Beowulf 5At the shrines of their idols often they promised
18
Literature · Poetry
Beowulf 5
At the shrines of their idols often they promised
HallEnglish
Gifts and offerings, earnestly prayed they
The devil from hell would help them to lighten
Their people's oppression. Such practice they used then,
Hope of the heathen; hell they remembered
65 In innermost spirit, God they knew not,
{The true God they do not know.}
Judge of their actions, All-wielding Ruler,
No praise could they give the Guardian of Heaven,
The Wielder of Glory. Woe will be his who
Through furious hatred his spirit shall drive to
70 The clutch of the fire, no comfort shall look for,
Wax no wiser; well for the man who,
Living his life-days, his Lord may face
And find defence in his Father's embrace!
The translation is based on 'weras,' adopted by H.-So.--K. and Th.
read 'wera' and, arranging differently, render 119(2)-120: _They knew
not sorrow, the wretchedness of man, aught of misfortune_.--For
'unhælo' (120) R. suggests 'unfælo': _The uncanny creature, greedy and
cruel, etc_.
S. rearranges and translates: _So he ruled and struggled unjustly,
one against all, till the noblest of buildings stood useless (it was a
long while) twelve years' time: the friend of the Scyldings suffered
distress, every woe, great sorrows, etc_.
For 'syððan,' B. suggests 'sárcwidum': _Hence in mournful words it
became well known, etc_. Various other words beginning with 's' have
been conjectured.
The H.-So. glossary is very inconsistent in referring to this
passage.--'Sibbe' (154), which H.-So. regards as an instr., B. takes
as accus., obj. of 'wolde.' Putting a comma after Deniga, he renders:
_He did not desire peace with any of the Danes, nor did he wish to
remove their life-woe, nor to settle for money_.
Of this difficult passage the following interpretations among
others are given: (1) Though Grendel has frequented Heorot as a demon,
he could not become ruler of the Danes, on account of his hostility to
God. (2) Hrothgar was much grieved that Grendel had not appeared
before his throne to receive presents. (3) He was not permitted to
devastate the hall, on account of the Creator; i.e. God wished to
make his visit fatal to him.--Ne ... wisse (169) W. renders: _Nor had
he any desire to do so_; 'his' being obj. gen. = danach.
IV.
BEOWULF GOES TO HROTHGAR'S ASSISTANCE.
{Hrothgar sees no way of escape from the persecutions of Grendel.}
So Healfdene's kinsman constantly mused on
His long-lasting sorrow; the battle-thane clever
Was not anywise able evils to 'scape from:
Too crushing the sorrow that came to the people,
5 Loathsome and lasting the life-grinding torture,
{Beowulf, the Geat, hero of the poem, hears of Hrothgar's sorrow, and
resolves to go to his assistance.}
Greatest of night-woes. So Higelac's liegeman,
Good amid Geatmen, of Grendel's achievements
Heard in his home: of heroes then living
He was stoutest and strongest, sturdy and noble.
10 He bade them prepare him a bark that was trusty;
He said he the war-king would seek o'er the ocean,
The folk-leader noble, since he needed retainers.
For the perilous project prudent companions
Chided him little, though loving him dearly;
15 They egged the brave atheling, augured him glory.
{With fourteen carefully chosen companions, he sets out for Dane-land.}
The excellent knight from the folk of the Geatmen
Had liegemen selected, likest to prove them
Trustworthy warriors; with fourteen companions
The vessel he looked for; a liegeman then showed them,
20 A sea-crafty man, the bounds of the country.
Fast the days fleeted; the float was a-water,
The craft by the cliff. Clomb to the prow then
Well-equipped warriors: the wave-currents twisted
The sea on the sand; soldiers then carried
25 On the breast of the vessel bright-shining jewels,
Handsome war-armor; heroes outshoved then,
Warmen the wood-ship, on its wished-for adventure.
{The vessel sails like a bird}
The foamy-necked floater fanned by the breeze,
Likest a bird, glided the waters,
{In twenty four hours they reach the shores of Hrothgar's dominions}
