the ways to scan,

till he found in a flash the forested hill

hanging over the hoary rock,

a woful wood: the waves below

were dyed in blood. The Danish men

had sorrow of soul, and for Scyldings all,

for many a hero, ’twas hard to bear,

ill for earls, when Aeschere’s head

they found by the flood on the foreland there.

Waves were welling, the warriors saw,

hot with blood; but the horn sang oft

battle-song bold. The band sat down,

and watched on the water worm-like things,

sea-dragons strange that sounded the deep,

and nicors that lay on the ledge of the ness —

such as oft essay at hour of morn

on the road-of-sails their ruthless quest, —

and sea-snakes and monsters. These started away,

swollen and savage that song to hear,

that war-horn’s blast. The warden of Geats,

with bolt from bow, then balked of life,

of wave-work, one monster, amid its heart

went the keen war-shaft; in water it seemed

less doughty in swimming whom death had seized.

Swift on the billows, with boar-spears well

hooked and barbed, it was hard beset,

done to death and dragged on the headland,

wave-roamer wondrous. Warriors viewed

the grisly guest.

Then girt him Beowulf

in martial mail, nor mourned for his life.

His breastplate broad and bright of hues,

woven by hand, should the waters try;

well could it ward the warrior’s body

that battle should break on his breast in vain

nor harm his heart by the hand of a foe.

And the helmet white that his head protected

was destined to dare the deeps of the flood,

through wave-whirl win: ’twas wound with chains,

decked with gold, as in days of yore

the weapon-smith worked it wondrously,

with swine-forms set it, that swords nowise,

brandished in battle, could bite that helm.

Nor was that the meanest of mighty helps

which Hrothgar’s orator offered at need:

“Hrunting” they named the hilted sword,

of old-time heirlooms easily first;

iron was its edge, all etched with poison,

with battle-blood hardened, nor blenched it at fight

in hero’s hand who held it ever,

on paths of peril prepared to go

to folkstead [21b] of foes. Not first time this

it was destined to do a daring task.

For he bore not in mind, the bairn of Ecglaf

sturdy and strong, that speech he had made,

drunk with wine, now this weapon he lent

to a stouter swordsman. Himself, though, durst not

under welter of waters wager his life

as loyal liegeman. So lost he his glory,

honor of earls. With the other not so,

who girded him now for the grim encounter.