Beowulf: Lines 991 to 1398

"then, quickly, the interior of heorot was ordered to be decorated; many men 
and women made the wine-hall ready. a tapestry, ornate with gold, shone 
along the walls, many wonder-sights for all people who gaze on such things. 
that bright building--the interior of which was secure with iron bands--was 
broken badly, the hinges sprung asunder; the roof alone escaped wholly 
sound, when the monster, stained with grim deeds, turned in flight 
despairing of life. death is not easy to escape from--try he who will--but 
he [modified by three or four parallel genetives like "soul-bearers" and 
"earth-dwellers"] must (eventually) seek out the place forced upon him by 
necessity, where his body, secure in death-bed, sleeps after feasting. 

"then that time approached when healfdene's son went to the hall; the king 
himself wanted to partake of the feast, nor have i learned of a tribe faring 
better in greater company about their treasure-giver. the prosperous bent to 
the bench and rejoyced in feasting; the kinsmen of hrothgar and hrothulf 
greatly accepted many mead-cups in the high hall; the inside of heorot was 
filled with friends; the descendants of scyld contrived, as yet, no 
treacherous-deeds at all. the flaming brand of healfdene bestowed then unto 
beowulf, as victory's reward, a golden standard, an embroidered 
battle-banner, helmet and corslet; many saw the splendid treasure-sword 
brought before the warrior. 

"beowulf partook of the cup in the hall; he had no reason to be ashamed 
before the apearmen for the fee-gift. i have not heard  of many men giving 
four gold-adorned treasures to others in a friendlier way on the ale-bench. 
around that helmet's crown, the head-guard, the outside rim was protected by 
encircled wires, so that the filed sword, battle-hardened, might not scathe 
him when the shield-fighter should advance against enemies. the earl's 
defender ordered that eight horses with plated-bridle be led to the 
hall-floor, in through the courtyard; of them one stood, saddle skillfully 
adorned, with jewels decorated; it was the battle-seat of the high-king, the 
son of healfdene, when he wished to join in sword's play--this far-famed's 
war-skill in the vanguard never failed when the slain were falling. 

"the protector of ing's friends then gave to beowulf possession of both 
gifts, horses and weapons; he told him to well enjoy them. thus in manly 
fashion the famous prince, 
guardian of the horad of heroes, paid for battle-clashes in horses and 
treasures, so never could one fault them, he who will tell truth as well as 
right. 

"then the leader of earls gave treasures, inherited heirlooms, to each one 
of those who with beowulf travelled the brine-path. and that one man decreed 
an atonement to be made in gold for he whom grendel first in malice killed, 
as he would have done to more of them, except that the wise god, and this 
man's courage, prevented that fate for them. god directed all for humankind, 
as he now still does." 

[deep sigh of relief].

       gyf ?onne Frysna hwylc  frecnan spræce 
 1105 ?æs mor?orhetes  myndgiend wære, 
       ?onne hit sweordes ecg  se?an scolde. 
Ad wæs geæfned  ond icge gold 
       ahæfen of horde.  Herescyldinga 
       betst beadorinca  wæs on bæl gearu. 
 1110 æt ?æm ade wæs  e?gesyne 
       swatfah syrce,  swyn ealgylden, 
       eofer irenheard,  æ?eling manig 
       wundum awyrded;  sume on wæle crungon. 
       Het ?a Hildeburh  æt Hnæfes ade 
 1115 hire selfre sunu  sweolo?e befæstan, 
       banfatu bærnan  ond on bæl don 
       eame on eaxle.  Ides gnornode, 
       geomrode giddum.  Gu?rinc astah. 
       Wand to wolcnum  wælfyra mæst, 
 1120 hlynode for hlawe;  hafelan multon, 
       bengeato burston,  ?onne blod ætspranc, 
       la?bite lices.  Lig ealle forswealg, 
       gæsta gifrost,  ?ara ?e ?ær gu? fornam 
       bega folces;  wæs hira blæd scacen. 
 1125 Gewiton him ?a wigend  wica neosian, 
       freondum befeallen,  Frysland geseon, 
       hamas ond heaburh.. 
 

(1076) After morning came, the daughter of Hoc (Hildeburgh) bemorned the 
decree of fate not without cause that she under heaven might see the 
slaughter of kinsmen, in whom before she had the most joy of the world. 
(1080b) War took away all of Finn's thanes except only a few, the 
survivors of the calamity, that he might not in the meeting place the 
battle against Hengest fight to the finish at all, nor in war force out 
the prince's thane; but they offered him truce, they cleared out all of 
another building for him, half's hall and high-seat, that they power 
against Jute's son must possess, and at treasure's giving days son of 
Folcwada (Finn) should exalt the Danes, Hengest's company, should 
present rings, just so much treasures ornamented of gold, as would 
encourage the Frisian kin in the beer-hall. 
1095    They concluded firmly in two halves the compact of peace.  Finn 
courageously and unflyingly declared oaths to Hengest, he held the honor 
of the wiseman's judgement, that any man, survivors of the calamity, 
with neither words nor works nor through ever have complained 
maliciously, should not break the treaty, though they, lordless, their 
ring giver's murderer should follow, in this manner thus was required of 
him; (1104) If then the Frisian's any daring this murderous hate's 
speech were reminded, then it a sword's edge should make clear.-- The 
oath was made ready and mighty gold was raised from the hoard.  The best 
of the warriors of the Army of the Danes was prepared for the funeral 
pyre.(1110)  On the fire was easily seen the bloodstained coat of mail, 
swine all golden, boar iron hard, many a a noble man destroyed with 
wounds; many a one in slaughter fell! 

1114: Then Hildeburgh ordered her self's sons on Hnaef's pyre, entrust 
to the flames, bodies to burn, and on the funeral fire to place shoulder 
by shoulder the uncle.  The lady mournes, lamented dirges.  Warrior 
ascended, flew to the clouds the greatest of funeral fires, shouted in 
fron of the mound; heads melted, wound openings burst, grievious bites 
of the body, then blood sprang forth.  Fire all forforswallowed, most 
ravenous of spirit, both peoples they their war took away;  their glory 
was gone. 
XVII 1125       The warrior went to find the dwelling places, homes and high 
burghs, land of the East Frisians to behold, himself bereft of 
friends.. 
  -- 
 

       arfæst æt ecga gelacum.  Spræc ?a ides Scyldinga: 
       "Onfoh ?issum fulle,  freodrihten min, 
 1170 sinces brytta!  ?u on sælum wes, 
       goldwine gumena,  ond to Geatum spræc 
       mildum wordum,  swa sceal man don. 
       Beo wi? Geatas glæd,  geofena gemyndig, 
       nean ond feorran  ?u nu hafast. 
 1175 Me man sægde  ?æt ?u ?e for sunu wolde 
       hererinc habban.  Heorot is gefælsod, 
       beahsele beorhta;  bruc ?enden ?u mote 
       manigra medo,  ond ?inum magum læf 
       folc ond rice,  ?onne ?u for? scyle 
 1180 metodsceaft seon.  Ic minne can 
       glædne Hro?ulf,  ?æt he ?a geogo?e wile 
       arum healdan,  gyf ?u ær ?onne he, 
       wine Scildinga,  worold oflætest; 
wene ic ?æt he mid gode  gyldan wille 
 1185 uncran eaferan,  gif he ?æt eal gemon, 
       hwæt wit to willan  ond to wor?myndum 
       umborwesendum ær  arna gefremedon." 
       Hwearf ?a bi bence  ?ær hyre byre wæron, 
       Hre?ric ond Hro?mund,  ond hæle?a bearn, 
 1190 giogo? ætgædere;  ?ær se goda sæt, 
       Beowulf Geata,  be ?æm gebro?rum twæm. 
       Him wæs ful boren  ond freondla?u 
       wordum bewægned,  ond wunden gold 
       estum geeawed,  earmreade twa, 
 1195 hrægl ond hringas,  healsbeaga mæst 
       ?ara ?e ic on foldan  gefrægen hæbb. 
 

        Then she went to her seat.  There was the best of feasts, 
men drank wine. They didn't know fate, 
grim decree made long before, as it came to pass 
to many warriors after evening came, 
and Hrothgar departed to his dwelling, 
the noble one to his rest. A great number of men 
occupied the building, just as they had often done before. 
Benchplanks were bared; it (the floor) was spread with 
beds and bolsters. One of the beer-drinkers, 
ripe and doomed to die, lay down to his hall-rest. 
They set at their heads their battle-shields, 
bright shields; there on the bench 
it was easy to see over each warrior 
his helmet that towered in battle, his ringed mail-shirt, 
his mighty spear.  It was their custom 
always to be ready for war 
both at home and in the field(army), 
in any case at any such time that need 
should befall their lord; that was a good nation (troop of warriors). 

        Then they sank to sleep. A certain one sorely paid 
for his evening-rest, just as often came to pass, 
when Grendel guarded the gold-hall 
did wrongs until the end came, 
death after crimes. It came to be seen, 
widely known among men, that after bitter battle, 
an avenger still lived;  Grendel's mother, 
monster-wife (monster of a woman), bore misery in mind, 
she who had to dwell in the terrible water, 
the cold currents, after Cain became 
the sword-slayer of his only brother, 
his own father's son. 
 

       Denigea leodum.  Dead is æschere, 
       Yrmenlafes  yldra bro?or, 
 1325 min runwita  ond min rædbora, 
       eaxlgestealla,  ?onne we on orlege 
       hafelan weredon,  ?onne hniton fe?an, 
       eoferas cnysedan.  Swylc scolde eorl 
       wesan, 
       æ?eling ærgod,  swylc æschere wæs! 
 . 
; 

       Ure æghwylc sceal  ende gebidan 
       worolde lifes;  wyrce se ?e mote 
       domes ær dea?e;  ?æt bi? drihtguman 
       unlifgendum  æfter selest. 
 1390 Aris, rices weard,  uton ra?e feran 
       Grendles magan  gang sceawigan. 
       Ic hit ?e gehate,  no he on helm losa?, 
       ne on foldan fæ?m,  ne on fyrgenholt, 
       ne on gyfenes grund,  ga ?ær he wille. 
 1395 ?ys dogor ?u  ge?yld hafa 
       weana gehwylces,  swa ic ?e wene to." 
       Ahleop ?a se gomela,  gode ?ancode, 
       mihtigan drihtne,  ?æs se man gespræc