Then[1] the warrior was ware of that wolf-of-the-deep,
mere-wife monstrous. For mighty stroke
1520he swung his blade, and the blow withheld not.
Then sang on her head that seemly blade
its war-song wild. But the warrior found
the light-of-battle[2] was loath to bite,
to harm the heart: its hard edge failed
1525the noble at need, yet had known of old
strife hand to hand, and had helmets cloven,
doomed men’s fighting-gear. First time, this,
for the gleaming blade that its glory fell.
Firm still stood, nor failed in valor,
1530heedful of high deeds, Hygelac’s kinsman;
flung away fretted sword, featly jewelled,
the angry earl; on earth it lay
steel-edged and stiff. His strength he trusted,
hand-gripe of might. So man shall do
1535whenever in war he weens to earn him
lasting fame, nor fears for his life!
Seized then by shoulder,[3] shrank not from combat,
the Geatish war-prince Grendel’s mother.
- ↑ Discrepancies here vex the higher critic; but they are simply somewhat exaggerated traits of structure and style. The course of the action is not “hopelessly confused.” Beowulf, overwhelmed by the first onset of Grendel’s mother, is dragged to her lair, and on the way is beset by monsters of every kind. Managing to extricate himself from the coil, he finds he is in a great arched hall, free of the water, and has only the mother of Grendel before him. He takes good heed of her and prepares his attack.
- ↑ Kenning for “sword.” Hrunting is bewitched, laid under a spell of uselessness, along with all other swords. See note above to v. 1455.
- ↑ Changed by many editions to “hair.” The two sentences here with “then” in each show well the dissected style of our old epic verse.
