SELECTIONS FOR READING.

SELECTIONS FOR READING.----VI. EXTRACTS FROM BEOWULF.The Banquet in Heorot. [Lines 612-662.][The Heyne-Socin text has been closely followed. I have attempted no original emendations, but have deviated from the Heyne-Socin edition in a few cases where the Grein-Wülker text seemed to give the better reading.The argument preceding the first selection is as follows: Hrothgar, king of the Danes, or Scyldings, elated by prosperity, builds a magnificent hall in which to feast his retainers; but a monster, Grendel by name, issues from his fen-haunts, and night after night carries off thane after thane from the banqueting hall. For twelve years these ravages continue. At last Beowulf, nephew of Hygelac, king of the Geats (a people of South Sweden), sails with fourteen chosen companions to Dane-land, and offers his services to the aged Hrothgar. “Leave me alone in the hall to-night,” says Beowulf. Hrothgar accepts Beowulf’s proffered aid, and before the dread hour of visitation comes, the time is spent in wassail. The banquet scene follows.]Þǣr wæs hæleþa hleahtor, hlyn swynsode,word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig;615grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,ǫnd þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealdeǣrest Ēast-Dęna ēþel-wearde,bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þęge,lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah620symbel ǫnd sęle-ful, sige-rōf kyning.Ymb-ēode þā ides Helmingaduguðe ǫnd geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne,sinc-fatosealde, oð þæt sǣl ālampþæt hīo1Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,625mōde geþungen, medo2-ful ætbær;grētte Gēata lēod, Gode þancodewīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfdefyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,630wæl-rēow wiga, æt Wealhþēon,ǫnd þā gyddode gūðe gefȳsed;Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:“Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra sęcga gedriht,635þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēodawillan geworhte, oððe on wæl crungefēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefręmman scealeorlīc ęllen, oððeęnde-dægon þisse meodu2-healle mīnnegebīdan.”640Þām wīfe þā word wel līcodon,gilp-cwide Gēates;ēodegold-hrodenfrēolicu folc-cwēn tō hire frēansittan.Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healleþrȳð-word sprecen,3þēod on sǣlum,645sige-folca swēg, oþ þæt sęmningasunu Healfdęnes sēcean woldeǣfen-ræste;wisteþǣm āhlǣcan4tō þǣm hēah-sęle hilde geþinged,siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēonnemeahton650oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðancwōman,5wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās;grētte þāgiddumguma ōðerneHrōðgār Bēowulf, ǫnd him hǣl ābēad,655wīn-ærnes geweald, ǫnd þæt word ācwæð:“Nǣfre ic ǣnegum6męn ǣr ālȳfde,siððan ic hǫnd ǫnd rǫnd hębban mihte,ðrȳþ-ærn Dęna būton þē nū þā.Hafa nū ǫnd geheald hūsa sēlest,660gemyne mǣrþo,7mægen-ęllen cȳð,waca wið wrāðum. Ne bið þē wilna gād,gif þū þæt ęllen-weorc aldre8gedīgest.”623.sinc-fato sealde. Banning (Die epischen Formeln im Beowulf) shows that the usual translation,gave costly gifts, must be given up; or, at least, that thecostly giftsare nothing more thanbeakers of mead. The expression is an epic formula forpassing the cup.638-39.ęnde-ðæg ... mīnne. This unnatural separation of noun and possessive is frequent in O.E. poetry, but almost unknown in prose.641-42.ēode ... sittan. The poet might have employedtō sittanne(§108, (1)); but in poetry the infinitive is often used for the gerund. Alfred himself uses the infinitive or the gerund to express purpose aftergān,gǫngan,cuman, andsęndan.647-51.wiste ... cwōman. A difficult passage, even with Thorpe’s insertedne; but there is no need of putting a period aftergeþinged, or of translatingoððebyand:He(Hrothgar)knew that battle was in store(geþinged)for the monster in the high hall, after[=as soon as]they could no longer see the sun’s light, or[=that is]after night came darkening over all, and shadowy figures stalking. The subject ofcwōman[=cwōmon] isnihtandgesceapu.The student will note that the infinitive (scrīðan) is here employed as a present participle after a verb of motion (cwōman). This construction withcumanis frequent in prose and poetry. The infinitive expresses the kind of motion:ic cōm drīfan=I came driving.1= hēo.2= medu-.3= gesprecen.4= āglǣcan.5= cwōmon.6= ǣnigum.7= mǣrþe (acc. sing.).8= ealdre (instr. sing.).The Fight Between Beowulf and Grendel. [Lines 740-837.][The warriors all retire to rest except Beowulf. Grendel stealthily enters the hall. From his eyes gleams “a luster unlovely, likest to fire.” The combat begins at once.]740Neþætse āglǣca yldan þōhte,ac hē gefēng hraðe forman sīðeslǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,syn-snǣdum swealh; sōna hæfde745unlyfigendes eal gefeormodfēt ǫnd folma. Forð nēarætstōp,nam þā mid handa hige-þihtignerinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēanfēond mid folme; hē onfēng hraþe750inwit-þancum ǫnd wið earm gesæt.Sōna þæt onfundefyrena hyrde,þæt hē ne mēttemiddan-geardes,eorðan scēatta, on ęlran męnmund-gripe māran; hē on mōde wearð755forht, on ferhðe;nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte.Hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,sēcan dēofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,swylce hē on ealder1-dagum ǣr gemētte.Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces760ǣfen-sprǣce, ūp-lang āstōdǫnd him fæste wiðfēng; fingras burston;eoten wæs ūt-weard; eorl furþur stōp.Mynte se mǣra, hwǣr hē meahte swā,wīdre gewindan ǫnd on weg þanon765flēon on fęn-hopu; wiste his fingra gewealdon grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,þæt se hearm-scaþa tō Heorute2ātēah.Dryht-sęle dynede; Dęnum eallum wearðceaster-būendum,cēnra gehwylcum,770eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgenrēþe rēn-weardas. Ręced hlynsode;þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sęlewiðhæfde heaþo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs775innan ǫnd ūtan īren-bęndumsearo-þǫncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēagmedu-bęnc mǫnig, mīne gefrǣge,golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,780þæthitā mid gemete manna ǣnig,betlīc ǫnd bān-fāg, tōbrecan meahte,listum tōlūcan, nymþe līges fæðmswulge on swaþule. Swēg ūp āstāgnīwe geneahhe; Norð-Dęnum stōd785atelīc ęgesa, ānra gehwylcum,þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon,gryre-lēoðgalan Godes ǫndsacan,sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigeanhęllehæfton.3Hēold hine fæste,790sē þe manna wæs mægene stręngeston þǣm dæge þysses līfes.Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þingaþone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum795nytte tealde.Þǣrgenehost brǣgdeorl Bēowulfes ealdelāfe,wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian,mǣres þēodnes, ðǣr hīe meahton swā.Hīe ðæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,800heard-hicgende hilde-męcgas,ǫnd on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,sāwle sēcan: þone syn-scaðanǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,gūþ-billa nān, grētan nolde;805ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,ęcga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor4-gedālon ðǣm dæge þysses līfesearmlīc wurðan5ǫnd se ęllor-gāston fēonda geweald feor sīðian.810Þā þæt onfunde, sē þe fela ǣrormōdes myrðe manna cynnefyrene gefręmede (hēwǣsfāg wið God),þæt him se līc-hǫma lǣstan nolde,ac hine se mōdega6mǣg Hygelāces815hæfde be hǫnda; wæs gehwæþer ōðrumlifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebādatol ǣglǣca7; him on eaxle wearðsyn-dolh sweotol; seonowe onsprungon;burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð820gūð-hrēð gyfeðe. Scolde Gręndel þǫnanfeorh-sēoc flēon under fęn-hleoðu,8sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,þæt his aldres9wæs ęnde gegǫngen,dōgera dæg-rīm. Dęnum eallum wearð825æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,snotor ǫnd swȳð-ferhð, sęle Hrōðgāres,genęred wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,ęllen-mǣrþum; hæfde Ēast-Dęnum830Gēat-męcga lēod gilp gelǣsted;swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte,inwid-sorge, þe hīe ǣr drugonǫnd for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon,torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,835syððan hilde-dēor hǫnd ālęgde,earm ǫnd eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geadorGręndlesgrāpe) under gēapne hrōf.740.þæt, the direct object ofyldan, refers to the contest about to ensue. Beowulf, in the preceding lines, was wondering how it would result.746.ætstōp. The subject of this verb and ofnamis Grendel; the subject of the three succeeding verbs (rǣhte,onfēng,gesæt) is Beowulf.751-52.The O.E. poets are fond of securing emphasis or of stimulating interest by indirect methods of statement, by suggesting more than they affirm. This device often appears in their use of negatives (ne,l. 13;p. 140, l. 3;nō,p. 140, l. 1), and in the unexpected prominence that they give to some minor detail usually suppressed because understood; as where the narrator, wishing to describe the terror produced by Grendel’s midnight visits to Heorot, says (ll. 138-139), “Then was it easy to find one who elsewhere, more commodiously, sought rest for himself.” It is hard to believe that the poet saw nothing humorous in this point of view.755.nō ... meahte,none the sooner could he away. The omission of a verb of motion after the auxiliariesmagan, mōtan, sculan, andwillanis very frequent.Cf.Beowulf’s last utterance,p. 147, l. 17.768.The lines that immediately follow constitute a fine bit of description by indication of effects. The two contestants are withdrawn from our sight; but we hear the sound of the fray crashing through the massive old hall, which trembles as in a blast; we see the terror depicted on the faces of the Danes as they listen to the strange sounds that issue from their former banqueting hall; by these sounds we, too, measure the progress and alternations of the combat. At last we hear only the “terror-lay” of Grendel, “lay of the beaten,” and know that Beowulf has made good his promise at the banquet (gilp gelǣsted).769.cēnra gehwylcum. The indefinite pronouns (§77) may be used as adjectives, agreeing in case with their nouns; but they frequently, as here, take a partitive genitive:ānra gehwylcum,to each one(=to each of ones);ǣnige(instrumental)þinga,for any thing(=for any of things);on healfa gehwone,into halves(=into each of halves);ealra dōgra gehwām,every day(=on each of all days);ūhtna gehwylce,every morning(=on each of mornings).780.Notice thathit, the object oftōbrecan, stands forwīn-sęle, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.Mannais genitive aftergemete, not afterǣnig.787-89.gryre-lēoð ... hæfton[=hæftan]. Note that verbs of hearing and seeing, as in Mn.E., may be followed by the infinitive. They heardGod’s adversary sing(galan) ...hell’s captive bewail(wānigean). Had the present participle been used, the effect would have been, as in Mn.E., to emphasize the agent (the subject of the infinitive) rather than the action (the infinitive itself).795-96.þǣr ... lāfe. Beowulf’s followers now seem to have seized their swords and come to his aid, not knowing that Grendel, having forsworn war-weapons himself, is proof against the best of swords.Then many an earl of Beowulf’s(=an earl of B. very often)brandished his sword.That no definite earl is meant is shown by the succeedinghīe meahtoninstead ofhē meahte. Seep. 110, Note.799.They did not know this(ðæt),while they were fighting; but the firstHīerefers to the warriors who proffered help; the secondhīe, to the combatants, Beowulf and Grendel. In apposition withðǣt, stands the whole clause,þone synscaðan(object ofgrētan)... nolde. The second, or conjunctional,ðætis here omitted beforeþone. Seep. 112, note on ll. 18-19.837.grāpe= genitive singular, feminine, aftereal.1= ealdor-.2= Heorote.3= hæftan.4= ealdor-.5= weorðan.6= mōdiga.7= āglǣca.8= -hliðu.9= ealdres.Beowulf Fatally Wounded. [Lines 2712-2752.][Hrothgar, in his gratitude for the great victory, lavishes gifts upon Beowulf; but Grendel’s mother must be reckoned with. Beowulf finds her at the sea-bottom, and after a desperate struggle slays her. Hrothgar again pours treasures into Beowulf’s lap. Beowulf, having now accomplished his mission, returns to Sweden. After a reign of fifty years, he goes forth to meet a fire-spewing dragon that is ravaging his kingdom. In the struggle Beowulf is fatally wounded. Wiglaf, a loyal thane, is with him.]Þā sīo1wund ongǫn,þe him se eorð-draca ǣr geworhte,swēlan ǫnd swellan. Hē þǣt sōna onfand,2715þǣt him on brēostum bealo-nīð wēollāttor on innan. Þāse æðelinggīong,2þæt hē bī wealle, wīs-hycgende,gesæt on sesse; seah onęnta geweorc,hū þā stān-bogan stapulum fæste2720ēce eorð-ręced innanhealde.Hyne þā mid handa heoro-drēorigne,þēoden mǣrne,þegn ungemete till,wine-dryhten his wætere gelafede,hilde-sædne, ǫnd his helm onspēon.2725Bīowulf3maðelode;hē ofer bęnne spræc,wunde wæl-blēate; wisse hē gearwe,þæt hē dæg-hwīla gedrogen hæfdeeorðan wynne; þā wæs eall sceacendōgor-gerīmes, dēað ungemete nēah:2730“Nū ic suna mīnum syllan woldegūð-gewǣdu,þǣr mēgifeðe swāǣnig yrfe-weard æfter wurdelīcegelęnge. Ic ðās lēode hēoldfīftig wintra; næs se folc-cyning2735ymbe-sittendra ænig þāra,þe mec gūð-winum grētan dorste,ęgesan ðēon. Ic on earde bādmǣl-gesceafta, hēold mīn tela,nē sōhte searo-nīðas, nē mē swōr fela2740āða on unriht. Ic ðæs ealles mæg,feorh-bęnnum sēoc, gefēan habban;for-þām mē wītan ne ðearf Waldend4fīramorðor-bealo5māga, þonne mīn sceaceðlīf of līce. Nū ðū lungregeong62745hord scēawianunder hārne stān,Wīglāf lēofa, nū se wyrm ligeð,swefeð sāre wund, since berēafod.Bīo7nū on ofoste, þæt ic ǣr-welan,gold-ǣht ongite, gearo scēawige2750swegle searo-gimmas, þæt ic ðȳ sēft mægeæfter māððum-welanmīn ālǣtanlīfǫnd lēod-scipe, þone ic lǫnge hēold.”2716.se æðelingis Beowulf.2718.ęnta geweorcis a stereotyped phrase for anything that occasions wonder by its size or strangeness.2720.healde. Heyne, following Ettmüller, readshēoldon, thus arbitrarily changing mood, tense, and number of the original. Either mood, indicative or subjunctive, would be legitimate. As to the tense, the narrator is identifying himself in time with the hero, whose wonder was “how the stone-arches ...sustainthe ever-during earth-hall”: the construction is a form oforatio recta, a sort ofmiratio recta. The singularhealde, instead ofhealden, has many parallels in the dependent clauses ofBeowulf, most of these being relative clauses introduced byþāra þe(=of those that ...+ a singular predicate). In the present instance, the predicate has doubtless been influenced by the proximity ofeorð-ręced, aquasi-subject; and we have no more right to alter tohealdenorhēoldonthan we have to change Shakespeare’sgivestogivein“Words to the heat of deeds too cold breathgives.”(Macbeth, II,I, 61.)2722.Theþegn ungemete tillis Wiglaf, the bravest of Beowulf’s retainers.2725.hē ofer bęnne spræc. The editors and translators ofBeowulfinvariably renderoferin this passage byabout; but Beowulf says not a word about his wound. The context seems to me to show plainly thatofer(cf. Latinsupra) denotes here opposition =in spite of. We read inGenesis, l. 594, that Eve took the forbidden fruitofer Drihtenes word. Beowulf fears (l. 2331) that he may have ruled unjustly =ofer ealde riht; and he goes forth (l. 2409)ofer willanto confront the dragon.2731-33.þǣr mē ... gelęnge,if so be that(þǣr ... swā)any heir had afterwards been given me(mē gifeðe ... æfter wurde)belonging to my body.2744-45.geong[=gǫng]... scēawian. See note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20. In Mn.E.Go see, Go fetch, etc., is the second verb imperative (coördinate with the first), or subjunctive (that you may see), or infinitive withoutto?2751-52.mīn ... līf. See note onęnde-dæg ... mīnne,p. 137, ll. 16-17.1= sēo.2= gēong.3= Bēowulf.4= Wealdend.5= morðor-bealu.6= gǫng (gang).7= Bēo.Beowulf’s Last Words. [Lines 2793-2821.][Wiglaf brings the jewels, the tokens of Beowulf’s triumph. Beowulf, rejoicing to see them, reviews his career, and gives advice and final directions to Wiglaf.]Bīowulf1maðelode,gǫmel on giohðe (gold scēawode):2795“Ic þāra frætwa Frēan eallesðanc,Wuldur-cyninge, wordumsęcgeęcum Dryhtne, þe ic hēr on starie,þæs þe ic mōste mīnum lēodumǣr swylt-dæge swylc gestrȳnan.2800Nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohtefrōde feorh-lęge,fręmmað gēnūlēoda þearfe; ne mæg ic hēr lęng wesan.Hātað heaðo-mǣre hlǣw gewyrcean,beorhtne æfter bǣle æt brimes nosan;2805sē scel2tō gemyndum mīnum lēodumhēah hlīfianon Hrǫnes næsse,þæthitsǣ-līðend syððan hātan3Bīowulfes1biorh1þā þe brentingasofer flōda genipu feorran drīfað.”2810Dydehimof healse hring gyldenneþīoden1þrīst-hȳdig; þegne gesealde,geongum gār-wigan, gold-fāhne helm,bēah ǫnd byrnan, hēt hyne brūcan well.“Þū eart ęnde-lāf ūsses cynnes,2815Wǣgmundinga; ealle wyrd forswēopmīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,eorlas on ęlne;ic him æfter sceal.”Þæt wæs þām gǫmelan gingeste wordbrēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,2820hāte heaðo-wylmas;him of hreðregewātsāwolsēceansōð-fæstra dōm.2795-99.The expressionsęcgan þanctakes the same construction asþancian; i.e., the dative of the person (Frēan) and the genitive (a genitive of cause) of the thing (þāra frætwa). Cf. note onbiddan,p. 45. The antecedent ofþeisfrætwa. For the position ofon, see§94, (5). The clause introduced byþæs þe(because) is parallel in construction withfrætwa, both being causal modifiers ofsęcge þanc. The Christian coloring in these lines betrays the influence of priestly transcribers.2800.Now that I, in exchange for(on)a hoard of treasures, have bartered(bebohte)the laying down(-lęge>licgan)of my old life.The ethical codes of the early Germanic races make frequent mention of blood-payments, or life-barters. There seems to be here a suggestion of the “wergild.”2801.fręmmað gē. The plural imperative (as also inHātað) shows that Beowulf is here speaking not so much to Wiglaf in particular as, through Wiglaf, to his retainers in general,—to hiscomitatus.2806.The desire for conspicuous burial places finds frequent expression in early literatures. The tomb of Achilles was situated “high on a jutting headland over wide Hellespont that it might be seen from off the sea.” Elpenor asks Ulysses to bury him in the same way. Æneas places the ashes of Misenus beneath a high mound on a headland of the sea.2807.hit = hlǣw, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.2810-11.him ... þīoden. The reference in both cases is to Beowulf, who is disarming himself (do-of>doff) for the last time;þegne=to Wiglaf.Note, where the personal element is strong, the use of the dative instead of the more colorless possessive;him of healse, notof his healse.2817.ic ... sceal. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140, l. 1.2820.him of hreðre. Cf. note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147, ll. 10-11.2820-21.For construction ofgewāt ... sēcean, see note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20.1= īo, io = ēo, eo.2= sceal.3= hāten.VII. THE WANDERER.[Exeter MS. “The epic character of the ancient lyric appears especially in this: that the song is less the utterance of a momentary feeling than the portrayal of a lasting state, perhaps the reflection of an entire life, generally that of one isolated, or bereft by death or exile of protectors and friends.” (Ten Brink,Early Eng. Lit., I.) I adopt Brooke’s threefold division (Early Eng. Lit., p. 356): “It opens with a Christian prologue, and closes with a Christian epilogue, but the whole body of the poem was written, it seems to me, by a person who thought more of the goddess Wyrd than of God, whose life and way of thinking were uninfluenced by any distinctive Christian doctrine.”The author is unknown.]Prologue.Oft him ānhaga āre gebīdeð,Metudes1miltse, þēah þe hē mōdceariggeond lagulāde lǫnge sceoldehrēran mid hǫndum hrīmcealde sǣ,5wadan wræclǣstas: wyrd bið ful ārǣd!Swā cwæð eardstapa earfeþa2gemyndig,wrāþra wælsleahta, winemǣgahryres:Plaint of the Wanderer.“Oft ic sceolde ānaūhtna gehwylcemīne ceare cwīþan; nis nū cwicra nān,10þe ic himmōdsefan mīnne durresweotule3āsęcgan. Ic tō sōþe wātþæt biþ in eorle indryhten þēaw,þæt hē his ferðlocan fæste binde,healde his hordcofan, hycge swā hē wille;15ne mæg wērig mōd wyrde wiðstǫndannē sē hrēo hyge helpe gefręmman:for ðon dōmgeorne drēorigne oftin hyra brēostcofan bindað fæste.Swā ic mōdsefan mīnne sceolde20oft earmcearig ēðle bidǣled,frēomǣgum feor feterum sǣlan,siþþan gēara iū goldwine mīnnehrūsan heolster biwrāh, and ic hēan þǫnanwōd wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,25sōhte sęle drēorig sinces bryttan,hwǣr ic feor oþþe nēah findan meahteþone þe in meoduhealle4miltsewisseoþþe mec frēondlēasne frēfran wolde,węnian mid wynnum. Wāt sē þe cunnað30hū slīþen bið sorg tō gefēranþām þe him lȳt hafað lēofra geholena:warað hine wræclāst, nāles wunden gold,ferðloca frēorig, nālæs foldan blǣd;gemǫn hē sęlesęcgas and sincþęge,35hū hine on geoguðe his goldwinewęnede tō wiste: wyn eal gedrēas!For þonwātsē þe sceal his winedryhtneslēofes lārcwidum lǫnge forþolian,ðonne sorg and slǣp sǫmod ætgædre40earmne ānhagan oft gebindað:þinceð him on mōdeþæt hē his mǫndryhtenclyppe and cysse, and on cnēo lęcgehǫnda and hēafod, swā hē hwīlum ǣrin gēardagum giefstōles brēac;45ðonne onwæcneð eft winelēas guma,gesihð him biforan fealwe wǣgas,baþian brimfuglas, brǣdan feþra,hrēosan hrīm and snāw hagle gemęnged.Þonne bēoð þȳ hęfigran heortan bęnne,50sāre æfter swǣsne; sorg bið genīwad;þonne māga gemynd mōd geondhweorfeð,grēteð glīwstafum, georne geondscēawað.Sęcgageseldan swimmað eft on weg;flēotendra ferð5nō þǣr fela bringeð55cūðracwidegiedda; cearo6bið genīwadþām þe sęndan sceal swīþe geneahheofer waþema gebind wērigne sefan.For þon ic geþęncan ne mæg geond þās woruldfor hwan mōdsefa mīn ne gesweorce,60þonne ic eorla līf eal geondþęnce,hū hī fǣrlīce flęt ofgēafon,mōdge maguþegnas. Swā þēs middangeardealra dōgra gehwām drēoseð and fealleþ;for þon ne mæg weorþan wīs wer, ǣr hē āge65wintra dǣl in woruldrīce.Wita sceal geþyldig,ne sceal nō tō hātheort nē tō hrædwyrde,nē tō wāc wiga nē tō wanhȳdig,nē tō forht nē tō fægen nē tō feohgīfre,nē nǣfre gielpes tō georn, ǣr hē geare cunne.70Beorn sceal gebīdan, þonne hē bēot spriceð,oþ þæt collenferð cunne gearwehwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille.Ongietan sceal glēaw hæle hū gǣstlīc bið,þonne eall þisse worulde wela wēste stǫndeð,75swā nūmissenlīce geond þisne middangeardwinde biwāune7weallas stǫndaþ,hrīme bihrorene,8hryðge þā ederas.Wōriað þā wīnsalo,9waldend licgaðdrēame bidrorene10; duguð eal gecrǫng80wlǫnc bī wealle: sume wīg fornōm,fęrede in forðwege; sumne fugel11oþbærofer hēanne holm; sumne sē hāra wulfdēaðe gedǣlde; sumne drēorighlēorin eorðscræfe eorl gehȳdde:85ȳþde swā þisne eardgeard ælda Scyppend,oþ þæt burgwara breahtma lēaseeald ęnta geweorc īdlu stōdon.Sē þonne þisne wealsteal wīse geþōhte,and þis deorce līf dēope geondþęnceð,90frōd in ferðe12feor oft gemǫnwælsleahta worn, and þās word ācwið:‘Hwǣr cwōm mearg? hwǣr cwōm mago13? hwǣr cwōm māþþumgyfa?hwǣrcwōm symbla gesetu? hwǣr sindon sęledrēamas?Ēalā beorht bune! ēalā byrnwiga!95ēalā þēodnes þrym! hū sēo þrāg gewāt,genāp under nihthelm, swā hēo nō wǣre!Stǫndeð nū on lāste lēofre duguþeweal wundrum hēah, wyrmlīcum fāh:eorlas fornōmon asca þrȳþe,100wǣpen wælgīfru, wyrd sēo mǣre;and þās stānhleoþu14stormas cnyssað;hrīð hrēosende hrūsan bindeð,wintres wōma, þonne wǫn cymeð,nīpeð nihtscūa, norþan onsęndeð105hrēo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.Eall is earfoðlīc eorþan rīce,onwęndeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum:hēr bið feoh lǣne, hēr bið frēond lǣne,hēr bið mǫn lǣne, hēr bið mǣg lǣne;110eal þis eorþan gesteal īdel weorþeð!’”Epilogue.Swā cwæð snottor on mōde,gesæt him sundor æt rune.Til biþ sē þe his trēowe gehealdeð; ne sceal nǣfre his torn tō rycenebeorn of his brēostum ācȳþan, nemþe hē ǣr þā bōte cunne;eorl mid ęlne gefręmman. Wel bið þām þe him āre sēceð,115frōfre tō Fæder on heofonum, þǣr ūs eal sēo fæstnung stǫndeð.7.The MS. reading ishryre(nominative), which is meaningless.8.Forūhtna gehwylce, see note oncēnra gehwylcum,p. 140.10.þe ... him. See§75(4). Cf.Merchant of Venice, II,v, 50-51.27.Formine(MS.in), which does not satisfy metrical requirements, I adopt Kluge’s plausible substitution ofmiltse;miltse witan=to show(know, feel),pity. Themyne wisseofBeowulf(l. 169) is metrically admissible.37.The object ofwātisþinceð him on mōde; but the construction is unusual, inasmuch as bothþæt’s(þætpronominal beforewātandþætconjunctional beforeþinceð) are omitted. Seep. 112, ll. 18-19.41.þinceð him on mōde(see note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147). “No more sympathetic picture has been drawn by an Anglo-Saxon poet than where the wanderer in exile falls asleep at his oar and dreams again of his dead lord and the old hall and revelry and joy and gifts,—then wakes to look once more upon the waste of ocean, snow and hail falling all around him, and sea-birds dipping in the spray.” (Gummere,Germanic Origins, p. 221.)53-55.Sęcga ... cwidegiedda=But these comrades of warriors[= those seen in vision]again swim away[=fade away];the ghost of these fleeting ones brings not there many familiar words; i.e. he sees in dream and vision the old familiar faces, but no voice is heard: they bring neither greetings to him nor tidings of themselves.65.Wita sceal geþyldig. Eitherbēon(wesan) is here to be understood aftersceal, orscealalone meansought to be. Neither construction is to be found in Alfredian prose, though the omission of a verb of motion aftersculanis common in all periods of Old English. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140.75.swā nū. “The Old English lyrical feeling,” says Ten Brink, citing the lines that immediately followswā nū, “is fond of the image of physical destruction”; but I do not think these lines have a merely figurative import. The reference is to a period of real devastation, antedating the Danish incursions. “We might fairly find such a time in that parenthesis of bad government and of national tumult which filled the years between the death of Aldfrith in 705 and the renewed peace of Northumbria under Ceolwulf in the years that followed 729.” (Brooke,Early Eng. Lit., p. 355.)93.cwōm ... gesetu. Ettmüller readscwōmon; but seep. 107, note onwæs ... þā īgland. The occurrence ofhwǣr cwōmthree times in the preceding line tends also to holdcwōmin the singular when its plural subject follows. Note the influence of a somewhat similar structural parallelism inseas hidesof these lines (Winter’s Tale, IV,IV, 500-502):“Not for ... all thesun seesorThe closeearth wombsor the profoundseas hidesIn unknown fathoms, will I break my oath.”111.gesæt ... rūne,sat apart to himself in silent meditation.114.eorl ... gefręmman. Supplyscealaftereorl.1= Metodes.2= earfoþa.3= sweotole.4= medu-.5= ferhð.6= cearu.7= See bewāwan.8= See behrēosan.9= wīnsalu.10= See bedrēosan.11= fugol.12= ferhðe.13= magu.14= -hliðu.I. GLOSSARY.----OLD ENGLISH—MODERN ENGLISH.[The order of words is strictly alphabetical, except thatðfollowst. The combinationæfollowsad.Gender is indicated by the abbreviations, m. (= masculine), f. (= feminine), n. (= neuter). The usual abbreviations are employed for the cases, nom., gen., dat., acc., and instr. Other abbreviations are sing. (= singular), pl. (= plural), ind. (= indicative mood), sub. (= subjunctive mood), pres. (= present tense), pret. (= preterit tense), prep. (= preposition), adj. (= adjective), adv. (= adverb), part. (= participle), conj. (= conjunction), pron. (= pronoun), intrans. (= intransitive), trans. (= transitive).Figures not preceded by § refer to page and line of the texts.ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPRSTÐUWY

----

[The Heyne-Socin text has been closely followed. I have attempted no original emendations, but have deviated from the Heyne-Socin edition in a few cases where the Grein-Wülker text seemed to give the better reading.

The argument preceding the first selection is as follows: Hrothgar, king of the Danes, or Scyldings, elated by prosperity, builds a magnificent hall in which to feast his retainers; but a monster, Grendel by name, issues from his fen-haunts, and night after night carries off thane after thane from the banqueting hall. For twelve years these ravages continue. At last Beowulf, nephew of Hygelac, king of the Geats (a people of South Sweden), sails with fourteen chosen companions to Dane-land, and offers his services to the aged Hrothgar. “Leave me alone in the hall to-night,” says Beowulf. Hrothgar accepts Beowulf’s proffered aid, and before the dread hour of visitation comes, the time is spent in wassail. The banquet scene follows.]

Þǣr wæs hæleþa hleahtor, hlyn swynsode,word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig;615grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,ǫnd þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealdeǣrest Ēast-Dęna ēþel-wearde,bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þęge,lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah620symbel ǫnd sęle-ful, sige-rōf kyning.Ymb-ēode þā ides Helmingaduguðe ǫnd geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne,sinc-fatosealde, oð þæt sǣl ālampþæt hīo1Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,625mōde geþungen, medo2-ful ætbær;grētte Gēata lēod, Gode þancodewīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfdefyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,630wæl-rēow wiga, æt Wealhþēon,ǫnd þā gyddode gūðe gefȳsed;Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:“Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra sęcga gedriht,635þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēodawillan geworhte, oððe on wæl crungefēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefręmman scealeorlīc ęllen, oððeęnde-dægon þisse meodu2-healle mīnnegebīdan.”640Þām wīfe þā word wel līcodon,gilp-cwide Gēates;ēodegold-hrodenfrēolicu folc-cwēn tō hire frēansittan.Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healleþrȳð-word sprecen,3þēod on sǣlum,645sige-folca swēg, oþ þæt sęmningasunu Healfdęnes sēcean woldeǣfen-ræste;wisteþǣm āhlǣcan4tō þǣm hēah-sęle hilde geþinged,siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēonnemeahton650oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðancwōman,5wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās;grētte þāgiddumguma ōðerneHrōðgār Bēowulf, ǫnd him hǣl ābēad,655wīn-ærnes geweald, ǫnd þæt word ācwæð:“Nǣfre ic ǣnegum6męn ǣr ālȳfde,siððan ic hǫnd ǫnd rǫnd hębban mihte,ðrȳþ-ærn Dęna būton þē nū þā.Hafa nū ǫnd geheald hūsa sēlest,660gemyne mǣrþo,7mægen-ęllen cȳð,waca wið wrāðum. Ne bið þē wilna gād,gif þū þæt ęllen-weorc aldre8gedīgest.”

Þǣr wæs hæleþa hleahtor, hlyn swynsode,

word wǣron wynsume. Ēode Wealhþēow forð,

cwēn Hrōðgāres, cynna gemyndig;

615grētte gold-hroden guman on healle,

ǫnd þā frēolīc wīf ful gesealde

ǣrest Ēast-Dęna ēþel-wearde,

bæd hine blīðne æt þǣre bēor-þęge,

lēodum lēofne; hē on lust geþeah

620symbel ǫnd sęle-ful, sige-rōf kyning.

Ymb-ēode þā ides Helminga

duguðe ǫnd geogoðe dǣl ǣghwylcne,

sinc-fatosealde, oð þæt sǣl ālamp

þæt hīo1Bēowulfe, bēag-hroden cwēn,

625mōde geþungen, medo2-ful ætbær;

grētte Gēata lēod, Gode þancode

wīs-fæst wordum, þæs þe hire se willa gelamp,

þæt hēo on ǣnigne eorl gelȳfde

fyrena frōfre. Hē þæt ful geþeah,

630wæl-rēow wiga, æt Wealhþēon,

ǫnd þā gyddode gūðe gefȳsed;

Bēowulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþēowes:

“Ic þæt hogode, þā ic on holm gestāh,

sǣ-bāt gesæt mid mīnra sęcga gedriht,

635þæt ic ānunga ēowra lēoda

willan geworhte, oððe on wæl crunge

fēond-grāpum fæst. Ic gefręmman sceal

eorlīc ęllen, oððeęnde-dæg

on þisse meodu2-healle mīnnegebīdan.”

640Þām wīfe þā word wel līcodon,

gilp-cwide Gēates;ēodegold-hroden

frēolicu folc-cwēn tō hire frēansittan.

Þā wæs eft swā ǣr inne on healle

þrȳð-word sprecen,3þēod on sǣlum,

645sige-folca swēg, oþ þæt sęmninga

sunu Healfdęnes sēcean wolde

ǣfen-ræste;wisteþǣm āhlǣcan4

tō þǣm hēah-sęle hilde geþinged,

siððan hīe sunnan lēoht gesēonnemeahton

650oððe nīpende niht ofer ealle,

scadu-helma gesceapu scrīðancwōman,5

wan under wolcnum. Werod eall ārās;

grētte þāgiddumguma ōðerne

Hrōðgār Bēowulf, ǫnd him hǣl ābēad,

655wīn-ærnes geweald, ǫnd þæt word ācwæð:

“Nǣfre ic ǣnegum6męn ǣr ālȳfde,

siððan ic hǫnd ǫnd rǫnd hębban mihte,

ðrȳþ-ærn Dęna būton þē nū þā.

Hafa nū ǫnd geheald hūsa sēlest,

660gemyne mǣrþo,7mægen-ęllen cȳð,

waca wið wrāðum. Ne bið þē wilna gād,

gif þū þæt ęllen-weorc aldre8gedīgest.”

623.sinc-fato sealde. Banning (Die epischen Formeln im Beowulf) shows that the usual translation,gave costly gifts, must be given up; or, at least, that thecostly giftsare nothing more thanbeakers of mead. The expression is an epic formula forpassing the cup.638-39.ęnde-ðæg ... mīnne. This unnatural separation of noun and possessive is frequent in O.E. poetry, but almost unknown in prose.641-42.ēode ... sittan. The poet might have employedtō sittanne(§108, (1)); but in poetry the infinitive is often used for the gerund. Alfred himself uses the infinitive or the gerund to express purpose aftergān,gǫngan,cuman, andsęndan.647-51.wiste ... cwōman. A difficult passage, even with Thorpe’s insertedne; but there is no need of putting a period aftergeþinged, or of translatingoððebyand:He(Hrothgar)knew that battle was in store(geþinged)for the monster in the high hall, after[=as soon as]they could no longer see the sun’s light, or[=that is]after night came darkening over all, and shadowy figures stalking. The subject ofcwōman[=cwōmon] isnihtandgesceapu.The student will note that the infinitive (scrīðan) is here employed as a present participle after a verb of motion (cwōman). This construction withcumanis frequent in prose and poetry. The infinitive expresses the kind of motion:ic cōm drīfan=I came driving.

638-39.ęnde-ðæg ... mīnne. This unnatural separation of noun and possessive is frequent in O.E. poetry, but almost unknown in prose.

641-42.ēode ... sittan. The poet might have employedtō sittanne(§108, (1)); but in poetry the infinitive is often used for the gerund. Alfred himself uses the infinitive or the gerund to express purpose aftergān,gǫngan,cuman, andsęndan.

647-51.wiste ... cwōman. A difficult passage, even with Thorpe’s insertedne; but there is no need of putting a period aftergeþinged, or of translatingoððebyand:He(Hrothgar)knew that battle was in store(geþinged)for the monster in the high hall, after[=as soon as]they could no longer see the sun’s light, or[=that is]after night came darkening over all, and shadowy figures stalking. The subject ofcwōman[=cwōmon] isnihtandgesceapu.

The student will note that the infinitive (scrīðan) is here employed as a present participle after a verb of motion (cwōman). This construction withcumanis frequent in prose and poetry. The infinitive expresses the kind of motion:ic cōm drīfan=I came driving.

1= hēo.2= medu-.3= gesprecen.4= āglǣcan.5= cwōmon.6= ǣnigum.7= mǣrþe (acc. sing.).8= ealdre (instr. sing.).

1= hēo.

2= medu-.

3= gesprecen.

4= āglǣcan.

5= cwōmon.

6= ǣnigum.

7= mǣrþe (acc. sing.).

8= ealdre (instr. sing.).

[The warriors all retire to rest except Beowulf. Grendel stealthily enters the hall. From his eyes gleams “a luster unlovely, likest to fire.” The combat begins at once.]

740Neþætse āglǣca yldan þōhte,ac hē gefēng hraðe forman sīðeslǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,syn-snǣdum swealh; sōna hæfde745unlyfigendes eal gefeormodfēt ǫnd folma. Forð nēarætstōp,nam þā mid handa hige-þihtignerinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēanfēond mid folme; hē onfēng hraþe750inwit-þancum ǫnd wið earm gesæt.Sōna þæt onfundefyrena hyrde,þæt hē ne mēttemiddan-geardes,eorðan scēatta, on ęlran męnmund-gripe māran; hē on mōde wearð755forht, on ferhðe;nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte.Hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,sēcan dēofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,swylce hē on ealder1-dagum ǣr gemētte.Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces760ǣfen-sprǣce, ūp-lang āstōdǫnd him fæste wiðfēng; fingras burston;eoten wæs ūt-weard; eorl furþur stōp.Mynte se mǣra, hwǣr hē meahte swā,wīdre gewindan ǫnd on weg þanon765flēon on fęn-hopu; wiste his fingra gewealdon grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,þæt se hearm-scaþa tō Heorute2ātēah.Dryht-sęle dynede; Dęnum eallum wearðceaster-būendum,cēnra gehwylcum,770eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgenrēþe rēn-weardas. Ręced hlynsode;þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sęlewiðhæfde heaþo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs775innan ǫnd ūtan īren-bęndumsearo-þǫncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēagmedu-bęnc mǫnig, mīne gefrǣge,golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,780þæthitā mid gemete manna ǣnig,betlīc ǫnd bān-fāg, tōbrecan meahte,listum tōlūcan, nymþe līges fæðmswulge on swaþule. Swēg ūp āstāgnīwe geneahhe; Norð-Dęnum stōd785atelīc ęgesa, ānra gehwylcum,þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon,gryre-lēoðgalan Godes ǫndsacan,sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigeanhęllehæfton.3Hēold hine fæste,790sē þe manna wæs mægene stręngeston þǣm dæge þysses līfes.Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þingaþone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum795nytte tealde.Þǣrgenehost brǣgdeorl Bēowulfes ealdelāfe,wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian,mǣres þēodnes, ðǣr hīe meahton swā.Hīe ðæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,800heard-hicgende hilde-męcgas,ǫnd on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,sāwle sēcan: þone syn-scaðanǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,gūþ-billa nān, grētan nolde;805ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,ęcga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor4-gedālon ðǣm dæge þysses līfesearmlīc wurðan5ǫnd se ęllor-gāston fēonda geweald feor sīðian.810Þā þæt onfunde, sē þe fela ǣrormōdes myrðe manna cynnefyrene gefręmede (hēwǣsfāg wið God),þæt him se līc-hǫma lǣstan nolde,ac hine se mōdega6mǣg Hygelāces815hæfde be hǫnda; wæs gehwæþer ōðrumlifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebādatol ǣglǣca7; him on eaxle wearðsyn-dolh sweotol; seonowe onsprungon;burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð820gūð-hrēð gyfeðe. Scolde Gręndel þǫnanfeorh-sēoc flēon under fęn-hleoðu,8sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,þæt his aldres9wæs ęnde gegǫngen,dōgera dæg-rīm. Dęnum eallum wearð825æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,snotor ǫnd swȳð-ferhð, sęle Hrōðgāres,genęred wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,ęllen-mǣrþum; hæfde Ēast-Dęnum830Gēat-męcga lēod gilp gelǣsted;swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte,inwid-sorge, þe hīe ǣr drugonǫnd for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon,torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,835syððan hilde-dēor hǫnd ālęgde,earm ǫnd eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geadorGręndlesgrāpe) under gēapne hrōf.

740Neþætse āglǣca yldan þōhte,

ac hē gefēng hraðe forman sīðe

slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,

bāt bān-locan, blōd ēdrum dranc,

syn-snǣdum swealh; sōna hæfde

745unlyfigendes eal gefeormod

fēt ǫnd folma. Forð nēarætstōp,

nam þā mid handa hige-þihtigne

rinc on ræste; rǣhte ongēan

fēond mid folme; hē onfēng hraþe

750inwit-þancum ǫnd wið earm gesæt.

Sōna þæt onfundefyrena hyrde,

þæt hē ne mēttemiddan-geardes,

eorðan scēatta, on ęlran męn

mund-gripe māran; hē on mōde wearð

755forht, on ferhðe;nō þȳ ǣr fram meahte.

Hyge wæs him hin-fūs, wolde on heolster flēon,

sēcan dēofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þǣr,

swylce hē on ealder1-dagum ǣr gemētte.

Gemunde þā se gōda mǣg Higelāces

760ǣfen-sprǣce, ūp-lang āstōd

ǫnd him fæste wiðfēng; fingras burston;

eoten wæs ūt-weard; eorl furþur stōp.

Mynte se mǣra, hwǣr hē meahte swā,

wīdre gewindan ǫnd on weg þanon

765flēon on fęn-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald

on grames grāpum. Þæt wæs gēocor sīð,

þæt se hearm-scaþa tō Heorute2ātēah.

Dryht-sęle dynede; Dęnum eallum wearð

ceaster-būendum,cēnra gehwylcum,

770eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wǣron bēgen

rēþe rēn-weardas. Ręced hlynsode;

þā wæs wundor micel, þæt se wīn-sęle

wiðhæfde heaþo-dēorum, þæt hē on hrūsan ne fēol,

fǣger fold-bold; ac hē þæs fæste wæs

775innan ǫnd ūtan īren-bęndum

searo-þǫncum besmiðod. Þǣr fram sylle ābēag

medu-bęnc mǫnig, mīne gefrǣge,

golde geregnad, þǣr þā graman wunnon;

þæs ne wēndon ǣr witan Scyldinga,

780þæthitā mid gemete manna ǣnig,

betlīc ǫnd bān-fāg, tōbrecan meahte,

listum tōlūcan, nymþe līges fæðm

swulge on swaþule. Swēg ūp āstāg

nīwe geneahhe; Norð-Dęnum stōd

785atelīc ęgesa, ānra gehwylcum,

þāra þe of wealle wōp gehȳrdon,

gryre-lēoðgalan Godes ǫndsacan,

sige-lēasne sang, sār wānigean

hęllehæfton.3Hēold hine fæste,

790sē þe manna wæs mægene stręngest

on þǣm dæge þysses līfes.

Nolde eorla hlēo ǣnige þinga

þone cwealm-cuman cwicne forlǣtan,

nē his līf-dagas lēoda ǣnigum

795nytte tealde.Þǣrgenehost brǣgd

eorl Bēowulfes ealdelāfe,

wolde frēa-drihtnes feorh ealgian,

mǣres þēodnes, ðǣr hīe meahton swā.

Hīe ðæt ne wiston, þā hīe gewin drugon,

800heard-hicgende hilde-męcgas,

ǫnd on healfa gehwone hēawan þōhton,

sāwle sēcan: þone syn-scaðan

ǣnig ofer eorðan īrenna cyst,

gūþ-billa nān, grētan nolde;

805ac hē sige-wǣpnum forsworen hæfde,

ęcga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldor4-gedāl

on ðǣm dæge þysses līfes

earmlīc wurðan5ǫnd se ęllor-gāst

on fēonda geweald feor sīðian.

810Þā þæt onfunde, sē þe fela ǣror

mōdes myrðe manna cynne

fyrene gefręmede (hēwǣsfāg wið God),

þæt him se līc-hǫma lǣstan nolde,

ac hine se mōdega6mǣg Hygelāces

815hæfde be hǫnda; wæs gehwæþer ōðrum

lifigende lāð. Līc-sār gebād

atol ǣglǣca7; him on eaxle wearð

syn-dolh sweotol; seonowe onsprungon;

burston bān-locan. Bēowulfe wearð

820gūð-hrēð gyfeðe. Scolde Gręndel þǫnan

feorh-sēoc flēon under fęn-hleoðu,8

sēcean wyn-lēas wīc; wiste þē geornor,

þæt his aldres9wæs ęnde gegǫngen,

dōgera dæg-rīm. Dęnum eallum wearð

825æfter þām wæl-rǣse willa gelumpen.

Hæfde þā gefǣlsod, sē þe ǣr feorran cōm,

snotor ǫnd swȳð-ferhð, sęle Hrōðgāres,

genęred wið nīðe. Niht-weorce gefeh,

ęllen-mǣrþum; hæfde Ēast-Dęnum

830Gēat-męcga lēod gilp gelǣsted;

swylce oncȳððe ealle gebētte,

inwid-sorge, þe hīe ǣr drugon

ǫnd for þrēa-nȳdum þolian scoldon,

torn unlȳtel. Þæt wæs tācen sweotol,

835syððan hilde-dēor hǫnd ālęgde,

earm ǫnd eaxle (þǣr wæs eal geador

Gręndlesgrāpe) under gēapne hrōf.

740.þæt, the direct object ofyldan, refers to the contest about to ensue. Beowulf, in the preceding lines, was wondering how it would result.746.ætstōp. The subject of this verb and ofnamis Grendel; the subject of the three succeeding verbs (rǣhte,onfēng,gesæt) is Beowulf.751-52.The O.E. poets are fond of securing emphasis or of stimulating interest by indirect methods of statement, by suggesting more than they affirm. This device often appears in their use of negatives (ne,l. 13;p. 140, l. 3;nō,p. 140, l. 1), and in the unexpected prominence that they give to some minor detail usually suppressed because understood; as where the narrator, wishing to describe the terror produced by Grendel’s midnight visits to Heorot, says (ll. 138-139), “Then was it easy to find one who elsewhere, more commodiously, sought rest for himself.” It is hard to believe that the poet saw nothing humorous in this point of view.755.nō ... meahte,none the sooner could he away. The omission of a verb of motion after the auxiliariesmagan, mōtan, sculan, andwillanis very frequent.Cf.Beowulf’s last utterance,p. 147, l. 17.768.The lines that immediately follow constitute a fine bit of description by indication of effects. The two contestants are withdrawn from our sight; but we hear the sound of the fray crashing through the massive old hall, which trembles as in a blast; we see the terror depicted on the faces of the Danes as they listen to the strange sounds that issue from their former banqueting hall; by these sounds we, too, measure the progress and alternations of the combat. At last we hear only the “terror-lay” of Grendel, “lay of the beaten,” and know that Beowulf has made good his promise at the banquet (gilp gelǣsted).769.cēnra gehwylcum. The indefinite pronouns (§77) may be used as adjectives, agreeing in case with their nouns; but they frequently, as here, take a partitive genitive:ānra gehwylcum,to each one(=to each of ones);ǣnige(instrumental)þinga,for any thing(=for any of things);on healfa gehwone,into halves(=into each of halves);ealra dōgra gehwām,every day(=on each of all days);ūhtna gehwylce,every morning(=on each of mornings).780.Notice thathit, the object oftōbrecan, stands forwīn-sęle, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.Mannais genitive aftergemete, not afterǣnig.787-89.gryre-lēoð ... hæfton[=hæftan]. Note that verbs of hearing and seeing, as in Mn.E., may be followed by the infinitive. They heardGod’s adversary sing(galan) ...hell’s captive bewail(wānigean). Had the present participle been used, the effect would have been, as in Mn.E., to emphasize the agent (the subject of the infinitive) rather than the action (the infinitive itself).795-96.þǣr ... lāfe. Beowulf’s followers now seem to have seized their swords and come to his aid, not knowing that Grendel, having forsworn war-weapons himself, is proof against the best of swords.Then many an earl of Beowulf’s(=an earl of B. very often)brandished his sword.That no definite earl is meant is shown by the succeedinghīe meahtoninstead ofhē meahte. Seep. 110, Note.799.They did not know this(ðæt),while they were fighting; but the firstHīerefers to the warriors who proffered help; the secondhīe, to the combatants, Beowulf and Grendel. In apposition withðǣt, stands the whole clause,þone synscaðan(object ofgrētan)... nolde. The second, or conjunctional,ðætis here omitted beforeþone. Seep. 112, note on ll. 18-19.837.grāpe= genitive singular, feminine, aftereal.

740.þæt, the direct object ofyldan, refers to the contest about to ensue. Beowulf, in the preceding lines, was wondering how it would result.

746.ætstōp. The subject of this verb and ofnamis Grendel; the subject of the three succeeding verbs (rǣhte,onfēng,gesæt) is Beowulf.

751-52.The O.E. poets are fond of securing emphasis or of stimulating interest by indirect methods of statement, by suggesting more than they affirm. This device often appears in their use of negatives (ne,l. 13;p. 140, l. 3;nō,p. 140, l. 1), and in the unexpected prominence that they give to some minor detail usually suppressed because understood; as where the narrator, wishing to describe the terror produced by Grendel’s midnight visits to Heorot, says (ll. 138-139), “Then was it easy to find one who elsewhere, more commodiously, sought rest for himself.” It is hard to believe that the poet saw nothing humorous in this point of view.

755.nō ... meahte,none the sooner could he away. The omission of a verb of motion after the auxiliariesmagan, mōtan, sculan, andwillanis very frequent.Cf.Beowulf’s last utterance,p. 147, l. 17.

768.The lines that immediately follow constitute a fine bit of description by indication of effects. The two contestants are withdrawn from our sight; but we hear the sound of the fray crashing through the massive old hall, which trembles as in a blast; we see the terror depicted on the faces of the Danes as they listen to the strange sounds that issue from their former banqueting hall; by these sounds we, too, measure the progress and alternations of the combat. At last we hear only the “terror-lay” of Grendel, “lay of the beaten,” and know that Beowulf has made good his promise at the banquet (gilp gelǣsted).

769.cēnra gehwylcum. The indefinite pronouns (§77) may be used as adjectives, agreeing in case with their nouns; but they frequently, as here, take a partitive genitive:ānra gehwylcum,to each one(=to each of ones);ǣnige(instrumental)þinga,for any thing(=for any of things);on healfa gehwone,into halves(=into each of halves);ealra dōgra gehwām,every day(=on each of all days);ūhtna gehwylce,every morning(=on each of mornings).

780.Notice thathit, the object oftōbrecan, stands forwīn-sęle, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.Mannais genitive aftergemete, not afterǣnig.

787-89.gryre-lēoð ... hæfton[=hæftan]. Note that verbs of hearing and seeing, as in Mn.E., may be followed by the infinitive. They heardGod’s adversary sing(galan) ...hell’s captive bewail(wānigean). Had the present participle been used, the effect would have been, as in Mn.E., to emphasize the agent (the subject of the infinitive) rather than the action (the infinitive itself).

795-96.þǣr ... lāfe. Beowulf’s followers now seem to have seized their swords and come to his aid, not knowing that Grendel, having forsworn war-weapons himself, is proof against the best of swords.Then many an earl of Beowulf’s(=an earl of B. very often)brandished his sword.That no definite earl is meant is shown by the succeedinghīe meahtoninstead ofhē meahte. Seep. 110, Note.

799.They did not know this(ðæt),while they were fighting; but the firstHīerefers to the warriors who proffered help; the secondhīe, to the combatants, Beowulf and Grendel. In apposition withðǣt, stands the whole clause,þone synscaðan(object ofgrētan)... nolde. The second, or conjunctional,ðætis here omitted beforeþone. Seep. 112, note on ll. 18-19.

837.grāpe= genitive singular, feminine, aftereal.

1= ealdor-.2= Heorote.3= hæftan.4= ealdor-.5= weorðan.6= mōdiga.7= āglǣca.8= -hliðu.9= ealdres.

1= ealdor-.

2= Heorote.

3= hæftan.

4= ealdor-.

5= weorðan.

6= mōdiga.

7= āglǣca.

8= -hliðu.

9= ealdres.

[Hrothgar, in his gratitude for the great victory, lavishes gifts upon Beowulf; but Grendel’s mother must be reckoned with. Beowulf finds her at the sea-bottom, and after a desperate struggle slays her. Hrothgar again pours treasures into Beowulf’s lap. Beowulf, having now accomplished his mission, returns to Sweden. After a reign of fifty years, he goes forth to meet a fire-spewing dragon that is ravaging his kingdom. In the struggle Beowulf is fatally wounded. Wiglaf, a loyal thane, is with him.]

Þā sīo1wund ongǫn,þe him se eorð-draca ǣr geworhte,swēlan ǫnd swellan. Hē þǣt sōna onfand,2715þǣt him on brēostum bealo-nīð wēollāttor on innan. Þāse æðelinggīong,2þæt hē bī wealle, wīs-hycgende,gesæt on sesse; seah onęnta geweorc,hū þā stān-bogan stapulum fæste2720ēce eorð-ręced innanhealde.Hyne þā mid handa heoro-drēorigne,þēoden mǣrne,þegn ungemete till,wine-dryhten his wætere gelafede,hilde-sædne, ǫnd his helm onspēon.2725Bīowulf3maðelode;hē ofer bęnne spræc,wunde wæl-blēate; wisse hē gearwe,þæt hē dæg-hwīla gedrogen hæfdeeorðan wynne; þā wæs eall sceacendōgor-gerīmes, dēað ungemete nēah:2730“Nū ic suna mīnum syllan woldegūð-gewǣdu,þǣr mēgifeðe swāǣnig yrfe-weard æfter wurdelīcegelęnge. Ic ðās lēode hēoldfīftig wintra; næs se folc-cyning2735ymbe-sittendra ænig þāra,þe mec gūð-winum grētan dorste,ęgesan ðēon. Ic on earde bādmǣl-gesceafta, hēold mīn tela,nē sōhte searo-nīðas, nē mē swōr fela2740āða on unriht. Ic ðæs ealles mæg,feorh-bęnnum sēoc, gefēan habban;for-þām mē wītan ne ðearf Waldend4fīramorðor-bealo5māga, þonne mīn sceaceðlīf of līce. Nū ðū lungregeong62745hord scēawianunder hārne stān,Wīglāf lēofa, nū se wyrm ligeð,swefeð sāre wund, since berēafod.Bīo7nū on ofoste, þæt ic ǣr-welan,gold-ǣht ongite, gearo scēawige2750swegle searo-gimmas, þæt ic ðȳ sēft mægeæfter māððum-welanmīn ālǣtanlīfǫnd lēod-scipe, þone ic lǫnge hēold.”

Þā sīo1wund ongǫn,

þe him se eorð-draca ǣr geworhte,

swēlan ǫnd swellan. Hē þǣt sōna onfand,

2715þǣt him on brēostum bealo-nīð wēoll

āttor on innan. Þāse æðelinggīong,2

þæt hē bī wealle, wīs-hycgende,

gesæt on sesse; seah onęnta geweorc,

hū þā stān-bogan stapulum fæste

2720ēce eorð-ręced innanhealde.

Hyne þā mid handa heoro-drēorigne,

þēoden mǣrne,þegn ungemete till,

wine-dryhten his wætere gelafede,

hilde-sædne, ǫnd his helm onspēon.

2725Bīowulf3maðelode;hē ofer bęnne spræc,

wunde wæl-blēate; wisse hē gearwe,

þæt hē dæg-hwīla gedrogen hæfde

eorðan wynne; þā wæs eall sceacen

dōgor-gerīmes, dēað ungemete nēah:

2730“Nū ic suna mīnum syllan wolde

gūð-gewǣdu,þǣr mēgifeðe swā

ǣnig yrfe-weard æfter wurde

līcegelęnge. Ic ðās lēode hēold

fīftig wintra; næs se folc-cyning

2735ymbe-sittendra ænig þāra,

þe mec gūð-winum grētan dorste,

ęgesan ðēon. Ic on earde bād

mǣl-gesceafta, hēold mīn tela,

nē sōhte searo-nīðas, nē mē swōr fela

2740āða on unriht. Ic ðæs ealles mæg,

feorh-bęnnum sēoc, gefēan habban;

for-þām mē wītan ne ðearf Waldend4fīra

morðor-bealo5māga, þonne mīn sceaceð

līf of līce. Nū ðū lungregeong6

2745hord scēawianunder hārne stān,

Wīglāf lēofa, nū se wyrm ligeð,

swefeð sāre wund, since berēafod.

Bīo7nū on ofoste, þæt ic ǣr-welan,

gold-ǣht ongite, gearo scēawige

2750swegle searo-gimmas, þæt ic ðȳ sēft mæge

æfter māððum-welanmīn ālǣtan

līfǫnd lēod-scipe, þone ic lǫnge hēold.”

2716.se æðelingis Beowulf.2718.ęnta geweorcis a stereotyped phrase for anything that occasions wonder by its size or strangeness.2720.healde. Heyne, following Ettmüller, readshēoldon, thus arbitrarily changing mood, tense, and number of the original. Either mood, indicative or subjunctive, would be legitimate. As to the tense, the narrator is identifying himself in time with the hero, whose wonder was “how the stone-arches ...sustainthe ever-during earth-hall”: the construction is a form oforatio recta, a sort ofmiratio recta. The singularhealde, instead ofhealden, has many parallels in the dependent clauses ofBeowulf, most of these being relative clauses introduced byþāra þe(=of those that ...+ a singular predicate). In the present instance, the predicate has doubtless been influenced by the proximity ofeorð-ręced, aquasi-subject; and we have no more right to alter tohealdenorhēoldonthan we have to change Shakespeare’sgivestogivein“Words to the heat of deeds too cold breathgives.”(Macbeth, II,I, 61.)2722.Theþegn ungemete tillis Wiglaf, the bravest of Beowulf’s retainers.2725.hē ofer bęnne spræc. The editors and translators ofBeowulfinvariably renderoferin this passage byabout; but Beowulf says not a word about his wound. The context seems to me to show plainly thatofer(cf. Latinsupra) denotes here opposition =in spite of. We read inGenesis, l. 594, that Eve took the forbidden fruitofer Drihtenes word. Beowulf fears (l. 2331) that he may have ruled unjustly =ofer ealde riht; and he goes forth (l. 2409)ofer willanto confront the dragon.2731-33.þǣr mē ... gelęnge,if so be that(þǣr ... swā)any heir had afterwards been given me(mē gifeðe ... æfter wurde)belonging to my body.2744-45.geong[=gǫng]... scēawian. See note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20. In Mn.E.Go see, Go fetch, etc., is the second verb imperative (coördinate with the first), or subjunctive (that you may see), or infinitive withoutto?2751-52.mīn ... līf. See note onęnde-dæg ... mīnne,p. 137, ll. 16-17.

2716.se æðelingis Beowulf.

2718.ęnta geweorcis a stereotyped phrase for anything that occasions wonder by its size or strangeness.

2720.healde. Heyne, following Ettmüller, readshēoldon, thus arbitrarily changing mood, tense, and number of the original. Either mood, indicative or subjunctive, would be legitimate. As to the tense, the narrator is identifying himself in time with the hero, whose wonder was “how the stone-arches ...sustainthe ever-during earth-hall”: the construction is a form oforatio recta, a sort ofmiratio recta. The singularhealde, instead ofhealden, has many parallels in the dependent clauses ofBeowulf, most of these being relative clauses introduced byþāra þe(=of those that ...+ a singular predicate). In the present instance, the predicate has doubtless been influenced by the proximity ofeorð-ręced, aquasi-subject; and we have no more right to alter tohealdenorhēoldonthan we have to change Shakespeare’sgivestogivein

“Words to the heat of deeds too cold breathgives.”

(Macbeth, II,I, 61.)

2722.Theþegn ungemete tillis Wiglaf, the bravest of Beowulf’s retainers.

2725.hē ofer bęnne spræc. The editors and translators ofBeowulfinvariably renderoferin this passage byabout; but Beowulf says not a word about his wound. The context seems to me to show plainly thatofer(cf. Latinsupra) denotes here opposition =in spite of. We read inGenesis, l. 594, that Eve took the forbidden fruitofer Drihtenes word. Beowulf fears (l. 2331) that he may have ruled unjustly =ofer ealde riht; and he goes forth (l. 2409)ofer willanto confront the dragon.

2731-33.þǣr mē ... gelęnge,if so be that(þǣr ... swā)any heir had afterwards been given me(mē gifeðe ... æfter wurde)belonging to my body.

2744-45.geong[=gǫng]... scēawian. See note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20. In Mn.E.Go see, Go fetch, etc., is the second verb imperative (coördinate with the first), or subjunctive (that you may see), or infinitive withoutto?

2751-52.mīn ... līf. See note onęnde-dæg ... mīnne,p. 137, ll. 16-17.

1= sēo.2= gēong.3= Bēowulf.4= Wealdend.5= morðor-bealu.6= gǫng (gang).7= Bēo.

1= sēo.

2= gēong.

3= Bēowulf.

4= Wealdend.

5= morðor-bealu.

6= gǫng (gang).

7= Bēo.

[Wiglaf brings the jewels, the tokens of Beowulf’s triumph. Beowulf, rejoicing to see them, reviews his career, and gives advice and final directions to Wiglaf.]

Bīowulf1maðelode,gǫmel on giohðe (gold scēawode):2795“Ic þāra frætwa Frēan eallesðanc,Wuldur-cyninge, wordumsęcgeęcum Dryhtne, þe ic hēr on starie,þæs þe ic mōste mīnum lēodumǣr swylt-dæge swylc gestrȳnan.2800Nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohtefrōde feorh-lęge,fręmmað gēnūlēoda þearfe; ne mæg ic hēr lęng wesan.Hātað heaðo-mǣre hlǣw gewyrcean,beorhtne æfter bǣle æt brimes nosan;2805sē scel2tō gemyndum mīnum lēodumhēah hlīfianon Hrǫnes næsse,þæthitsǣ-līðend syððan hātan3Bīowulfes1biorh1þā þe brentingasofer flōda genipu feorran drīfað.”2810Dydehimof healse hring gyldenneþīoden1þrīst-hȳdig; þegne gesealde,geongum gār-wigan, gold-fāhne helm,bēah ǫnd byrnan, hēt hyne brūcan well.“Þū eart ęnde-lāf ūsses cynnes,2815Wǣgmundinga; ealle wyrd forswēopmīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,eorlas on ęlne;ic him æfter sceal.”Þæt wæs þām gǫmelan gingeste wordbrēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,2820hāte heaðo-wylmas;him of hreðregewātsāwolsēceansōð-fæstra dōm.

Bīowulf1maðelode,

gǫmel on giohðe (gold scēawode):

2795“Ic þāra frætwa Frēan eallesðanc,

Wuldur-cyninge, wordumsęcge

ęcum Dryhtne, þe ic hēr on starie,

þæs þe ic mōste mīnum lēodum

ǣr swylt-dæge swylc gestrȳnan.

2800Nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohte

frōde feorh-lęge,fręmmað gēnū

lēoda þearfe; ne mæg ic hēr lęng wesan.

Hātað heaðo-mǣre hlǣw gewyrcean,

beorhtne æfter bǣle æt brimes nosan;

2805sē scel2tō gemyndum mīnum lēodum

hēah hlīfianon Hrǫnes næsse,

þæthitsǣ-līðend syððan hātan3

Bīowulfes1biorh1þā þe brentingas

ofer flōda genipu feorran drīfað.”

2810Dydehimof healse hring gyldenne

þīoden1þrīst-hȳdig; þegne gesealde,

geongum gār-wigan, gold-fāhne helm,

bēah ǫnd byrnan, hēt hyne brūcan well.

“Þū eart ęnde-lāf ūsses cynnes,

2815Wǣgmundinga; ealle wyrd forswēop

mīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,

eorlas on ęlne;ic him æfter sceal.”

Þæt wæs þām gǫmelan gingeste word

brēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,

2820hāte heaðo-wylmas;him of hreðregewāt

sāwolsēceansōð-fæstra dōm.

2795-99.The expressionsęcgan þanctakes the same construction asþancian; i.e., the dative of the person (Frēan) and the genitive (a genitive of cause) of the thing (þāra frætwa). Cf. note onbiddan,p. 45. The antecedent ofþeisfrætwa. For the position ofon, see§94, (5). The clause introduced byþæs þe(because) is parallel in construction withfrætwa, both being causal modifiers ofsęcge þanc. The Christian coloring in these lines betrays the influence of priestly transcribers.2800.Now that I, in exchange for(on)a hoard of treasures, have bartered(bebohte)the laying down(-lęge>licgan)of my old life.The ethical codes of the early Germanic races make frequent mention of blood-payments, or life-barters. There seems to be here a suggestion of the “wergild.”2801.fręmmað gē. The plural imperative (as also inHātað) shows that Beowulf is here speaking not so much to Wiglaf in particular as, through Wiglaf, to his retainers in general,—to hiscomitatus.2806.The desire for conspicuous burial places finds frequent expression in early literatures. The tomb of Achilles was situated “high on a jutting headland over wide Hellespont that it might be seen from off the sea.” Elpenor asks Ulysses to bury him in the same way. Æneas places the ashes of Misenus beneath a high mound on a headland of the sea.2807.hit = hlǣw, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.2810-11.him ... þīoden. The reference in both cases is to Beowulf, who is disarming himself (do-of>doff) for the last time;þegne=to Wiglaf.Note, where the personal element is strong, the use of the dative instead of the more colorless possessive;him of healse, notof his healse.2817.ic ... sceal. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140, l. 1.2820.him of hreðre. Cf. note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147, ll. 10-11.2820-21.For construction ofgewāt ... sēcean, see note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20.

2800.Now that I, in exchange for(on)a hoard of treasures, have bartered(bebohte)the laying down(-lęge>licgan)of my old life.The ethical codes of the early Germanic races make frequent mention of blood-payments, or life-barters. There seems to be here a suggestion of the “wergild.”

2801.fręmmað gē. The plural imperative (as also inHātað) shows that Beowulf is here speaking not so much to Wiglaf in particular as, through Wiglaf, to his retainers in general,—to hiscomitatus.

2806.The desire for conspicuous burial places finds frequent expression in early literatures. The tomb of Achilles was situated “high on a jutting headland over wide Hellespont that it might be seen from off the sea.” Elpenor asks Ulysses to bury him in the same way. Æneas places the ashes of Misenus beneath a high mound on a headland of the sea.

2807.hit = hlǣw, which is masculine. Seep. 39, Note 2.

2810-11.him ... þīoden. The reference in both cases is to Beowulf, who is disarming himself (do-of>doff) for the last time;þegne=to Wiglaf.

Note, where the personal element is strong, the use of the dative instead of the more colorless possessive;him of healse, notof his healse.

2817.ic ... sceal. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140, l. 1.

2820.him of hreðre. Cf. note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147, ll. 10-11.

2820-21.For construction ofgewāt ... sēcean, see note onēode ... sittan,p. 137, ll. 19-20.

1= īo, io = ēo, eo.2= sceal.3= hāten.

1= īo, io = ēo, eo.

2= sceal.

3= hāten.

[Exeter MS. “The epic character of the ancient lyric appears especially in this: that the song is less the utterance of a momentary feeling than the portrayal of a lasting state, perhaps the reflection of an entire life, generally that of one isolated, or bereft by death or exile of protectors and friends.” (Ten Brink,Early Eng. Lit., I.) I adopt Brooke’s threefold division (Early Eng. Lit., p. 356): “It opens with a Christian prologue, and closes with a Christian epilogue, but the whole body of the poem was written, it seems to me, by a person who thought more of the goddess Wyrd than of God, whose life and way of thinking were uninfluenced by any distinctive Christian doctrine.”

The author is unknown.]

Oft him ānhaga āre gebīdeð,Metudes1miltse, þēah þe hē mōdceariggeond lagulāde lǫnge sceoldehrēran mid hǫndum hrīmcealde sǣ,5wadan wræclǣstas: wyrd bið ful ārǣd!Swā cwæð eardstapa earfeþa2gemyndig,wrāþra wælsleahta, winemǣgahryres:

Oft him ānhaga āre gebīdeð,

Metudes1miltse, þēah þe hē mōdcearig

geond lagulāde lǫnge sceolde

hrēran mid hǫndum hrīmcealde sǣ,

5wadan wræclǣstas: wyrd bið ful ārǣd!

Swā cwæð eardstapa earfeþa2gemyndig,

wrāþra wælsleahta, winemǣgahryres:

“Oft ic sceolde ānaūhtna gehwylcemīne ceare cwīþan; nis nū cwicra nān,10þe ic himmōdsefan mīnne durresweotule3āsęcgan. Ic tō sōþe wātþæt biþ in eorle indryhten þēaw,þæt hē his ferðlocan fæste binde,healde his hordcofan, hycge swā hē wille;15ne mæg wērig mōd wyrde wiðstǫndannē sē hrēo hyge helpe gefręmman:for ðon dōmgeorne drēorigne oftin hyra brēostcofan bindað fæste.Swā ic mōdsefan mīnne sceolde20oft earmcearig ēðle bidǣled,frēomǣgum feor feterum sǣlan,siþþan gēara iū goldwine mīnnehrūsan heolster biwrāh, and ic hēan þǫnanwōd wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,25sōhte sęle drēorig sinces bryttan,hwǣr ic feor oþþe nēah findan meahteþone þe in meoduhealle4miltsewisseoþþe mec frēondlēasne frēfran wolde,węnian mid wynnum. Wāt sē þe cunnað30hū slīþen bið sorg tō gefēranþām þe him lȳt hafað lēofra geholena:warað hine wræclāst, nāles wunden gold,ferðloca frēorig, nālæs foldan blǣd;gemǫn hē sęlesęcgas and sincþęge,35hū hine on geoguðe his goldwinewęnede tō wiste: wyn eal gedrēas!For þonwātsē þe sceal his winedryhtneslēofes lārcwidum lǫnge forþolian,ðonne sorg and slǣp sǫmod ætgædre40earmne ānhagan oft gebindað:þinceð him on mōdeþæt hē his mǫndryhtenclyppe and cysse, and on cnēo lęcgehǫnda and hēafod, swā hē hwīlum ǣrin gēardagum giefstōles brēac;45ðonne onwæcneð eft winelēas guma,gesihð him biforan fealwe wǣgas,baþian brimfuglas, brǣdan feþra,hrēosan hrīm and snāw hagle gemęnged.Þonne bēoð þȳ hęfigran heortan bęnne,50sāre æfter swǣsne; sorg bið genīwad;þonne māga gemynd mōd geondhweorfeð,grēteð glīwstafum, georne geondscēawað.Sęcgageseldan swimmað eft on weg;flēotendra ferð5nō þǣr fela bringeð55cūðracwidegiedda; cearo6bið genīwadþām þe sęndan sceal swīþe geneahheofer waþema gebind wērigne sefan.For þon ic geþęncan ne mæg geond þās woruldfor hwan mōdsefa mīn ne gesweorce,60þonne ic eorla līf eal geondþęnce,hū hī fǣrlīce flęt ofgēafon,mōdge maguþegnas. Swā þēs middangeardealra dōgra gehwām drēoseð and fealleþ;for þon ne mæg weorþan wīs wer, ǣr hē āge65wintra dǣl in woruldrīce.Wita sceal geþyldig,ne sceal nō tō hātheort nē tō hrædwyrde,nē tō wāc wiga nē tō wanhȳdig,nē tō forht nē tō fægen nē tō feohgīfre,nē nǣfre gielpes tō georn, ǣr hē geare cunne.70Beorn sceal gebīdan, þonne hē bēot spriceð,oþ þæt collenferð cunne gearwehwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille.Ongietan sceal glēaw hæle hū gǣstlīc bið,þonne eall þisse worulde wela wēste stǫndeð,75swā nūmissenlīce geond þisne middangeardwinde biwāune7weallas stǫndaþ,hrīme bihrorene,8hryðge þā ederas.Wōriað þā wīnsalo,9waldend licgaðdrēame bidrorene10; duguð eal gecrǫng80wlǫnc bī wealle: sume wīg fornōm,fęrede in forðwege; sumne fugel11oþbærofer hēanne holm; sumne sē hāra wulfdēaðe gedǣlde; sumne drēorighlēorin eorðscræfe eorl gehȳdde:85ȳþde swā þisne eardgeard ælda Scyppend,oþ þæt burgwara breahtma lēaseeald ęnta geweorc īdlu stōdon.Sē þonne þisne wealsteal wīse geþōhte,and þis deorce līf dēope geondþęnceð,90frōd in ferðe12feor oft gemǫnwælsleahta worn, and þās word ācwið:‘Hwǣr cwōm mearg? hwǣr cwōm mago13? hwǣr cwōm māþþumgyfa?hwǣrcwōm symbla gesetu? hwǣr sindon sęledrēamas?Ēalā beorht bune! ēalā byrnwiga!95ēalā þēodnes þrym! hū sēo þrāg gewāt,genāp under nihthelm, swā hēo nō wǣre!Stǫndeð nū on lāste lēofre duguþeweal wundrum hēah, wyrmlīcum fāh:eorlas fornōmon asca þrȳþe,100wǣpen wælgīfru, wyrd sēo mǣre;and þās stānhleoþu14stormas cnyssað;hrīð hrēosende hrūsan bindeð,wintres wōma, þonne wǫn cymeð,nīpeð nihtscūa, norþan onsęndeð105hrēo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.Eall is earfoðlīc eorþan rīce,onwęndeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum:hēr bið feoh lǣne, hēr bið frēond lǣne,hēr bið mǫn lǣne, hēr bið mǣg lǣne;110eal þis eorþan gesteal īdel weorþeð!’”Epilogue.Swā cwæð snottor on mōde,gesæt him sundor æt rune.Til biþ sē þe his trēowe gehealdeð; ne sceal nǣfre his torn tō rycenebeorn of his brēostum ācȳþan, nemþe hē ǣr þā bōte cunne;eorl mid ęlne gefręmman. Wel bið þām þe him āre sēceð,115frōfre tō Fæder on heofonum, þǣr ūs eal sēo fæstnung stǫndeð.

“Oft ic sceolde ānaūhtna gehwylce

mīne ceare cwīþan; nis nū cwicra nān,

10þe ic himmōdsefan mīnne durre

sweotule3āsęcgan. Ic tō sōþe wāt

þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þēaw,

þæt hē his ferðlocan fæste binde,

healde his hordcofan, hycge swā hē wille;

15ne mæg wērig mōd wyrde wiðstǫndan

nē sē hrēo hyge helpe gefręmman:

for ðon dōmgeorne drēorigne oft

in hyra brēostcofan bindað fæste.

Swā ic mōdsefan mīnne sceolde

20oft earmcearig ēðle bidǣled,

frēomǣgum feor feterum sǣlan,

siþþan gēara iū goldwine mīnne

hrūsan heolster biwrāh, and ic hēan þǫnan

wōd wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,

25sōhte sęle drēorig sinces bryttan,

hwǣr ic feor oþþe nēah findan meahte

þone þe in meoduhealle4miltsewisse

oþþe mec frēondlēasne frēfran wolde,

węnian mid wynnum. Wāt sē þe cunnað

30hū slīþen bið sorg tō gefēran

þām þe him lȳt hafað lēofra geholena:

warað hine wræclāst, nāles wunden gold,

ferðloca frēorig, nālæs foldan blǣd;

gemǫn hē sęlesęcgas and sincþęge,

35hū hine on geoguðe his goldwine

węnede tō wiste: wyn eal gedrēas!

For þonwātsē þe sceal his winedryhtnes

lēofes lārcwidum lǫnge forþolian,

ðonne sorg and slǣp sǫmod ætgædre

40earmne ānhagan oft gebindað:

þinceð him on mōdeþæt hē his mǫndryhten

clyppe and cysse, and on cnēo lęcge

hǫnda and hēafod, swā hē hwīlum ǣr

in gēardagum giefstōles brēac;

45ðonne onwæcneð eft winelēas guma,

gesihð him biforan fealwe wǣgas,

baþian brimfuglas, brǣdan feþra,

hrēosan hrīm and snāw hagle gemęnged.

Þonne bēoð þȳ hęfigran heortan bęnne,

50sāre æfter swǣsne; sorg bið genīwad;

þonne māga gemynd mōd geondhweorfeð,

grēteð glīwstafum, georne geondscēawað.

Sęcgageseldan swimmað eft on weg;

flēotendra ferð5nō þǣr fela bringeð

55cūðracwidegiedda; cearo6bið genīwad

þām þe sęndan sceal swīþe geneahhe

ofer waþema gebind wērigne sefan.

For þon ic geþęncan ne mæg geond þās woruld

for hwan mōdsefa mīn ne gesweorce,

60þonne ic eorla līf eal geondþęnce,

hū hī fǣrlīce flęt ofgēafon,

mōdge maguþegnas. Swā þēs middangeard

ealra dōgra gehwām drēoseð and fealleþ;

for þon ne mæg weorþan wīs wer, ǣr hē āge

65wintra dǣl in woruldrīce.Wita sceal geþyldig,

ne sceal nō tō hātheort nē tō hrædwyrde,

nē tō wāc wiga nē tō wanhȳdig,

nē tō forht nē tō fægen nē tō feohgīfre,

nē nǣfre gielpes tō georn, ǣr hē geare cunne.

70Beorn sceal gebīdan, þonne hē bēot spriceð,

oþ þæt collenferð cunne gearwe

hwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille.

Ongietan sceal glēaw hæle hū gǣstlīc bið,

þonne eall þisse worulde wela wēste stǫndeð,

75swā nūmissenlīce geond þisne middangeard

winde biwāune7weallas stǫndaþ,

hrīme bihrorene,8hryðge þā ederas.

Wōriað þā wīnsalo,9waldend licgað

drēame bidrorene10; duguð eal gecrǫng

80wlǫnc bī wealle: sume wīg fornōm,

fęrede in forðwege; sumne fugel11oþbær

ofer hēanne holm; sumne sē hāra wulf

dēaðe gedǣlde; sumne drēorighlēor

in eorðscræfe eorl gehȳdde:

85ȳþde swā þisne eardgeard ælda Scyppend,

oþ þæt burgwara breahtma lēase

eald ęnta geweorc īdlu stōdon.

Sē þonne þisne wealsteal wīse geþōhte,

and þis deorce līf dēope geondþęnceð,

90frōd in ferðe12feor oft gemǫn

wælsleahta worn, and þās word ācwið:

‘Hwǣr cwōm mearg? hwǣr cwōm mago13? hwǣr cwōm māþþumgyfa?

hwǣrcwōm symbla gesetu? hwǣr sindon sęledrēamas?

Ēalā beorht bune! ēalā byrnwiga!

95ēalā þēodnes þrym! hū sēo þrāg gewāt,

genāp under nihthelm, swā hēo nō wǣre!

Stǫndeð nū on lāste lēofre duguþe

weal wundrum hēah, wyrmlīcum fāh:

eorlas fornōmon asca þrȳþe,

100wǣpen wælgīfru, wyrd sēo mǣre;

and þās stānhleoþu14stormas cnyssað;

hrīð hrēosende hrūsan bindeð,

wintres wōma, þonne wǫn cymeð,

nīpeð nihtscūa, norþan onsęndeð

105hrēo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.

Eall is earfoðlīc eorþan rīce,

onwęndeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum:

hēr bið feoh lǣne, hēr bið frēond lǣne,

hēr bið mǫn lǣne, hēr bið mǣg lǣne;

110eal þis eorþan gesteal īdel weorþeð!’”

Swā cwæð snottor on mōde,gesæt him sundor æt rune.

Til biþ sē þe his trēowe gehealdeð; ne sceal nǣfre his torn tō rycene

beorn of his brēostum ācȳþan, nemþe hē ǣr þā bōte cunne;

eorl mid ęlne gefręmman. Wel bið þām þe him āre sēceð,

115frōfre tō Fæder on heofonum, þǣr ūs eal sēo fæstnung stǫndeð.

7.The MS. reading ishryre(nominative), which is meaningless.8.Forūhtna gehwylce, see note oncēnra gehwylcum,p. 140.10.þe ... him. See§75(4). Cf.Merchant of Venice, II,v, 50-51.27.Formine(MS.in), which does not satisfy metrical requirements, I adopt Kluge’s plausible substitution ofmiltse;miltse witan=to show(know, feel),pity. Themyne wisseofBeowulf(l. 169) is metrically admissible.37.The object ofwātisþinceð him on mōde; but the construction is unusual, inasmuch as bothþæt’s(þætpronominal beforewātandþætconjunctional beforeþinceð) are omitted. Seep. 112, ll. 18-19.41.þinceð him on mōde(see note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147). “No more sympathetic picture has been drawn by an Anglo-Saxon poet than where the wanderer in exile falls asleep at his oar and dreams again of his dead lord and the old hall and revelry and joy and gifts,—then wakes to look once more upon the waste of ocean, snow and hail falling all around him, and sea-birds dipping in the spray.” (Gummere,Germanic Origins, p. 221.)53-55.Sęcga ... cwidegiedda=But these comrades of warriors[= those seen in vision]again swim away[=fade away];the ghost of these fleeting ones brings not there many familiar words; i.e. he sees in dream and vision the old familiar faces, but no voice is heard: they bring neither greetings to him nor tidings of themselves.65.Wita sceal geþyldig. Eitherbēon(wesan) is here to be understood aftersceal, orscealalone meansought to be. Neither construction is to be found in Alfredian prose, though the omission of a verb of motion aftersculanis common in all periods of Old English. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140.75.swā nū. “The Old English lyrical feeling,” says Ten Brink, citing the lines that immediately followswā nū, “is fond of the image of physical destruction”; but I do not think these lines have a merely figurative import. The reference is to a period of real devastation, antedating the Danish incursions. “We might fairly find such a time in that parenthesis of bad government and of national tumult which filled the years between the death of Aldfrith in 705 and the renewed peace of Northumbria under Ceolwulf in the years that followed 729.” (Brooke,Early Eng. Lit., p. 355.)93.cwōm ... gesetu. Ettmüller readscwōmon; but seep. 107, note onwæs ... þā īgland. The occurrence ofhwǣr cwōmthree times in the preceding line tends also to holdcwōmin the singular when its plural subject follows. Note the influence of a somewhat similar structural parallelism inseas hidesof these lines (Winter’s Tale, IV,IV, 500-502):“Not for ... all thesun seesorThe closeearth wombsor the profoundseas hidesIn unknown fathoms, will I break my oath.”111.gesæt ... rūne,sat apart to himself in silent meditation.114.eorl ... gefręmman. Supplyscealaftereorl.

7.The MS. reading ishryre(nominative), which is meaningless.

8.Forūhtna gehwylce, see note oncēnra gehwylcum,p. 140.

10.þe ... him. See§75(4). Cf.Merchant of Venice, II,v, 50-51.

27.Formine(MS.in), which does not satisfy metrical requirements, I adopt Kluge’s plausible substitution ofmiltse;miltse witan=to show(know, feel),pity. Themyne wisseofBeowulf(l. 169) is metrically admissible.

37.The object ofwātisþinceð him on mōde; but the construction is unusual, inasmuch as bothþæt’s(þætpronominal beforewātandþætconjunctional beforeþinceð) are omitted. Seep. 112, ll. 18-19.

41.þinceð him on mōde(see note onhim ... þīoden,p. 147). “No more sympathetic picture has been drawn by an Anglo-Saxon poet than where the wanderer in exile falls asleep at his oar and dreams again of his dead lord and the old hall and revelry and joy and gifts,—then wakes to look once more upon the waste of ocean, snow and hail falling all around him, and sea-birds dipping in the spray.” (Gummere,Germanic Origins, p. 221.)

53-55.Sęcga ... cwidegiedda=But these comrades of warriors[= those seen in vision]again swim away[=fade away];the ghost of these fleeting ones brings not there many familiar words; i.e. he sees in dream and vision the old familiar faces, but no voice is heard: they bring neither greetings to him nor tidings of themselves.

65.Wita sceal geþyldig. Eitherbēon(wesan) is here to be understood aftersceal, orscealalone meansought to be. Neither construction is to be found in Alfredian prose, though the omission of a verb of motion aftersculanis common in all periods of Old English. See note onnō ... meahte,p. 140.

75.swā nū. “The Old English lyrical feeling,” says Ten Brink, citing the lines that immediately followswā nū, “is fond of the image of physical destruction”; but I do not think these lines have a merely figurative import. The reference is to a period of real devastation, antedating the Danish incursions. “We might fairly find such a time in that parenthesis of bad government and of national tumult which filled the years between the death of Aldfrith in 705 and the renewed peace of Northumbria under Ceolwulf in the years that followed 729.” (Brooke,Early Eng. Lit., p. 355.)

93.cwōm ... gesetu. Ettmüller readscwōmon; but seep. 107, note onwæs ... þā īgland. The occurrence ofhwǣr cwōmthree times in the preceding line tends also to holdcwōmin the singular when its plural subject follows. Note the influence of a somewhat similar structural parallelism inseas hidesof these lines (Winter’s Tale, IV,IV, 500-502):

“Not for ... all thesun seesorThe closeearth wombsor the profoundseas hidesIn unknown fathoms, will I break my oath.”

“Not for ... all thesun seesor

The closeearth wombsor the profoundseas hides

In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath.”

111.gesæt ... rūne,sat apart to himself in silent meditation.

114.eorl ... gefręmman. Supplyscealaftereorl.

1= Metodes.2= earfoþa.3= sweotole.4= medu-.5= ferhð.6= cearu.7= See bewāwan.8= See behrēosan.9= wīnsalu.10= See bedrēosan.11= fugol.12= ferhðe.13= magu.14= -hliðu.

1= Metodes.

2= earfoþa.

3= sweotole.

4= medu-.

5= ferhð.

6= cearu.

7= See bewāwan.

8= See behrēosan.

9= wīnsalu.

10= See bedrēosan.

11= fugol.

12= ferhðe.

13= magu.

14= -hliðu.

----

[The order of words is strictly alphabetical, except thatðfollowst. The combinationæfollowsad.

Gender is indicated by the abbreviations, m. (= masculine), f. (= feminine), n. (= neuter). The usual abbreviations are employed for the cases, nom., gen., dat., acc., and instr. Other abbreviations are sing. (= singular), pl. (= plural), ind. (= indicative mood), sub. (= subjunctive mood), pres. (= present tense), pret. (= preterit tense), prep. (= preposition), adj. (= adjective), adv. (= adverb), part. (= participle), conj. (= conjunction), pron. (= pronoun), intrans. (= intransitive), trans. (= transitive).

Figures not preceded by § refer to page and line of the texts.

ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPRSTÐUWY

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