36

/ Browulr
but in time it would come: the killer instinct unleashed among in-laws, the blood-lust rampant.e
ll0

the storied leader, sat st

humiliated by the loss ol

yV

[uronor rs erracrro]

eo

Then a powerful demon,r a prowler through the nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the Ioud banquet every day in the hall, the harp being struc k and the clear song of a skilled poet telling with mastery of man's beginnings, how the Almighty had made the earth a gleaming plain girdled with waters; in His splendor He set the sun and the moon to be earth's lamplight, lanterns for men, and filled the broad lap of the world with branches and leaves; and quickened life

ry;--"

t35

140

Malignant by nature, he It was easy then to meet shifting himself to a safe to bed in the bothies,3 ft to the evidence of his ev of the hall-watcher's hatr

bewildered and stunned, at the demon's trail, in d He was numb with grief for one night later merci struck again with more !

t45

in every other thing that moved.

So times were pleasant for the people there

until finally one, a fiend out of hell, began to work his evil in the world.
Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time
105 150

in misery among the banished monsters,

Cain's clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts.2 For the killins of Abel the Eternal Lord haf, eG?dtf a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him Ufl-athtnro and out of the cuise of his exile th;;;Ffang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward. So, after nightfall, Grendel set out for the lofty house, to see how the Ring-Danes were settling into it after their drink, and there he came upon them, a company of the best asleep from their feasting, insensible to pain and human sorrow. Suddenly then the God-cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirfy men from their resting places and rushed to his lair, flushed up and inflamed from the raid, blundering back with the butchered corpses. Then as dawn brightened and the day broke, Grendel's powers of destruction were plain: their wassail was over, they wept to heaven and mourned under morning. Their mighty prince, l. The poet withholds the name for several lines. He does the same with the name of the hero as
well as others.
155

llo

t60

kept a weather-eye open So Grendel ruled in & one against all, until the in the world stood emptr For twelve winters, seaso the lord of the Shielding his load of sorrow; and s the news was known or-er Sad lays were sung aboul the vicious raids and ravz his long and unrelenting nothing but war; hou. he parley or make peace sit nor stop his death-de^Hn No counselor could erer fair reparation from thosr AII were endangered; vou were hunted down bv tlu who Iurked and swooped on the misty moors; nobo where these reavers from So Grendel waged his I inflicting constant cruelti atrocious hurt. He took o haunted the glittering hal but the throne itself, the
he was kept from apprcx These were hard times,

170

for the prince of the Shie

the highest in rhe land, w

124

plotting how best the bol might resist and beat off r

Sometimes at pagan shril offerings to idols, swore o

that the killer of soulso mi

wants only to dominate the hall. 4. The descendants o[ Shield, another

9. As told later (lines 2020-69), Hrothgar plans ro marry a daughter to Ingeld, chief of r[e HeathoBards. in hopes of resolving a long-standing feud. See previous note.

3. Huts._outllng buildings. Evident\

Gr

2.

See Genesis 4.9-12.

the Danes.

Iro

5.

1,e.,

ueryild (man-price); monetarv

cm!

Bpowulr /
130

37

the storied leader, sat stricken and helpless, humiliated by the loss of his guard,
bewildered and stunned, staring aghast at the demon's trail, in deep distress. He was numb with grief, but got no respite for one night later merciless Grendel struck again with more gruesome murders. Malignant by nature, he never showed remorse. It was easy then to meet with a man shifting himself to a safer distance to bed in the bothies,3 for who could be blind to the evidence of his eyes, the obviousness of the hall-watcher's hate? Whoever escaped kept a weather-eye open and moved away. So Grendel ruled in defiance of right, one against all, until the greatest house in the world stood empty, a deserted wallstead. For twelve winters, seasons of woe, the lord of the Shieldingsa suffered under his load of sorrowl and so, before long, the news was known over the whole world. Sad lays were sung about the beset king, the vicious raids and ravages of Grendel, his long and unrelenting feud, nothing but war; how he would never parley or make peace with any Dane nor stop his death-dealing nor pay the death-price.5 No counselor could ever expect fair reparation from those rabid hands. All were endangered; young and old were hunted down by that dark death-shadow who lurked and swooped in the long nights on the misty moors; nobody knows where these reavers from hell roam on their errands. So Grendel waged his lonely war, inflicting constant cruelties on the people, atrocious hurt. He took over Heorot, haunted the glittering hall after dark, but the throne itself, the treasure-seat, he was kept from approaching; he vr,as the Lord's outcast, These were hard times, heartbreaking for the prince of the Shieldings; powerful counselors, the highest in the land, would lend advice, plotting how best the bold defenders might resist and beat off sudden attacks. Sometimes at pagan shrines they vowed offerings to idols, swore oaths that the killer of souls6 might come to their aid
tion for the life of the slain man is the only way,
according to Germanic iaw, to settle
a

135

140

t4,

-l

150

r55

t60

t65

t70

175

3. Huts, outllng buildings. Evidently Grendel wants only to dominate the hall. 4. The descendants of Shield, another name for the Danes. 5. 1.e., uergild (man-price); monetary compensa-

feud peace-

fully.

6. I.e., the devil. Heathen

devils.

gods were thought to be

38

Browur-r'
arrd save the people. That was their way,

their heathenish hope; deep in their hearts

I I3O

185

they remembered hell. The AlmightyJudge ofgood deeds and bad, the Lord God, Head of the Heavens and High King of the World, was unknown to them. Oh. cursed ii he who in time of trouble has to thrust his soul in the fire's,embrace, forfeiting help; he has nowhere to turn. But blessed is he who after dearh can approach rhe Lord and find friendship in rhe Father's embrace.

frnr urno

coMES To HEoRor]

for Halfdane's son, too hard an ordeal. There was panic after dark, people endured raids in the night, riven by the tenor. When he heard about Grendel, Hygelac's
I95

So that troubled time continued, woe that ncver sropped. steady affliction

thane _ r,

'-There

+f,ln[:T:?1iJ3,L1tfll,f:#:I no one else like him alive.

In his day, he was tI. (
\4/as

l'\t-t!s l"gCsi. h".-ut' enlis{.ing men. '\r.F- the best he could find; with fourteen others

20s

that would ply the -aG.. He announced his plan: to sail the swan's road and seek out that king, the famous prince who needed defenders. Nobody tried to keep him Ilom going, no elder denied him, dear as he waslo them. lnstead, th-ey ,--inspected omqs and spurred.__ hts ambttion to go,-whilst he moved about
.

hisblog#d#\,,crful. Ife-ffi;d a b; hish.born*nd+v,erfu,.\iffiffi;115Q''

\d*s S

<tV

245 disembarked so openly-nct bo if the sentries allowei them saf or the clan had consented. Nor
a mightier man-at-arms on this

for that easy crossing on a cah When the watchman on the 2:,o whose job it was to guard the s saw shields glittering on the ga and battle-equipment being rir he had to find out who rrJ*h the arrivals were. So he rode to 235 this horseman of Hrothgar,s, ar in formal terms, flourishing his "What kind of men are yo,, *h rigged out for combat in your c sailing here over the sea-ianes 240 in your steep-hulled boat? I har as lookout on this coast for a lo My job is to watch the waves fr any danger to the Danish shore Never before has a force under

than the one standing here: unl 25o he is truly noble. Thii is no mer hanger-on in dlilero,s armor.
as interlopers,

25t

where you come from and whv, The leader of the troop unlocl the distinguished one deiivered r 260 "We belong by birth to the Geat 3n{ ow-e allegiance to Lord Hrm In his day, my father was a fam-o a noble warrior-lord named Ecgt He outlasted many a long winter 265 and went on his way. AII over th men wise in counsel continue to We come in good faith to find w and nation's shield, the son of i-I Give us the right advice and dire 27o We have arrived here on a grcaa to the Iord of the Danes, .rrd I h there should be nothing hidden r So tell us if what we ha:ve hearrd i about this threat, whatever it is. 275 this danger abroad in the dark ni1 this. corpse-maker mongering dea

So now, before you fare inland I have to be infor about who you are and where yl Outsiders from across the wdter I say it again: the sooner you tel

280

my wholehearted help and couns I can show the wise Hrothgar a n to defeat his enemy and firid resp

in the Shieldings,country. Iiomr

outlasted an entire night agai Beowulf, Ecgtheow's son. r

i30

!lt

.N (\S -*f

t.;il;'d;could

4ss

have room tole together in their bearing' proud sat, party the and bY ;;;i.|ffi-;al*a*' An attendant stood bright pouring pitcher, with I decorated sang' helpings of mqg:tbAnd.the minstrel voice' head-clearing hffi ir"o.otHth his Danes' and Geats of rally great ni"aa'""i"g that th" king's feet' "'-i;;i"re h? crouchld

[ruesr Ar HEoRor] hall rhen a bench was cleared in that banquet

"Well, friend Unferth, You ha about Breca and me. But it x that was doing the talking. Tl when the going was heauv in I was the strongest swimmer We'd been children together daring oufselves to outdo eac boasting and urging each oth our lives on the sea. And so i Each of us swam holding a s'
a naked, hard-proofed blade

asainst the whale-beasts. But niove out farther or faster frt

i{t

5oo [bfq1}* a son of Ecglaf's' sPoke

"t

;;0

-26"r, ^w J" ; 'fi;-;;;-'braving, ' 'fr" r<-a

misht enioy greater regard than he did: l'-,ti" uou"rt who took on Breca ""geowulf on the op.en sea' r , match in a swimming just prove ihut yot' could win? to wa"ter ,h; ;trkt;; It was"sheer vanity made you venture out , 5ro .",ft" -ri" d""p' At'd no matterwho tried'

made him si&with enrv: not b"iook or abide the fact "trfa lhut ,rryott" else alive under.heaven.. ,

words' Beowulf's coming',

than I could manage to mou Shoulder to shoulder, w'e str for frve nights, until the long and pitch of the waves, the P nighi falling and winds from drore us apart. The deeP boi and its wallowing sent the se My armor helped me to hold my hard-ringed chain-mail' I a firle, close-fit1ing filigree oi kept me salefhet some oc( pr-,lled me to the bottom- Pi-r and swathed in its griP, I sa

final chance: my sword Plun

*";e..

515

525

""iiir". You waded in, embracing water, takins its measure, mastering currents' ;;il;; the swell. The ocean swaYed' . , vreo wintJr went wild in the waves' but you you' for seven nights; and then he outswam contender' .r-" "uhotJ the stronger He was cast uP safe and sound one mornlng his way ,*."n ,t " Heatho-Reams, then made countrlr Bronding in io *frEt" he belonged ho*" ueuir,, ,,.rr" of his ground So Breca made good proved right'. was his boast upon you and how You maY have fared iG;;;'rh"1"fo.", now' until battle and bout every in iiit ti#" you'll be worsted; no one has ever

*""ri

foe, to ieflect the Pair of You' ' do*"' tf,e sea-test obsessed you'

bu"k

l-0

il;;.;?;il;,,db"*"lt

and the ordeal was over. Thl the furv of battle had finishr "Time and again, foul thir lurking and stalking, but I L gave as good as I got r'rith m Mv flesh was not for feasrin there would be no monsters over their banquet at the bo Instead, in the morning. nul the sleep of the sword, theYlike the ocean's lgavings. Fr sailors would be safe, the dr were over for good. Light cr bright guarantee of Qod, an rr"it q"rl"t; I could'iee-hear and buffeted cliffs. Often' f fate spares the man it has r However it occurred, ms ss nine sea-monsters. Such n! and hard ordeals I have ner nor of a man more desolare

4. Fortified outwork of a court or castle The

Ulster to describe word.was used by English planters in notel' lrish the lTranslator's from fortified dwellings they erected t;j^J;;;;fi;t"ted

But worn out as I was, I su came through with m1'life. and laid me ashore, I lande

****--.-

[_-

BEowulr I
outlasted an entire night against Grendel'" Beowulf, Ecgtheou/s son, rePlied: "Well, friend U"nferth' you have had your say about Breca and me. But it was mostly beer this: ;h;;;;t doing the talking' The truth.is waves' high in those hear'v ;i;" ;[" goirig was all' of swimmer ittorig"tt the I was We'd been children together and we grew uP daring oufselves to outdo each other, U"rt,i-"g and urging each other to risk o", tl""i on the"sei. And so it turned out' Er"h of us swam holding a sword, a naked, hard-proofed blade for protection never asainst the whale-beasts' But Breca could me from faster or m"ove out farther

45

535

than I could manage to move from him' Shor'rld", to shouldlr, we struggled on for five nights. until the long {1911 and pitch"of the waves, the perishing-cold' nishi falllns and winds from the north drZr" ,, apirt. The deeP boiled uP and its wailowing sent the sea-brutes wild' Mv armor helPed me to hold outl

*J frrta:1"-"'J.nrir-*uil, hand-forged , fi.,", "lot"htting filigree of gold'

final chance: mY s*ord Plunged

and linked'

555

keot me safe when some ocean creature ,"it"a *" to the bottom' Pinioned fastone ind ,*uth"d in its grip, I was granted

,"J ,ft" ordeal was ol'"t' lfhro"g! Ty "*'. hands' t}luttt" had finished off the sea-beast' ;i;f"* -

'.>, )+-

(\

t.
i'..r'

'

570

and again. foul things a-ttacked me' lurking and stalking, but I lashed out, g"u" ui good as I got with mY sword' Mv flesh was not for f'easting on' thlre would be no monsters gnawing and gloating over their banquet at the bottom of the sea' i"t*"a, in the morning, mangled and sleeping sword,"they slopped and floated iir"-tl"!p "trt-te leavings' From now onocean's the like sailors would be safe. the deep-sea raids Light came from the east' -"r" o"". for good. brisht suarantee of God, and the waves *"it q"r;"t, t could iee'headlands U.iff"t"a cliffs. often, for undaunted courage'1 ""a frt" soares the man it has not already marked' I Ho*"u"t it occurred, my sword had killed I nine sea-monsters. Such night danger: I and hard ordeals I have never heard ol \ nor of a man more desolate in surging waves' \

;fi*"

But worn out as I was, I survived' came through with my life' The^ocean lilted and laid me"ashore, I landed safe

,/

Bnowulr I

47

Th#f;i
66,

sr'i"tai"gs' their shelter in war' *""a-hall to lie with Wealhtheow' i"fr-,f't* 'rrJq"l""-;At"d*'t"' Glory
tt'-J

The King of

n\^i'$>^ " -V't' l-trd]t#' He began to.'"'non" his irontrrea:'t*U"", his at ) ,lU;'E\^# ;;;k;'ff the helmet and handedtu't"'Pi"-*' / dtfu"f#'\^ fhe patterned ';;;;:;lth'' .ra,iri"g him to k:gp th." "9*',Rt"tl,Fuarded' t.f /nLltrl n/) 67s And belore he bedded down' Beowult' a1;1ted: ;h;;;;il; oi gooa'"t''.ProudlY myself count I / "When it "o*E' io.fightilg' {tih;y t:il}-.Ti[#li1',,?'"8:T'i'*",0 rpck{
680 to mow himdown' easily as I might' U" ftrt no idea of the arts of war'does possess
.ri shield or sword-play' although he

g'uard against monsters' who was a match for Grendel' -a prince' Danish the .oecial protection to pi,""a complete trust. the 670 i"'r,i.-tit""gttr of limb and 6)'.

i"t i".pf"

learned) had posted a lookout

ffiltJC;;i

a(-

f/

"

48

I BsowuLr

5ia-r

wild strength. No weapons, therefore, for either thls night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares. And may the Divine Lord in His wisdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit." Then down the brave man lay with his bolster under his head and his whole company of sea-rovers at rest beside him. None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again or get back to his native place and the people who reared him' They knew too well the way it was before, how often the Danes had fallen PreY to death in the mead-hall. But the Lord was weaving a victory on His war-loom for the Weather-Geats' Througlr the strength of one they all prevailed;
a

'

7t5

125

730

they w"ould crush tleir enemy and come through ./ in triumph and gladness. The truth is clear: Almighty God,rules over mankind and always has. Then out of the night came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift. The hall-guards were slack, asleep at th-eir posts, all excepione; it was widely understood that as long as God disallowed it, the fiend could not bear them to his shadow-bourne' One man, however, was in fighting mood, awake and on edge' spoiling for action. In off the *ooit, down through the mist-bands God-cursed Grendel came greedily loping. The bane of the race of men roamed forth, hunting for a prey in the high hall' Under the cloud-murk he moved toward it until it shone above him, a sheer keep of fortified gold. Nor was that the first time he had tcort"d the grounds of Hrothgar's dwellingalthough never in his life, before or since, did he find harder fortune or hall-defenders. Spurned and joyless, he journeyed on ahead and arrived at the bawn.5 The iron-braced door turned on its hinge when his hands touched it. Then his rage boiled over' he ripped open the mouth of the building, maddening for blood, pacing the length of the patterned floo-r with his loathsome tread, while a baleful light' flame more than light, flared from his eyes. He saw many men in the mansion, sleeping' a ranked company of kinsmen and warriors quartered together. And his glee was demonic, picturing the mayhem: before morning ke would rip life from limb and devour them,
p.44, n.
4.

5.

See

BsowuLr I
night feed on their flesh; but his fate that ravening of days his *". du" to change, had come to an end. NlighrY and cannY' keenly watching . was Hvselac's kinsman would make' monster the move first f*"th" waiting him Nor did the creature keep in; started and Lrrt ,trrr.k suddenlY his be-nch'. on man a ma,l"d ;r,J ;;'-;b"d u"""-lrppi"gs, bolted down his blood the body and gorged on him in lumps, leaving

49

740

iltrilffi,;

can mean a gathering where musicians (s eissitin it 6. In Hibemo-English the word "session' I ranslaior lrlilr) s note l'

and

,ir!"* p"tfo* foi their om

enjoyment I

50

Browu r-r wail arose, and bewildering fear came over the Danes. Everyone felt it who heard that cry as it echoed off the wall, a God-cursed scream and strain of catastrophe' the howl of the loser, the lament of the hell-serf keening his wound. He was overwhelmed, manacled tight by the man who of all men was foremoit and strongest in the days of this life. But the earl-troop's leader was not inclined to allow his caller to depart alive: he did not consider that life of much account to anyone anywhere. Time and again, Beowulf's warriors worked to defend their lord's life, laying about them as best they could, with their ancestral blades. Stalwart in action, they kept striking out on every side, seeking to cut straight to the soul. When they joined the, struggle therJ was something they could not have known at the that no blade on earth, no blacksmith's art could ever damage their demon opponent. He had conjured the harm from the cutting edge of every weapon.T But his going awaY out of this world and the days of his life would be agony to him, and his alien spirit,. ,ot would travel far into fiends' keeping. - hL\' Then he who had harrowed the hearts of men with pain and affliction in former times and had given offense also to God found that his bodily powers failed him.
Hygelac's kinsman kept him helplessly locked in a handgrip. As long as either lived, he was hateful to the other. The monster's whole body was in pain; a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lappings burst. Beowulf was granted the glory of winning; Grendel was driven under the fen-banks, fatally hurt, to his desolate lair. His days were numbered, the end of his life was coming over him, he knew it for certain; and one bloody clash had fulfilled the dearest wishes of the Danes, The man who had lately landed among them, proud and sure, had purged the hall, kept it from harm; he was happy with his nightwork and the courage he had shown. The Geat captain had boldly fulfilled his boast to the Danes: he had healed and relieved a huge distress,

5+a"r

810

815

unremitting humiliations, the hard fate they'd been forced to undergo, no small affliction. Clear proof of this
7. Grendel
is protected by a charm against metals.

Bsowulr /
could be seen in the hand the hero displayed uf near the roof: the whole of e""a"tt_ 83s shoulder and arm. his a*esome grasp.
h_iSh

51

Browurr /

65

1445

1450

1455

1460

t465

t470

1475

Beowulf got readv. donned his war-gear. indifferent to death; his mighty, hand-forged, fine-webbed mail would soon meet with the menace underwater. It would keep the bone-cage of his body safe: no enemy's clasp could crush him in it, no vicious armlock choke his life out. To guard his head he had a glittering helmet that was due to be muddied on the ilere bottom and blurred in the upswirl. It was of beaten gold, princely headgear hooped and hasped by e weapon-smith who had worked wonders ir.r dayl gone by and adorned it with boar-shapes; since then it had resisted every sword. And another item lent bv Unferth at that moment of need'*., of no small importance: the brehona handed him a hilted *"upo.r, ' a rare and ancient sword named Hrunting. The iron blade with its ill-boding parterns had been tempered in blood. It f,ad never failed the hand _of anyone who hefted it in battle, anyone who had fought and faced the worst in the gap of danger. This was not the first time it had been called to perform heroic feats. When he lent that blade to the better swordsman, Unferth, the strong-built son of Ecglaf, could hardly hav_e remembered the-ranting speech he had made in his cyls_. He was not man"enough to t'ace the turmoil of a fight under water and the risk to his life. So there he lost fame and repute. It was different for the other rigged otrt in his gear, ready to do battle. son of Ecgtheow, spoke: ._ -Beowulf, "Wisest of kings, now that I have come to the point of action, I ask you to recall what we said earlier: that you, son of Halfdane and gold-friend to retaineis, that you, if I should fall and suffer death while serving yor. "urr", would act Iike a father to me afterward.
old English word for unferth,s

4 ' one of an ancient class of lawyers in Ireland [Translator's note] . The office. thyle. has been interpreted i. ..orrt"i."na :.;;;i;;;;;;.,i

66 / Browurr
r480 If this combat kills me. rake care

fl IilJ::i:;r:IP::l'
i: ffi : I
i;"11':.";

-Y "o'"ua"' in arms'

#], *:,.J,:"1

i;::ir,::

,4

e'

*fr+.n",xdl",I;i;_HJ:s
was impatient to

*,r#*{ffi"
|
' the prince of the Weather-Gearr ^
and plu

l,llj'.E

nged s udden ly, *irl,., In-,. #'#"o". :*,:, dived in.to thi hea.. ,4es a*prt,. oi r"t-," ;i: i." J ; ff :ff *0", r"i"," r, l#",'"il],"-; " ";1,

jil,