Beowulf
  Anonymous
  Tranlated　by　Gummere
  BEOWULF
  PRELUDE　OF　THE　FOUNDER　OF　THE　DANISH　HOUSE
  LO；　praise　of　the　prowess　of　people…kings
  of　spear…armed　Danes；　in　days　long　sped；
  we　have　heard；　and　what　honor　the　athelings　won！
  Oft　Scyld　the　Scefing　from　squadroned　foes；
  from　many　a　tribe；　the　mead…bench　tore；
  awing　the　earls。　Since　erst　he　lay
  friendless；　a　foundling；　fate　repaid　him：
  for　he　waxed　under　welkin；　in　wealth　he　throve；
  till　before　him　the　folk；　both　far　and　near；
  who　house　by　the　whale…path；　heard　his　mandate；
  gave　him　gifts：　a　good　king　he！
  To　him　an　heir　was　afterward　born；
  a　son　in　his　halls；　whom　heaven　sent
  to　favor　the　folk；　feeling　their　woe
  that　erst　they　had　lacked　an　earl　for　leader
  so　long　a　while；　the　Lord　endowed　him；
  the　Wielder　of　Wonder；　with　world's　renown。
  Famed　was　this　Beowulf：＇1＇　far　flew　the　boast　of　him；
  son　of　Scyld；　in　the　Scandian　lands。
  So　becomes　it　a　youth　to　quit　him　well
  with　his　father's　friends；　by　fee　and　gift；
  that　to　aid　him；　aged；　in　after　days；
  come　warriors　willing；　should　war　draw　nigh；
  liegemen　loyal：　by　lauded　deeds
  shall　an　earl　have　honor　in　every　clan。
  Forth　he　fared　at　the　fated　moment；
  sturdy　Scyld　to　the　shelter　of　God。
  Then　they　bore　him　over　to　ocean's　billow；
  loving　clansmen；　as　late　he　charged　them；
  while　wielded　words　the　winsome　Scyld；
  the　leader　beloved　who　long　had　ruled。。。。
  In　the　roadstead　rocked　a　ring…dight　vessel；
  ice…flecked；　outbound；　atheling's　barge：
  there　laid　they　down　their　darling　lord
  on　the　breast　of　the　boat；　the　breaker…of…rings；＇2＇
  by　the　mast　the　mighty　one。　Many　a　treasure
  fetched　from　far　was　freighted　with　him。
  No　ship　have　I　known　so　nobly　dight
  with　weapons　of　war　and　weeds　of　battle；
  with　breastplate　and　blade：　on　his　bosom　lay
  a　heaped　hoard　that　hence　should　go
  far　o'er　the　flood　with　him　floating　away。
  No　less　these　loaded　the　lordly　gifts；
  thanes'　huge　treasure；　than　those　had　done
  who　in　former　time　forth　had　sent　him
  sole　on　the　seas；　a　suckling　child。
  High　o'er　his　head　they　hoist　the　standard；
  a　gold…wove　banner；　let　billows　take　him；
  gave　him　to　ocean。　Grave　were　their　spirits；
  mournful　their　mood。　No　man　is　able
  to　say　in　sooth；　no　son　of　the　halls；
  no　hero　'neath　heaven；　　who　harbored　that　freight！
  ＇1＇　Not；　of　course；　Beowulf　the　Great；　hero　of　the　epic。　＇2＇
  Kenning　for　king　or　chieftain　of　a　comitatus：　he　breaks　off　gold
  from　the　spiral　rings　　often　worn　on　the　arm　　and　so　rewards
  his　followers。
  I
  Now　Beowulf　bode　in　the　burg　of　the　Scyldings；
  leader　beloved；　and　long　he　ruled
  in　fame　with　all　folk；　since　his　father　had　gone
  away　from　the　world；　till　awoke　an　heir；
  haughty　Healfdene；　who　held　through　life；
  sage　and　sturdy；　the　Scyldings　glad。
  Then；　one　after　one；　there　woke　to　him；
  to　the　chieftain　of　clansmen；　children　four：
  Heorogar；　then　Hrothgar；　then　Halga　brave；
  and　I　heard　that　　was　　's　queen；
  the　Heathoscylfing's　helpmate　dear。
  To　Hrothgar　was　given　such　glory　of　war；
  such　honor　of　combat；　that　all　his　kin
  obeyed　him　gladly　till　great　grew　his　band
  of　youthful　comrades。　It　came　in　his　mind
  to　bid　his　henchmen　a　hall　uprear；
  ia　master　mead…house；　mightier　far
  than　ever　was　seen　by　the　sons　of　earth；
  and　within　it；　then；　to　old　and　young
  he　would　all　allot　that　the　Lord　had　sent　him；
  save　only　the　land　and　the　lives　of　his　men。
  Wide；　I　heard；　was　the　work　commanded；
  for　many　a　tribe　this　mid…earth　round；
  to　fashion　the　folkstead。　It　fell；　as　he　ordered；
  in　rapid　achievement　that　ready　it　stood　there；
  of　halls　the　noblest：　Heorot＇1＇　he　named　it
  whose　message　had　might　in　many　a　land。
  Not　reckless　of　promise；　the　rings　he　dealt；
  treasure　at　banquet：　there　towered　the　hall；
  high；　gabled　wide；　the　hot　surge　waiting
  of　furious　flame。＇2＇　Nor　far　was　that　day
  when　father　and　son…in…law　stood　in　feud
  for　warfare　and　hatred　that　woke　again。＇3＇
  With　envy　and　anger　an　evil　spirit
  endured　the　dole　in　his　dark　abode；
  that　he　heard　each　day　the　din　of　revel
  high　in　the　hall：　there　harps　rang　out；
  clear　song　of　the　singer。　He　sang　who　knew＇4＇
  tales　of　the　early　time　of　man；
  how　the　Almighty　made　the　earth；
  fairest　fields　enfolded　by　water；
  set；　triumphant；　sun　and　moon
  for　a　light　to　lighten　the　land…dwellers；
  and　braided　bright　the　breast　of　earth
  with　limbs　and　leaves；　made　life　for　all
  of　mortal　beings　that　breathe　and　move。
  So　lived　the　clansmen　in　cheer　and　revel
  a　winsome　life；　till　one　began
  to　fashion　evils；　that　field　of　hell。
  Grendel　this　monster　grim　was　called；
  march…riever＇5＇　mighty；　in　moorland　living；
  in　fen　and　fastness；　fief　of　the　giants
  the　hapless　wight　a　while　had　kept
  since　the　Creator　his　exile　doomed。
  On　kin　of　Cain　was　the　killing　avenged
  by　sovran　God　for　slaughtered　Abel。
  Ill　fared　his　feud；＇6＇　and　far　was　he　driven；
  for　the　slaughter's　sake；　from　sight　of　men。
  Of　Cain　awoke　all　that　woful　breed；
  Etins＇7＇　and　elves　and　evil…spirits；
  as　well　as　the　giants　that　warred　with　God
  weary　while：　but　their　wage　was　paid　them！
  ＇1＇　That　is；　〃The　Hart；〃　or　〃Stag；〃　so　called　from　decorations　in
  the　gables　that　resembled　the　antlers　of　a　deer。　This　hall　has
  been　carefully　described　in　a　pamphlet　by　Heyne。　The　building　was
  rectangular；　with　opposite　doors　　mainly　west　and　east　　and　a
  hearth　in　the　middle　of　th　single　room。　A　row　of　pillars　down
  each　side；　at　some　distance　from　the　walls；　made　a　space　which
  was　raised　a　little　above　the　main　floor；　and　was　furnished　with
  two　rows　of　seats。　On　one　side；　usually　south；　was　the
  high…seat　midway　between　the　doors。　Opposite　this；　on　the　other
  raised　space；　was　another　seat　of　honor。　At　the　banquet　soon　to
  be　described；　Hrothgar　sat　in　the　south　or　chief　high…seat；　and
  Beowulf　opposite　to　him。　The　scene　for　a　flying　（see　below；
  v。499）　was　thus　very　effectively　set。　Planks　on　trestles　　the
  〃board〃　of　later　English　literature　　formed　the　tables　just　in
  front　of　the　long　rows　of　seats；　and　were　taken　away　after
  banquets；　when　the　retainers　were　ready　to　stretch　them…　selves
  out　for　sleep　on　the　benches。　＇2＇　Fire　was　the　usual　end　of　these
  halls。　See　v。　781　below。　One　thinks　of　the　splendid　scene　at　the
  end　of　the　Nibelungen；　of　the　Nialssaga；　of　Saxo's　story　of
  Amlethus；　and　many　a　less　famous　instance。　＇3＇　It　is　to　be
  supposed　that　all　hearers　of　this　poem　knew　how　Hrothgar's　hall
  was　burnt；　　perhaps　in　the　unsuccessful　attack　made　on　him　by
  his　son…in…law　Ingeld。　＇4＇　A　skilled　minstrel。　The　Danes　are
  heathens；　as　one　is　told　presently；　but　this　lay　of　beginnings　is
  taken　from　Genesis。　＇5＇　A　disturber　of　the　border；　one　who
  sallies　from　his　haunt　in　the　fen　and　roams　over　the　country　near
  by。　This　probably　pagan　nuisance　is　now　furnished　with　biblical
  credentials　as　a　fiend　or　devil　in　good　standing；　so　that　all
  Christian　Englishmen　might　read　about　him。　〃Grendel〃　may　mean　one
  who　grinds　and　crushes。　＇6＇　Cain's。　＇7＇　Giants。
  II
  WENT　he　forth　to　find　at　fall　of　night
  that　haughty　house；　and　heed　wherever
  the　Ring…Danes；　outrevelled；　to　rest　had　gone。
  Found　within　it　the　atheling　band
  asleep　after　feasting　and　fearless　of　sorrow；
  of　human　hardship。　Unhallowed　wight；
  grim　and　greedy；　he　grasped　betimes；
  wrathful；　reckless；　from　resting…places；
  thirty　of　the　thanes；　and　thence　he　rushed
  fain　of　his　fell　spoil；　faring　homeward；
  laden　with　slaughter；　his　lair　to　seek。
  Then　at　the　dawning；　as　day　was　breaking；
  the　might　of　Grendel　to　men　was　known；
  then　after　wassail　was　wail　uplifted；
  loud　moan　in　the　morn。　The　mighty　chief；
  atheling　excellent；　unblithe　sat；
  labored　in　woe　for　the　loss　of　his　thanes；
  when　once　had　been　traced　the　trail　of　the　fiend；
  spirit　accurst：　too　cruel　that　sorrow；
  too　long；　too　loathsome。　Not　late　the　respite；
  with　night　returning；　anew　began
  ruthless　murder；　he　recked　no　whit；
  firm　in　his　guilt；　of　the　feud　and　crime。
  They　were　easy　to　find　who　elsewhere　sought
  in　room　remote　their　rest　at　night；
  bed　in　the　bowers；＇1＇　when　that　bale　was　shown；
  was　seen　in　sooth；　with　surest　token；
  the　hall…thane's＇2＇　hate。　Such　held　themselves
  far　and　fast　who　the　fiend　outran！
  Thus　ruled　unrighteous　and　raged　his　fill
  one　against　all；　until　empty　stood
  that　lordly　building；　and　long　it　bode　so。
  Twelve　years'　tide　the　trouble　he　bore；
  sovran　of　Scyldings；　sorrows　in　plenty；
  boundless　cares。　There　came　unhidden
  tidings　true　to　the　tribes　of　men；
  in　sorrowful　songs；　how　ceaselessly　Grendel
  harassed　Hrothgar；　what　hate　he　bore　him；
  what　murder　and　massacre；　many　a　year；
  feud　unfading；　　refused　consent
  to　deal　with　any　of　Daneland's　earls；
  make　pact　of　peace；　or　compound　for　gold：
  still　less　did　the　wise　men　ween　to　get
  great　fee　for　the　feud　from　his　fiendish　hands。
  But　the　evil　one　ambushed　old　and　young
  death…shadow　dark；　and　dogged　th