The Oldest English Epic/Chapter 1/Beowulf 07

by Unknown

VII

Hrothgar spake, the Scyldings’-helmet:—
“For fight defensive. Friend my Beowulf,
to succor and save, thou hast sought us here.
Thy father’s combat^[1] a feud enkindled
460when Heatholaf with hand he slew
among the Wylfings; his Weder kin
for horror of fighting feared to hold him.
Fleeing, he sought our South-Dane folk,
over surge of ocean the Honor-Scyldings,
465when first I was ruling the folk^[2] of Danes,
wielded, youthful, this widespread realm,
this hoard-hold of heroes. Heorogar was dead,
my elder brother, had breathed his last,
Healfdene’s bairn: he was better than I!
470Straightway the feud with fee^[3] I settled,
to the Wylfings sent, o’er watery ridges,
treasures olden: oaths he^[4] swore me.
⁠Sore is my soul to say to any
of the race of man what ruth for me
475in Heorot Grendel with hate hath wrought,
what sudden harryings. Hall-folk fail me,
my warriors wane; for Wyrd hath swept them
into Grendel’s grasp. But God is able
this deadly foe from his deeds to turn!
480Boasted full oft, as my beer they drank,
earls o’er the ale-cup, arméd men,
that they would bide in the beer-hall here,
Grendel’s attack with terror of blades.^[5]
Then was this mead-house at morning tide
485dyed with gore, when the daylight broke,
all the boards of the benches blood-besprinkled,
gory the hall: I had heroes the less,
doughty dear-ones that death had reft.
—But sit to the banquet, unbind thy words,
490hardy hero, as heart shall prompt thee.”
Gathered together, the Geatish men
in the banquet-hall on bench assigned,
sturdy-spirited, sat them down,
hardy-hearted. A henchman attended,
495carried the carven cup in hand,
served the clear mead. Oft minstrels sang
blithe in Heorot. Heroes revelled,
no dearth of warriors,^[6] Weder and Dane.

1. There is no irrelevance here. Hrothgar sees in Beowulf’s mission a heritage of duty, a return of the good offices which the Danish king rendered to Beowulf’s father in time of dire need.—F. Seebohm, Tribal Customs in Anglo-Saxon Law, London, 1902, comments on this ethical side of the feud, and makes great use of the material in Beowulf.
2. Repeated from v. 463, also in the original.
3. Money, for wergild, or man-price.
4. Ecgtheow, Beowulf’s sire.
5. “With terrible blades,”—drawn swords.—“Boast” is not used in the modern sense, nor was it “Dutch courage” that inspired the utterance. As in the Indian war-dance, so at the Germanic feast in hall or camp before battle, the warrior was expected to make his beót or promise of prowess,—and to keep it. These vaunts easily lent themselves to jocose treatment in the declining days of epic or romance; witness the famous “gabs” in Charlemagne’s Journey to Jerusalem.
6. In spite of v. 476, Hrothgar still has a large band of retainers.