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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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70 jarls, slayer of Ongentheow, Within the burg was dealing ring upon ring,Hygelac, the good, he, the young War-King. The coming-back of Beowulf to him was quickly told, How thither to the King’s house this Shield of battlers bold, And of the buckler- bearers, was coming on his way Alive unto the court there, safe from battle-play. Anon, as then the Sovran bade, the hall within was dight For these guests, these way-farers. And he who fought the fight Sate him by the King’s self, kin his kin beside, After he had greeted in courtesy and pride His Liege-Lord, the gracious. With mead-draughts for all, Hygd, of Haereth daughter, went round about the hall. She loved these the people; she bare for the carouse The stoup to hands of Geatmen. In high hall-house Hygelac in the fair wise questionings addressed To Beowulf, his house-carl; with longing burst his breast To hear how well his Sea-Geats had thriven on their quest. “Dear Beowulf, what luck, then, upon this voyage, for thee, After thou bethoughtest, over the salt-sea, To seek afar the battle, and strife at Heorot? For Hrothgar, the great King, hast bettered now or not That woe so widely told of? For this I seethed in breast With care and surging sorrow. Me liked not such a quest For man so much beloved. And long I begged of thee That thou that eldritch Ogre would let forever be, And let themselves the South-Danes settle as they may The warfare with Grendel. To God my thanks I say That I can look upon thee sound again today.” Beowulf made his speech then, bairn of Ecgtheow, he: “O that is no wise hidden from men, where’er they be, That our famous meeting, Hygelac, my lord,How on that very field there I and Grendel warred Where he so oft and often had wrought the sorrow-stroke And miseries forever on Victor-Scylding folk. All that so well I venged that none of Grendel’s kin, None on earth that longest lives begirt by sin, Of this breed, the loathsome, will care to boast withal Of the din there in the dawning. But unto the ring-hall First did I betake me Hrothgar to greet; Soon when he, the mighty Child of Halfdane, Knew the thought within me, he yielded me a seat There beside his own son. Thane rejoiced with thane; I never saw in all my life, under the heavens all, More merriment at mead among sitters in a hall. Whiles the Queen, the high-born, whom ‘Peace-Bringer’ they call, Passed, as she cheered the younger braves, around through all the hall, And gave to many a warrior, rings of wreathed gold, Ere yet she went unto her seat. And whiles unto the old, To every jarl, the ale-stoup did Hrothgar’s daughter bearShe whom I heard the sitters within the hall-house there, As she the bossed |
