Beowulf Excerpt

Nor did he renege, but doled out rings
and torques at the table.

Nor did he renege, but doled out rings
and torques at the table.

His warrior band did what he bade them
when he laid down the law among the Danes:
they shouldered him out to the sea's flood,
the chief they revered who had long ruled them.

No man can tell,
no wise man in hall or weathered veteran
knows for certain who salvaged that load.

That doom abided,
but in time it would come: the killer instinct
unleashed among in-laws, the blood-lust rampant

The massed treasure
was loaded on top of him: it would travel far
on out into the ocean's sway.

And they set a gold standard up
high above his head and let him drift
to wind and tide, bewailing him
and mourning their loss.

He was four times a father, this fighter prince:
one by one they entered the world,
Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga
and a daughter, I have heard, who was Onela's queen,
a balm in bed to the battle-scarred Swede.

There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,
a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes.

And a young prince must be prudent like that,
giving freely while his father lives
so that afterwards in age when fighting starts
steadfast companions will stand by him
and hold the line.

I never heard before of a ship so well furbished
with battle tackle, bladed weapons
and coats of mail.

Far-fetched treasures
were piled upon him, and precious gear.

Shield was still thriving when his time came
and he crossed over into the Lord's keeping.

He was four times a father, this fighter prince:
one by one they entered the world,
Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga
and a daughter, I have heard, who was Onela's queen,
a balm in bed to the battle-scarred Swede.

Far-fetched treasures
were piled upon him, and precious gear.

And a young prince must be prudent like that,
giving freely while his father lives
so that afterwards in age when fighting starts
steadfast companions will stand by him
and hold the line.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute.

A ring-whorled prow rode in the harbour,
ice-clad, outbound, a craft for a prince.

Far and wide through the world, I have heard,
orders for work to adorn that wallstead
were sent to many peoples.

Behaviour that's admired
is the path to power among people everywhere.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute.

We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute.

So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by
and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.

No man can tell,
no wise man in hall or weathered veteran
knows for certain who salvaged that load.

Heorot was the name
he had settled on it, whose utterance was law.

And they set a gold standard up
high above his head and let him drift
to wind and tide, bewailing him
and mourning their loss.

And then his heir,
the great Halfdane, held sway
for as long as he lived, their elder and warlord.

And they set a gold standard up
high above his head and let him drift
to wind and tide, bewailing him
and mourning their loss.

They decked his body no less bountifully
with offerings than those first ones did
who cast him away when he was a child
and launched him alone out over the waves.

Far-fetched treasures
were piled upon him, and precious gear.

His warrior band did what he bade them
when he laid down the law among the Danes:
they shouldered him out to the sea's flood,
the chief they revered who had long ruled them.

Far-fetched treasures
were piled upon him, and precious gear.

This terror of the hall-troops had come far.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute.

The hall towered,
its gables wide and high and awaiting
a barbarous burning.

They stretched their beloved lord in his boat,
laid out by the mast, amidships,
the great ring-giver.

Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,
a cub in the yard, a comfort sent
by God to that nation.

No man can tell,
no wise man in hall or weathered veteran
knows for certain who salvaged that load.

Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,
a cub in the yard, a comfort sent
by God to that nation.

We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute.

And a young prince must be prudent like that,
giving freely while his father lives
so that afterwards in age when fighting starts
steadfast companions will stand by him
and hold the line.

They decked his body no less bountifully
with offerings than those first ones did
who cast him away when he was a child
and launched him alone out over the waves.

He was well regarded and ruled the Danes
for a long time after his father took leave
of his life on earth.

Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,
a cub in the yard, a comfort sent
by God to that nation.