Beowulf, II. The Hall Heorot

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Beowulf

Part II. The Hall Heorot

(Old English text, British Library MS Cotton Vitellius A) (Modern English translation by Francis B. Gummere, Harvard Classics, 1910) ða wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga, Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings, leof leodcyning, longe þrage leader beloved, and long he ruled folcum gefræge fæder ellor hwearf, in fame with all folk, since his father had gone aldor of earde, oþþæt him eft onwoc away from the world, till awoke an heir, heah Healfdene; heold þenden lifde, haughty Healfdene, who held through life, gamol ond guðreouw, glæde Scyldingas. sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad. ðæm feower bearn forð gerimed Then, one after one, there woke to him, in worold wocun, weoroda ræswan, to the chieftain of clansmen, children four: Heorogar ond Hroðgar ond Halga til; Heorogar, then Hrothgar, then Halga brave; hyrde ic þæt wæs Onelan cwen, and I heard that ——— was ———’s queen, Heaðoscilfingas healsgebedda. the Heathoscylfing’s helpmate dear. þa wæs Hroðgare heresped gyfen, To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, wiges weorðmynd, þæt him his winemagas such honor of combat, that all his kin georne hyrdon, oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox, obeyed him gladly till great grew his band magodriht micel. Him on mod bearn of youthful comrades. It came in his mind þæt healreced hatan wolde, to bid his henchmen a hall uprear, medoærn micel, men gewyrcean a master mead-house, mightier far þonne yldo bearn æfre gefrunon, than ever was seen by the sons of earth, ond þær on innan eall gedælan and within it, then, to old and young geongum ond ealdum, swylc him god sealde, he would all allot that the Lord had sent him, buton folcscare ond feorum gumena. save only the land and the lives of his men. ða ic wide gefrægn weorc gebannan Wide, I heard, was the work commanded, manigre mægþe geond þisne middangeard, for many a tribe this mid-earth round, folcstede frætwan. Him on fyrste gelomp, to fashion the folkstead. It fell, as he ordered, ædre mid yldum, þæt hit wearð ealgearo, in rapid achievement that ready it stood there, healærna mæst; scop him Heort naman of halls the noblest: Heorot he named it se þe his wordes geweald wide hæfde. whose message had might in many a land. He beot ne aleh, beagas dælde, Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, sinc æt symle. Sele hlifade, treasure at banquet: there towered the hall, heah ond horngeap, heaðowylma bad, high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting laðan liges; ne wæs hit lenge þa gen of furious flame. Nor far was that day þæt se ecghete aþumsweorum, when father and son-in-law stood in feud æfter wælniðe wæcnan scolde. for warfare and hatred that woke again. ða se ellengæst earfoðlice With envy and anger an evil spirit þrage geþolode, se þe in þystrum bad, endured the dole in his dark abode, þæt he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde that he heard each day the din of revel hludne in healle; þær wæs hearpan sweg, high in the hall: there harps rang out, swutol sang scopes. Sægde se þe cuþe clear song of the singer. He sang who knew frumsceaft fira feorran reccan, tales of the early time of man, cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte, how the Almighty made the earth, wlitebeorhtne wang, swa wæter bebugeð, fairest fields enfolded by water, gesette sigehreþig sunnan ond monan set, triumphant, sun and moon leoman to leohte landbuendum for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, ond gefrætwade foldan sceatas and braided bright the breast of earth leomum ond leafum, lif eac gesceop with limbs and leaves, made life for all cynna gehwylcum þara ðe cwice hwyrfaþ. of mortal beings that breathe and move. Swa ða drihtguman dreamum lifdon So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel eadiglice, oððæt an ongan a winsome life, till one began fyrene fremman feond on helle. to fashion evils, that field of hell. Wæs se grimma gæst Grendel haten, Grendel this monster grim was called, mære mearcstapa, se þe moras heold, march-riever mighty, in moorland living, fen ond fæsten; fifelcynnes eard in fen and fastness; fief of the giants wonsæli wer weardode hwile, the hapless wight a while had kept siþðan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde since the Creator his exile doomed. in Caines cynne. þone cwealm gewræc On kin of Cain was the killing avenged ece drihten, þæs þe he Abel slog; by sovran God for slaughtered Abel. ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac he hine feor forwræc, Ill fared his feud, and far was he driven, metod for þy mane, mancynne fram. for the slaughter’s sake, from sight of men. þanon untydras ealle onwocon, Of Cain awoke all that woful breed, eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas, Etins and elves and evil-spirits, swylce gigantas, þa wið gode wunnon as well as the giants that warred with God lange þrage; he him ðæs lean forgeald. weary while: but their wage was paid them! back to previous page > Part I. The Passing of Scyld continued on next page > Part III. Grendel’s Visits


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