for　the　hero　reclining；　　who　clutched　it　boldly；
  prompt　to　answer；　propped　on　his　arm。
  Soon　then　saw　that　shepherd…of…evils
  that　never　he　met　in　this　middle…world；
  in　the　ways　of　earth；　another　wight
  with　heavier　hand…gripe；　at　heart　he　feared；
  sorrowed　in　soul；　　none　the　sooner　escaped！
  Fain　would　he　flee；　his　fastness　seek；
  the　den　of　devils：　no　doings　now
  such　as　oft　he　had　done　in　days　of　old！
  Then　bethought　him　the　hardy　Hygelac…thane
  of　his　boast　at　evening：　up　he　bounded；
  grasped　firm　his　foe；　whose　fingers　cracked。
  The　fiend　made　off；　but　the　earl　close　followed。
  The　monster　meant　　if　he　might　at　all
  to　fling　himself　free；　and　far　away
  fly　to　the　fens；　　knew　his　fingers'　power
  in　the　gripe　of　the　grim　one。　Gruesome　march
  to　Heorot　this　monster　of　harm　had　made！
  Din　filled　the　room；　the　Danes　were　bereft；
  castle…dwellers　and　clansmen　all；
  earls；　of　their　ale。　Angry　were　both
  those　savage　hall…guards：　the　house　resounded。
  Wonder　it　was　the　wine…hall　firm
  in　the　strain　of　their　struggle　stood；　to　earth
  the　fair　house　fell　not；　too　fast　it　was
  within　and　without　by　its　iron　bands
  craftily　clamped；　though　there　crashed　from　sill
  many　a　mead…bench　　men　have　told　me
  gay　with　gold；　where　the　grim　foes　wrestled。
  So　well　had　weened　the　wisest　Scyldings
  that　not　ever　at　all　might　any　man
  that　bone…decked；　brave　house　break　asunder；
  crush　by　craft；　　unless　clasp　of　fire
  in　smoke　engulfed　it。　　Again　uprose
  din　redoubled。　Danes　of　the　North
  with　fear　and　frenzy　were　filled；　each　one；
  who　from　the　wall　that　wailing　heard；
  God's　foe　sounding　his　grisly　song；
  cry　of　the　conquered；　clamorous　pain
  from　captive　of　hell。　Too　closely　held　him
  he　who　of　men　in　might　was　strongest
  in　that　same　day　of　this　our　life。
  ＇1＇　That　is；　he　was　a　〃lost　soul；〃　doomed　to　hell。
  XII
  NOT　in　any　wise　would　the　earls'…defence＇1＇
  suffer　that　slaughterous　stranger　to　live；
  useless　deeming　his　days　and　years
  to　men　on　earth。　Now　many　an　earl
  of　Beowulf　brandished　blade　ancestral；
  fain　the　life　of　their　lord　to　shield；
  their　praised　prince；　if　power　were　theirs；
  never　they　knew；　　as　they　neared　the　foe；
  hardy…hearted　heroes　of　war；
  aiming　their　swords　on　every　side
  the　accursed　to　kill；　　no　keenest　blade；
  no　farest　of　falchions　fashioned　on　earth；
  could　harm　or　hurt　that　hideous　fiend！
  He　was　safe；　by　his　spells；　from　sword　of　battle；
  from　edge　of　iron。　Yet　his　end　and　parting
  on　that　same　day　of　this　our　life
  woful　should　be；　and　his　wandering　soul
  far　off　flit　to　the　fiends'　domain。
  Soon　he　found；　who　in　former　days；
  harmful　in　heart　and　hated　of　God；
  on　many　a　man　such　murder　wrought；
  that　the　frame　of　his　body　failed　him　now。
  For　him　the　keen…souled　kinsman　of　Hygelac
  held　in　hand；　hateful　alive
  was　each　to　other。　The　outlaw　dire
  took　mortal　hurt；　a　mighty　wound
  showed　on　his　shoulder；　and　sinews　cracked；
  and　the　bone…frame　burst。　To　Beowulf　now
  the　glory　was　given；　and　Grendel　thence
  death…sick　his　den　in　the　dark　moor　sought；
  noisome　abode：　he　knew　too　well
  that　here　was　the　last　of　life；　an　end
  of　his　days　on　earth。　　To　all　the　Danes
  by　that　bloody　battle　the　boon　had　come。
  From　ravage　had　rescued　the　roving　stranger
  Hrothgar's　hall；　the　hardy　and　wise　one
  had　purged　it　anew。　His　night…work　pleased　him；
  his　deed　and　its　honor。　To　Eastern　Danes
  had　the　valiant　Geat　his　vaunt　made　good；
  all　their　sorrow　and　ills　assuaged；
  their　bale　of　battle　borne　so　long；
  and　all　the　dole　they　erst　endured
  pain　a…plenty。　　'Twas　proof　of　this；
  when　the　hardy…in…fight　a　hand　laid　down；
  arm　and　shoulder；　　all；　indeed；
  of　Grendel's　gripe；　　'neath　the　gabled　roof。
  ＇1＇　Kenning　for　Beowulf。
  XIII
  MANY　at　morning；　as　men　have　told　me；
  warriors　gathered　the　gift…hall　round；
  folk…leaders　faring　from　far　and　near；
  o'er　wide…stretched　ways；　the　wonder　to　view；
  trace　of　the　traitor。　Not　troublous　seemed
  the　enemy's　end　to　any　man
  who　saw　by　the　gait　of　the　graceless　foe
  how　the　weary…hearted；　away　from　thence；
  baffled　in　battle　and　banned；　his　steps
  death…marked　dragged　to　the　devils'　mere。
  Bloody　the　billows　were　boiling　there；
  turbid　the　tide　of　tumbling　waves
  horribly　seething；　with　sword…blood　hot；
  by　that　doomed　one　dyed；　who　in　den　of　the　moor
  laid　forlorn　his　life　adown；
  his　heathen　soul；　and　hell　received　it。
  Home　then　rode　the　hoary　clansmen
  from　that　merry　journey；　and　many　a　youth；
  on　horses　white；　the　hardy　warriors；
  back　from　the　mere。　Then　Beowulf's　glory
  eager　they　echoed；　and　all　averred
  that　from　sea　to　sea；　or　south　or　north；
  there　was　no　other　in　earth's　domain；
  under　vault　of　heaven；　more　valiant　found；
  of　warriors　none　more　worthy　to　rule！
  （On　their　lord　beloved　they　laid　no　slight；
  gracious　Hrothgar：　a　good　king　he！）
  From　time　to　time；　the　tried…in…battle
  their　gray　steeds　set　to　gallop　amain；
  and　ran　a　race　when　the　road　seemed　fair。
  From　time　to　time；　a　thane　of　the　king；
  who　had　made　many　vaunts；　and　was　mindful　of　verses；
  stored　with　sagas　and　songs　of　old；
  bound　word　to　word　in　well…knit　rime；
  welded　his　lay；　this　warrior　soon
  of　Beowulf's　quest　right　cleverly　sang；
  and　artfully　added　an　excellent　tale；
  in　well…ranged　words；　of　the　warlike　deeds
  he　had　heard　in　saga　of　Sigemund。
  Strange　the　story：　he　said　it　all；
  the　Waelsing's　wanderings　wide；　his　struggles；
  which　never　were　told　to　tribes　of　men；
  the　feuds　and　the　frauds；　save　to　Fitela　only；
  when　of　these　doings　he　deigned　to　speak；
  uncle　to　nephew；　as　ever　the　twain
  stood　side　by　side　in　stress　of　war；
  and　multitude　of　the　monster　kind
  they　had　felled　with　their　swords。　Of　Sigemund　grew；
  when　he　passed　from　life；　no　little　praise；
  for　the　doughty…in…combat　a　dragon　killed
  that　herded　the　hoard：＇1＇　under　hoary　rock
  the　atheling　dared　the　deed　alone
  fearful　quest；　nor　was　Fitela　there。
  Yet　so　it　befell；　his　falchion　pierced
  that　wondrous　worm；　　on　the　wall　it　struck；
  best　blade；　the　dragon　died　in　its　blood。
  Thus　had　the　dread…one　by　daring　achieved
  over　the　ring…hoard　to　rule　at　will；
  himself　to　pleasure；　a　sea…boat　he　loaded；
  and　bore　on　its　bosom　the　beaming　gold；
  son　of　Waels；　the　worm　was　consumed。
  He　had　of　all　heroes　the　highest　renown
  among　races　of　men；　this　refuge…of…warriors；
  for　deeds　of　daring　that　decked　his　name
  since　the　hand　and　heart　of　Heremod
  grew　slack　in　battle。　He；　swiftly　banished
  to　mingle　with　monsters　at　mercy　of　foes；
  to　death　was　betrayed；　for　torrents　of　sorrow
  had　lamed　him　too　long；　a　load　of　care
  to　earls　and　athelings　all　he　proved。
  Oft　indeed；　in　earlier　days；
  for　the　warrior's　wayfaring　wise　men　mourned；
  who　had　hoped　of　him　help　from　harm　and　bale；
  and　had　thought　their　sovran's　son　would　thrive；
  follow　his　father；　his　folk　protect；
  the　hoard　and　the　stronghold；　heroes'　land；
  home　of　Scyldings。　　But　here；　thanes　said；
  the　kinsman　of　Hygelac　kinder　seemed
  to　all：　the　other＇2＇　was　urged　to　crime！
  And　afresh　to　the　race；＇3＇　the　fallow　roads
  by　swift　steeds　measured！　The　morning　sun
  was　climbing　higher。　Clansmen　hastened
  to　the　high…built　hall；　those　hardy…minded；
  the　wonder　to　witness。　Warden　of　treasure；
  crowned　with　glory；　the　king　himself；
  with　stately　band　from　the　bride…bower　strode；
  and　with　him　the　queen　and　her　crowd　of　maidens
  measured　the　path　to　the　mead…house　fair。
  ＇1＇　〃Guarded　the　treasure。〃　＇2＇　Sc。　Heremod。　＇3＇　The　singer　has
  sung　his　lays；　and　the　epic　resumes　its　story。　The　time…relations
  are　not　altogether　good　in　this　long　passage　which　describes　the
  rejoicings　of　〃the　day　after〃；　but　the　present　shift　from　the
  riders　on　the　road　to　the　folk　at　the　hall　is　not　very　violent；
  and　is　of　a　piece　with　the　general　style。
  XIV
  HROTHGAR　spake；　　to　the　hall　he　went；
  stood　by　the　steps；　the　steep　roof　saw；
  garnished　with　gold；　and　Grendel's　hand：
  〃For　the　sight　I　see　to　the　Sovran　Ruler
  be　speedy　thanks！　A　throng　of　sorrows
  I　have　borne　from　Grendel；　but　God　still　works
  wonder　on　wonder；　the　Warden…of…Glory。
  It　was　but　now　that　I　never　more
  for　woes　that　weighed　on　me　waited　help
  long　as　I　lived；　when；　laved　in　blood；
  stood　sword…gore…stained　this　stateliest　house；
  widespread　woe　for　wise　men　all；
  who　had　no　hope　to　hinder　ever
  foes　infernal　and　fiendish　sprites
  from　havoc　in　hall。　This　hero　now；
  by　the　Wielder's　might；　a　work　has　done
  that　not　all　of　us　erst　could　ever　do
  by　wile　and　wisdom。　Lo；　well　can　she　say
  whoso　of　women　this　warrior　bore
  among　sons　of　men；　if　still　she　liveth；
  that　the　God　of　the　ages　was　good　to　her
  in　the　birth　of　her　bairn。　Now；　Beowulf；　thee；
  of　heroes　best；　I　shall　heartily　love
  as　mine　own；　my　son；　preserve　thou　ever
  this　kinship　new：　thou　shalt　never　lack
  wealth　of　the　world　that　I　wield　as　mine！
  Full　oft　for　less　have　I　largess　showered；
  my　precious