BEOWULF

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XVI

 

Ðá gýt aéghwylcum      eorla drihten

 

Then, furthermore, to each one      of the earl's company
þára þe mid Béowulfe      brimléade teah

  1051

those with Beowulf      travelled the sea-path,
on þære medubence      máþðum gesealde

 

on the mead-bench      he gave treasures,
yrfeláfe      ond þone aénne heht

 

inherited relics,      and the one man decreed
golde forgyldan      þone ðe Grendel aér

 

to requite in gold      whom Grendel first
máne ácwealde      swá hé hyra má wolde

 

in wickedness quelled,      as he would have more of them
nefne him wítig god      wyrd forstóde

  1056

except for them wise God      that fate had prevented,
ond ðæs mannes mód.      Metod eallum wéold

 

and this man's courage.      The Measure of Fate controlled all
gumena cynnes,      swá hé nú gít déëð·

 

for mankind,      as he now still does;
forþan bið andgit      aéghwaér sélest

 

therefore understanding is      best everywhere,
ferhðes foreþanc·      fela sceal gebídan

 

the forethought of mind;      he must abide much
léofes ond láþes      sé þe longe hér

  1061

love and much hate      he who long here
on ðyssum windagum      worolde brúceð.

 

in these days of strife      would enjoy the world.
Þaér wæs sang ond swég      samod ætgædere

 

There was song and sound      at the same time all together
fore Healfdenes      hildewísan,

 

before Half-Dane's      battle-plotter,
gomenwudu gréted,      gid oft wrecen

 

the glee-wood plucked,      a lay often recited
ðonne healgamen      Hróþgáres scop

  1066

when a hall-performance      Hrothgar's bard
æfter medobence      maénan scolde:

 

before the mead-bench      was obliged to utter:
Finnes eaferum      ðá híe se faér begeat

 

concerning Finn's heirs, with whom,      when disaster struck them,
hæleð Healfdena·      Hnæf Scyldinga

 

the hero of Half-Danes,      Hnaef the Scylding,
in Fréswæle      feallan scolde.

 

on the Frisian battle-field      was fated to fall.
Né húru Hildeburh      herian þorfte

  1071

Truly, Hildeburh did not      have need to praise
eotena tréowe·      unsynnum wearð

 

the good faith of the Eotens;      she was guiltless,
beloren léofum      æt þám hildplegan

 

bereft of her dear ones:      --in the war-play--
bearnum ond bróðrum·      híe on gebyrd hruron

 

her son and brother;      they fell, in accorance with Fate,
gáre wunde·      þæt wæs geómuru ides.

 

wounded by spear;      that was a mournful woman.
Nalles hólinga      Hóces dohtor

  1076

Not without reason did      Hoc's daughter
meotodsceaft bemearn      syþðan morgen cóm

 

grieve over Fate's decree,      when the morning came,
ðá héo under swegle      geséon meahte

 

then she under the sky      could see
morþorbealo mága      þaér hé aér maéste héold

 

the baleful slaughter of kinsmen,      where before he had held the most
worolde wynne·      wíg ealle fornam

 

joy in the world,      war took all
Finnes þegnas      nemne féaum ánum

  1081

of Finn's thanes,      except a few alone,
þæt hé ne mehte      on þaém meðelstede

 

so that he could not      in that meeting-place
wíg Hengeste      wiht gefeohtan

 

the clash with Hengest      conclude at all,
né þá wéaláfe      wíge forþringan

 

nor the woeful remnant      by battle dislodge from their position,
þéodnes ðegne      ac hig him geþingo budon:

 

the prince's thane,      so they offered them settlement:
þæt híe him óðer flet      eal gerýmdon

  1086

that they for them the other dwelling      would completely clear,
healle ond héahsetl      þæt híe healfre geweald

 

hall and high seat,      that they would half of it control
wið eotena bearn      ágan móston

 

with the Eotens' sons      might have,
ond æt feohgyftum      Folcwaldan sunu

 

and at the giving of treasure      Folcwalden's son
dógra gehwylce      Dene weorþode·

 

each day      the Danes would honour,
Hengestes héap      hringum wenede

  1091

Hengest's company      would revere with rings,
efne swá swíðe      sincgestréonum

 

with even as much      precious possesions
faéttan goldes      swá hé Frésena cyn

 

of ornate gold      exactly as he the Frisian kind
on béorsele      byldan wolde.

 

in the beer-hall      would wish to embolden.
Ðá híe getruwedon      on twá healfa

 

Then they pledged      on both sides
fæste frioðuwaére·      Fin Hengeste

  1096

firm compact of peace;      Finn to Hengest
elne unflitme      áðum benemde

 

with incontestable earnestness      proclaimed an oath
þæt hé þá wéaláfe      weotena dóme

 

that he the woeful remnant,      by sages' judgement,
árum héolde      þæt ðaér aénig mon

 

would hold in honour,      that there any man
wordum né worcum      waére ne braéce

 

by word nor by deed      would not break the treaty,
né þurh inwitsearo      aéfre gemaénden

  1101

nor in malicious artifice      ever complain,
ðéah híe hira béaggyfan      banan folgedon

 

though they their ring-giver's      killer followed,
ðéodenléase,      þá him swá geþearfod wæs·

 

leaderless,      and were thus forced by necessity;
gyf þonne Frýsna hwylc      frécnen spraéce

 

if then any Frisian      by audacious speech
ðæs morþorhétes      myndgiend waére

 

the murderous feud      were to remind (them),
þonne hit sweordes ecg      syððan scolde.

  1106

then it by sword's edge      must be thereafter.
Ád wæs geæfned      ond incge gold

 

The funeral fire was prepared,      and Ingui's gold
áhæfen of horde·      Here-Scyldinga

 

raised from the hoard;      the War-Scyldings'
betst beadorinca      wæs on baél gearu·

 

best battle-man      was ready on the bier;
æt þaém áde wæs      éþgesýne

 

at the funeral-pyre was      easily seen
swátfáh syrce      swýn ealgylden

  1111

the blood-stained mail-shirt,      the swine all-golden,
eofer írenheard      æþeling manig

 

the boar hard as iron,      the prince had many
wundum áwyrded·      sume on wæle crungon·

 

destroyed by wounds;      great men had fallen in slaughter;
hét ðá Hildeburh      æt Hnæfes áde

 

then Hildeburh ordered      at Hnaef's pier
hire selfre sunu      sweoloðe befæstan,

 

her own son      committed to the fire,
bánfatu bærnan      ond on baél dóön

  1116

the body-vessel burned,      and put on the bier,
earme on eaxle·      ides gnornode·

 

the wretched woman at his shoulder,      the lady lamented,
geómrode giddum·      gúðrinc ástáh·

 

sorrowed with songs;      the warrior was laid out,
wand tó wolcnum      wælfýra maést

 

spiralled into the clouds      the greatest fire of the slain
hlynode for hláwe·      hafelan multon·

 

roared before the mound;      heads melted,
bengeato burston      ðonne blód ætspranc,

  1121

the wound-gates burst open,      then blood sprang out,
láðbite líces·      líg ealle forswealg,

 

from the hate-bites of the body;      the blaze swallowed all up,
gaésta gífrost,      þára ðe þaér gúð fornam

 

--the greediest guest--      those who there were taken by battle
béga folces·      wæs hira blaéd scacen.

 

from both peoples;      their vigour was dispersed.