had advanced so that the voyagers saw land, the sea-cliffs gleam, steep hills, broad headlands. Then was the seafarer at the voyage's end. Up sprang the Weder-folk quickly on land, made fast the sea-wood-their byrnies rattled, weeds of war-thanked God that the voyage had been easy for them.

When from the cliff-wall the guard of the Scyldings, whose duty it was to keep watch on the bluffs, saw them bearing bright shields, ready armor, over the gangway, curiosity troubled him in his thoughts as to what men they were. He went then, Hrothgar's thane, riding on horse to the shore, brandished mightily a great spear in his hands, with words asked: "What are ye of those bearing weapons, armed in byrnies, that thus come bringing a high ship over the sea-way, hither over the waves? Lo, this long while I have been coast-guard, have held the sea-watch, that on the land of the Danes no foe with ship-forces might do injury. No shield-bearers have ventured to come here more openly, nor have you any word-of-leave from the wagers of battle, the consent of my kinsfolk. Never saw I upon earth taller earl, man of battle, than is one of you; that is no mere hallthane adorned with arms, unless his look belie him a matchless sight. Now I must know what folk ye belong to, ere ye go farther hence like spies in the land of the Danes. Now, ye seafarers from afar, hear my plain thought: soonest is best to make known whence you come."

IV

BEOWULF'S PARLEY WITH THE COAST

GUARD

To him the chief made answer; the leader of the company unlocked his word

Another name for Geats.

hoard: "We are, by kin, of the Geat-folk, and hearth companions of Hygelac. My father was well known among nations, a noble leader, Ecgtheow by name. He lived many winters ere he passed hence from his home an old man. Every wise man remembers him well, widely through the world. We have come in friendly spirit seeking thy lord, Healfdene's son, the people's protector. Be thou good in counsel to us. We have a weighty message for the glorious king of the Danes; nor, as I think, shall there be anything secret about it. Thou knowest-if it is as in truth we heard tell--that among the Scyldings I know not what scathermysterious worker of hate-in the dark nights shows in terrible wise unheard of rage, oppression, and slaughter. For this I may give Hrothgar counsel unselfishly, how he, wise and good, may overcome the fiend-if ever a change shall come to him again, relief from the press of evilsand his care-seethings may grow cool; else ever afterwards he shall suffer time of affliction, sore distress, whilst there stands on the high place the fairest of houses.

The guard spoke, a fearless officer, as he sat there on his horse: "Of each of these the alert warrior, if he has a clear mind, shall judge rightly,-words and deeds. I hear what you say, that this is a band friendly to the Lord of the Scyldings. Go forth bearing weapons and war-weeds; I shall show you the way. Also I shall command my men honorably to guard your ship against any foe, the freshpitched boat on the sand, until the curved-necked craft bears the beloved warrior back to Wedermark, and all such of the men of deeds as Fate grants that they endure safely the storm of battle.

Then they started to go. The boat remained still the broad-bosomed ship rested on the rope, fast at anchor. Goldstudded boars gleamed on top of their

1

helmets, shining and fire-hardened,they held life in their protection for wareager men. The warriors began to advance together until they could see the timbered hall, gorgeous and gold-gleaming. That was to earth-dwellers the most famous of halls under heaven, in which the ruler bode. Its light shone over many lands. To them the fierce one in battle pointed out the bright dwelling of heroes, that they might go straightway to it. Then that one of the warriors turned his horse and said: "It is time for me to go. The Almighty Father graciously hold you safe on your ventures. I will go back to the sea to keep watch against hostile bands."

V

BEOWULF GOES TO GREET HROTHGAR

The street was paved with stones; it showed the way to the company of men. War corselet shone, hard, hand-linked; the bright ring-mail rang in their war gear, when first in their grim trappings they came marching to the hall. Sea-weary they set their broad bucklers, their shields. exceeding hard, against the wall of the dwelling place, and sank upon benches,-byrnies rang, the men's armor. They stood their spears, seamen's weapons, all together, with their gray ash-shafts up. That iron-clad throng was well equipped with weapons.

Then a proud warrior asked the brave ones about their race: "Whence bear ye gold-studded shields, gray corselets, and visored helmets, a heap of war-shafts? I am Hrothgar's messenger and servant. Nor have I seen so many men, strangers, more valiant. I ween that ye have sought Hrothgar for glory, out of greatness of heart, not through exile.

Then the proud leader of the Weders,

1 The helmet was surmounted by a heavy figure of a boar, that gave it additional strength against a downward blow.

famed for valor, answered him, next spoke words, stern beneath helmet: "We are Hygelac's table-companions; Beowulf is my name. I will tell the renowned prince thy lord, Healfdene's son, my errand, if it please him to grant us that we greet him, worthy as he is." Wulfgar spoke he was lord of the Vandals; his character was known to many, his valor and wisdom: "I will ask the friend of the Dane-folk, lord of the Scyldings, as is thy wish, inquire of the ring-giver, my illustrious prince, concerning thy mission, and straightway make known to thee the answer that in his goodness he thinks well to give me. Quickly he went to where Hrothgar sat, old and gray, with his company of earls. The warrior famed for valor went until he stood directly before the king of the Danes; he knew the custom of the court. Wulfgar spoke to his dear lord: "Here are journeyed, come from afar, over the sea's expanse, people of the Geats. The men call their leader Beowulf. They ask, my lord, that they may exchange words with thee. Do thou not deny them thy answer, gracious Hrothgar. In their arms they seem worthy of the esteem of earls. Strong is their chief, who has led hither the warriors.

VI

BEOWULF'S RECEPTION BY HROTHGAR

Hrothgar spoke, Lord of the Scyldings: "I knew him when he was a boy; his father was called Ecgtheow, to whom Hrethel of the Geats gave his only daughter into his household. Now has his son come hither in his valor, sought a loyal friend. Then, too, sea-travelers, who carried thither gift-treasures in friendship to the Geats, said that he, the battlefamed, had the might of thirty men in his handgrip. The blessed God in His mercy has sent him to us to the West-Danes

I

-methinks against Grendel's terror. shall tender gifts to this good man for his daring. Be thou quick, bid them come in together to see me; and in words say to them that they are welcome to the Danefolk."

Wulfgar went towards the door of the hall and spoke these words from within: "My victory-lord, King of the Danes, bade me say that he knows your noble race and you, resolute warriors, are welcome hither over the sea-surge. Now you may go in your armor, under war-helms, to see Hrothgar. Let your shields and your battle-shafts await here the issue of your words."

The leader arose, many a warrior about him, a mighty band of thanes; some remained there, looked after the war-gear, as the hardy one bade them. Together they hastened—the man showed them the way-under Hrothgar's roof. The hero went, strong under his helmet, until he stood at the hearth.1 Beowulf spoke-his byrnie shone on him, battle mesh linked by smith's skill: "Health to you, Hrothgar! I am Hygelac's kinsman and thane. Many a mighty venture I have undertaken in my youth. In my native land Grendel's doings became well known to me. Travelers over the sea say that this hall stands, this most fair dwelling, idle and useless to every man after the evening light is hidden under heaven's vault. Then my people, the best and wisest men, counseled me, King Hrothgar, that I seek thee, for they knew the strength of my might. They saw for themselves when I came from battle, blood-stained from the enemy, where I bound five, destroyed the giants' kin and on the waves slew the water-monsters by night-they courted trouble;-dire distress I endured, avenged the Weders' affliction, crushed the wrathful ones. And now I shall go against Grendel, against

1ie.. in the midst of the hall

the monster, alone shall deal with the demon. But, Lord of the Scyldings, chief of the Danes, I will ask thee one boon, that thou wilt not deny me, O protector of warriors, good friend of the people, now that I have come thus far, that alone with my company of earls, this hardy band, I may cleanse Heorot. I have also heard that the fiend in his recklessness takes no thought for weapons. I therefore scorn,-so may Hygelac, my liege lord, be gracious of mood to me,to bear sword or broad buckler, the yellow shield, to battle, but with grasp I shall grapple with the enemy and contend for life, foe against foe. There shall he whom death takes trust in the judgment of the Lord. I think, if he may prevail, that without fear he will devour, as he oft has done, the Geat-folk in the battle hall, the flower of men. Never will you need to shroud my face; but he

will have me stained with gore if death takes me. He will bear away a bloody corpse, think to feast on it; the lonely wanderer will devour me without pity and stain his moor-haunts with my blood. You no longer will need to care about my body. Send to Hygelac, if battle takes me, the best of war corselets, the finest of garments, that protects my breast; that was Hrethel's bequest, Weland's 2 work. Wyrd goeth ever as she must!"

3

VII

HROTHGAR'S WORDS TO BEOWULF

Hrothgar spoke, the Scyldings' protector: "For deeds done and through kindness thou hast sought us, my friend Beowulf. Thy father fought the greatest of feuds: he was the slayer of Heatholaf among the Wylfings. After that the Weder's kin might not harbor him for fear of war. Thence over the rolling of waves he sought the South-Danefolk, the Honor2 Teutonic god, corresponding to Vulcan. 3 Fate

Scyldings, when first I ruled the Danish folk and in youth held wide domain and the treasure-city of men. Heregar then was dead; my elder brother was no longer living, Healfdene's son. He was a better man than I! Afterwards I settled the feud for money, sent over the water's back age-old treasures to the Wylfings. He swore oaths1 to me. Sorrow in my soul it is for me to say to any man what shame Grendel has done to me in Heorot through his hatred, what dread attacks he has made. My hall-company is wasted. away, my band of warriors. Fate has swept them off through Grendel's terror. God may easily keep the mad ravisher from his deeds. Full oft warriors drunken with beer have boasted over their alecups that they would bide in the beer-hall Grendel's attack with the terror of swords. Then in the morning, when day dawned, this mead-hall, the warriors' room, was smeared with blood-all the benches dripping with gore-the hall stained with the blood of strife. I possessed the fewer liegemen, a beloved band, for them that death took away. Sit down now together and reveal thy hope of victory to my men as thy mood moves thee.2

Then was a bench cleared in the meadhall for the Geat-folk all together. There the mighty ones went to sit, exulting in their strength. A thane fulfilled his office, who bore in his hand the fretted ale-cup, poured out the bright mead. At times the scop sang clear-toned in Heorot. There was joy for the heroes, no small band of Danes and Weders.

his secret grudge. The coming of Beowulf, the daring sea-farer, vexed him strongly, for he did not wish that under Heaven any other man should ever achieve greater glory in the world than he himself. "Art thou the Beowulf that contended with Breca, competed in swimming in the broad sea, when you two for daring braved the waves and for boastfulness ventured with your lives in deep water? Nor might any man, either friend or foe, dissuade you from the dangerous. journey when you swam in the sea. There you enfolded the ocean stream in your arms, traversed the searoads, pressed back with your hands, and glided over the ocean. The deep was swollen with waves in the winter's flood. A seven-night you toiled in the water's power. He overcame you in swimming, had greater might. Then in the morning the flood bore him up among the Heathoreames. Thence, dear to his people, he sought his home, the land of the Brondings, the fair strong town where he had kinsmen, court, and riches. The son of Beanstan truly carried out all his boast with thee. Therefore I foresee a worse issue will come to thee, though thou hast everywhere been brave in the storm of battle, in grim fight-if thou durst abide Grendel a nightlong time nearby."

Beowulf answered, Ecgtheow's son: "Well, my friend Unferth, drunken with beer thou hast said full much about Breca, hast spoken about his adventure. The truth I maintain,—that I had more strength in the water, endured more hardships on the waves than any other

We agreed and boasted, boys that we were -we were both still in our youth -that out on the ocean we would venture with our lives, and so we carried out our boast. We had naked swords, hard in hand, when we swam in the sea; we thought to defend ourselves against

whales. He might not swim at all far from me in the ocean waves, faster in the sea, nor would I go from him. We were together on the deep the space of five nights, until the flood drove us apart the seething waters, coldest of weathers, darkening night-and the grim north wind turned against us. Fierce were the waves. The temper of the whales was roused. There my body-mail, hard hand-locked, was a help to me against the enemy; the woven warshirt, gold-adorned, lay on my breast. A dire foe drew me to the ocean bed, fast held me, grim of grip. But it was my fate that I should reach the monster with my sword, my battle-blade. Through my hand the storm of battle carried off the mighty sea

beast.

IX

BEOWULF CONTINUES HIS ACCOUNT OF THE SWIMMING MATCH WITH BRECA

So the loathsome spoilers oft pressed me hard. I served them with the well-loved sword, as was fitting. By no means had they the joy of their fill, the grim destroyers, devouring me, sitting around the feast nigh the sea-bottom. But in the morning, wounded by swords they lay up on the beach, put to sleep by the battle-blades, so that never afterwards the fell creatures hindered farers on the high sea. Light came from the east, God's bright beacon, and the waters grew calm, so that I could see the bluffs, the windy walls. Fate oft protects an earl not yet doomed to die, when his courage is great! At any rate it happened that I slew with the sword nine sea-monsters. Never heard I of harder fight at night under heaven's vault, nor of a man harder pressed on the sea. Yet I escaped with life from

the clutches of foes, though weary of my journey. Then the sea, the flood and the swelling waves, bore me with the stream to the land of the Finns. Never concerning thee have I heard tell of such battles, the terror of swords. Breca never yet-nor either of you-in battle did so bold a deed with gleaming swords-I will not boast much about it-though thou didst kill thy brothers, thy near kinsmen. For that thou shalt suffer punishment in Hell, though thy wit be strong. I tell thee truly, son of Ecglaf, that Grendel, the terrible monster, would never have done so many cutrages to thy lord, harm to Heorot, if thy heart and mind were so fierce in battle as thou thyself dost claim. But he has found that he need not greatly fear the feud, the cruel turmoil of swords, of your people, the Victory-Scyldings. He takes forced tribute, shows mercy to none of the Danish folk, but has his pleasure, kills and sends hence, expects no fight from the Spear-Danes. But soon now I will offer him battle, strength and valor of the Geats. He who may shall go back proud to the mead, after the morning light, the brightclad sun, shines from the south another day over the children of

men!

Then was the gray-haired and battlefamed giver of treasure joyful. The Lord of the Danes felt sure of help. The guardian of the folk was aware in Beowulf of a resolute will. There was laughter of heroes, the joyous clamor rang, words were fair. Wealtheow went forth, Hrothgar's queen, adorned with gold, mindful of courtesy,-greeted the warriors in the hall. Then the noble wife offered the cup first to the guardian of the East-Danes, bade him be joyful at the beer-drinking, for he was dear to his people. With a good will he partook of the banquet and hall-cup, the warfamed king. Then the lady of the