Beowulf

XXVI

BEOWULF spake, bairn of Ecgtheow: —

“Lo, we seafarers say our will,

far-come men, that we fain would seek

Hygelac now. We here have found

hosts to our heart: thou hast harbored us well.

If ever on earth I am able to win me

more of thy love, O lord of men,

aught anew, than I now have done,

for work of war I am willing still!

If it come to me ever across the seas

that neighbor foemen annoy and fright thee, —

as they that hate thee erewhile have used, —

thousands then of thanes I shall bring,

heroes to help thee. Of Hygelac I know,

ward of his folk, that, though few his years,

the lord of the Geats will give me aid

by word and by work, that well I may serve thee,

wielding the war-wood to win thy triumph

and lending thee might when thou lackest men.

If thy Hrethric should come to court of Geats,

a sovran’s son, he will surely there

find his friends. A far-off land

each man should visit who vaunts him brave.”

Him then answering, Hrothgar spake: —

“These words of thine the wisest God

sent to thy soul! No sager counsel

from so young in years e’er yet have I heard.

Thou art strong of main and in mind art wary,

art wise in words! I ween indeed

if ever it hap that Hrethel’s heir

by spear be seized, by sword-grim battle,

by illness or iron, thine elder and lord,

people’s leader, — and life be thine, —

no seemlier man will the Sea-Geats find

at all to choose for their chief and king,

for hoard-guard of heroes, if hold thou wilt

thy kinsman’s kingdom! Thy keen mind pleases me

the longer the better, Beowulf loved!

Thou hast brought it about that both our peoples,

sons of the Geat and Spear-Dane folk,

shall have mutual peace, and from murderous strife,

such as once they waged, from war refrain.

Long as I rule this realm so wide,

let our hoards be common, let heroes with gold

each other greet o’er the gannet’s-bath,

and the ringed-prow bear o’er rolling waves

tokens of love. I trow my landfolk

towards friend and foe are firmly joined,

and honor they keep in the olden way.”

To him in the hall, then, Healfdene’s son

gave treasures twelve, and the trust-of-earls

bade him fare with the gifts to his folk beloved,

hale to his home, and in haste return.

Then kissed the king of kin renowned,

Scyldings’ chieftain, that choicest thane,

and fell on his neck. Fast flowed the tears

of the hoary-headed. Heavy with winters,

he had chances twain, but he clung to this, [26a] —

that each should look on the other again,

and hear him in hall. Was this hero so dear to him.

his breast’s wild billows he banned in vain;

safe in his soul a secret longing,

locked in his mind, for that loved man

burned in his blood. Then Beowulf strode,

glad of his gold-gifts, the grass-plot o’er,

warrior blithe. The wave-roamer bode

riding at anchor, its owner awaiting.

As they hastened onward, Hrothgar’s gift

they lauded at length. — ’Twas a lord unpeered,

every way blameless, till age had broken

— it spareth no mortal — his splendid might.