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Spear-Danes Heard Scyld, Scef's The Fearsome Heruli

1) The people of the Geats prepared a large funeral pyre on the earth for their fallen king Beowulf, hanging it with helmets and shields as he had requested. 2) They laid Beowulf's body upon the pyre and lit a great fire as warriors mourned their beloved lord. 3) The Geats then built a large barrow to honor Beowulf visible from the sea, encircling it with a wall as a lasting memorial to their great king.

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Magdalena Quiroga
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51 views2 pages

Spear-Danes Heard Scyld, Scef's The Fearsome Heruli

1) The people of the Geats prepared a large funeral pyre on the earth for their fallen king Beowulf, hanging it with helmets and shields as he had requested. 2) They laid Beowulf's body upon the pyre and lit a great fire as warriors mourned their beloved lord. 3) The Geats then built a large barrow to honor Beowulf visible from the sea, encircling it with a wall as a lasting memorial to their great king.

Uploaded by

Magdalena Quiroga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Hwæt!

Wé Gárdena      in géardagum   Listen! We --of the Spear-Danes      in the days of yore,


þéodcyninga      þrym gefrúnon·   of those clan-kings--      heard of their glory.
hú ðá æþelingas      ellen fremedon.   how those nobles      performed courageous deeds.
Oft Scyld Scéfing      sceaþena þréatum   Often Scyld, Scef's son,      from enemy hosts
monegum maégþum      meodosetla oftéah· 5 from many peoples      seized mead-benches;
egsode Eorle      syððan aérest wearð   and terrorised the fearsome Heruli      after first he was
found helpless and destitute,      he then knew recompense for
féasceaft funden      hé þæs frófre gebád·   that:-
wéox under wolcnum·      weorðmyndum
þáh   he waxed under the clouds,      throve in honours,
oð þæt him aéghwylc      þára ymbsittendra   until to him each      of the bordering tribes
1
ofer hronráde      hýran scolde, beyond the whale-road      had to submit,
0
gomban gyldan·      þæt wæs gód cyning.   and yield tribute:-      that was a good king!
Ðaém eafera wæs      æfter cenned   To him a heir was      born then
geong in geardum      þone god sende   young in the yards,      God sent him
folce tó frófre·      fyrenðearfe ongeat·   to comfort the people;      He had seen the dire distress
1
þæt híe aér drugon      aldorléase that they suffered before,      leader-less
5
lange hwíle·      him þæs líffréä   a long while;      them for that the Life-Lord,
wuldres wealdend      woroldáre forgeaf:   Ruler of Glory,      granted honour on earth:
Béowulf wæs bréme      --blaéd wíde
sprang--   Beowulf (Beaw) was famed      --his renown spread wide--
Scyldes eafera      Scedelandum in.   Scyld's heir,      in Northern lands.

Him ðá gegiredan    Géata léode   Then for him prepared     the people of the Geats **3
ád on eorðan    unwáclícne   3138 a pyre on the earth,     not trifling,
helmum behongen    hildebordum   hung with helmets,    with battle-shields,
beorhtum byrnum    swá hé béna wæs·   with bright byrnies,    as he had requested;
álegdon ðá tómiddes     maérne þéoden   they laid then in the midst    the famed chieftain,
hæleð híofende    hláford léofne·   the lamenting heroes,     their belovèd lord;
ongunnon þá on beorge    baélfýra maést   3143 then began on the barrow     the greatest bale-fire,
wígend weccan·    wuduréc ástáh   the warriors to kindle;    wood-smoke arose,
sweart ofer swioðole    swógende lég   swarthy over the heat,     the roaring flame
wópe bewunden    --windblond gelæg--   woven with weeping    --the tumult of winds lay still--
oð þæt hé ðá bánhús     gebrocen hæfde   until it the bone-house    had broken
hát on hreðre·    higum unróte   3148 hot at heart;     despairing in their hearts
módceare maéndon    mondryhtnes
cwealm·
  they bemoaned their grief,    their liege-lord's death;
swylce giómorgyd    Géatisc ánméowle   so too a death-dirge     a solitary Geatish woman **3
Bíowulfe brægd    bundenheorde   wove for Beowulf,     cruelly bound,
sang sorgcearig·    saélðe geneahhe   she sang sorrowful,     earnestly of fortune
þæt hío hyre hearmdagas    hearde ondréde   3153 that she for herself days of harm    fiercely dreaded,
wælfylla worn    werudes egesan   of multitude of slaughter-feasts,    terror of troops,
hýðo ond hæftnýd.    Heofon réce swealg·   rapine and bondage.     Heaven swallowed the smoke;
geworhton ðá    Wedra léode   then wrought    the Wederas' people
hlaéo on hóe    sé wæs héah ond brád   a barrow on the hill,    it was high and broad,
waéglíðendum    wíde gesýne   3158 for wave-farers     widely visible,
ond betimbredon    on týn dagum   and they constructed    in ten days
the war-chief's beacon,     the leavings of the fire,
wealle beworhton    swá hyt weorðlícost   with a wall they encircled,    as it most worthily
foresnotre men    findan mihton·   the very wisest men     could devise;
hí on beorg dydon    bég ond siglu    they placed in the barrow    rings and brooches,
eall swylce hyrsta    swylce on horde aér all such trappings,    as before from the hoard

níðhédige men    genumen hæfdon· hostile men    had taken away;

forléton eorla gestréon     eorðan healdan the treasure of heroes they let    the earth hold,

gold on gréote    þaér hit nú gén lifað gold in the gritty soil,     where it now still lives,

eldum swá unnyt    swá hyt aérer wæs. as useless to men    as it was before.

Þá ymbe hlaéw riodan,     hildedéore Then around the mound rode    the battle-brave

æþelinga bearn    ealra twelfa· sons of nobles,    twelve in all,

woldon cearge cwíðan    kyning maénan, they wished to bewail their sorrow,    to mourn their king,

wordgyd wrecan    ond ymb wer sprecan· to pronounce elegy,    and speak about the man;

eahtodan eorlscipe    ond his ellenweorc they praised his heroic deeds    and his works of courage,

duguðum démdon.    Swá hit gedéfe bið exalted his majesty.     As it is fitting,

þæt mon his winedryhten    wordum herge· that one his friend and lord    honours in words,

ferhðum fréoge    þonne hé forð scile cherish in one's spirit,     when he must forth

of líchaman     laéded weorðan· from his body    be led;


swá begnornodon    Géata léode thus bemourned    the people of the Geats
hláfordes hryre,     heorðgenéatas: their lord's fall,    his hearth-companions:
cwaédon þæt hé waére     wyruldcyning they said that he was,      of all kings of the world,
manna mildust    ond monðwaérust the most generous of men,    and the most gracious,
léodum líðost    ond lofgeornost. the most protective of his people,    and the most eager for honour.

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